A Canadian mother has revealed that she feeds her 18-month-old baby crickets because they’re ‘a great source of protein’. Despite backlash the mom insisted that the tot ‘loves’ eating the bugs and that it’s saved hundreds of dollars per month on her grocery bill. In January we shared how the European Union is allowing cricket powder in several household staples including baked goods.
Tiffany Leigh, a food writer from Toronto, Canada, said that she first tried insects during a visit to Asia – tasting everything from fried tarantula legs to scorpion on a stick – and she ‘loved’ how the critters were ‘incorporated into local dishes’ to ‘enhance their textural appeal.’
When her daughter became old enough to start eating food, Tiffany decided to add bugs to her diet – which she described as a much cheaper way to provide the toddler with protein.
During a chat with Insider, the mother-of-one explained that since she started mixing crickets into her 18-month-old’s meals, she doesn’t have to spend as much on ‘more traditionally expensive proteins like beef, chicken, and pork’ – and she said the change has resulted in her cutting her food bill down from $250-$300 a week to $150-$200 a week.
‘[My daughter is] at the age where she’s fearless and curious, so this is an opportune time to try more “exotic” foods that aren’t considered a dietary staple in North America,’ she explained.
‘[Crickets are] a nutritional powerhouse. A mere two tablespoons of cricket powder provides 100 per cent of the daily protein needs of a baby.
According to Entomo Farms ‘ website, the puffs are made from organic cricket flour, fava beans and lentils and are a great ‘source of protein, fiber, and vitamin B12.’ The baby is seen eating the puffs
Tiffany explained that she first started by giving her daughter Cricket Puffs, which she orders from Entomo Farms – a food retailer which specifically sells treats that are made out of crickets.
She said the Puffs look like Cheetos but taste ‘far less salty and have a fibrous finish to them.’
Tiffany admitted that she was horrified when she pulled the first one out of the bag, since she said you can ‘see their little heads, thoraxes, and abdomens all clustered together.’
After her toddler took a bite, it was clear she was not a fan of them and ‘chucked the rest onto the floor.’
Not giving up, Tiffany then decided to start mixing the whole roasted crickets into things like pancake mix or mac and cheese sauce – and it a major success, since the little girl couldn’t even tell they were in there.
The writer said she now plans to ‘incorporate more edible insects’ into her daughter’s meals as she gets older, including ants, grasshoppers, and worms
‘We had more success when the ground crickets were “hidden” in pancakes. You could see the black flecks in the batter, but my baby was unfazed by the appearance change,’ she continued.
‘She took a big bite and clamored for more. I ate some and could understand why – you couldn’t tell that crickets were in these fluffy cakes.
‘The only difference was that they had a slightly nutty finish. For dinner, I sprinkled some of the powder into our mac-and-cheese sauce, tossed it with some pasta shells, and again, she couldn’t taste anything different. She then made the sign for “more” – it was a winner.’
The writer said she now plans to ‘incorporate more edible insects’ into her daughter’s meals as she gets older, including ants, grasshoppers, and worms.
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