To the Adventurous Eaters: Thank You

Thank you for being part of the conversation around edible insects, sustainability, and alternative proteins.

I’ve cooked with just about every edible insect I could get my hands on—crickets and cricket powder, grasshoppers, black ants, mealworms, scorpions, even cicadas.

My interest in edible insects began as a culinary class assignment, and quickly became something more personal. During an exotic ingredient research project at Austin Community College, I was introduced to entomophagy—the practice of eating insects—and the growing conversation around alternative proteins. What started as curiosity evolved into experimentation, exploration, and a genuine interest in sustainable food systems.

With encouragement from ACC instructors, I continued to incorporate insect-based ingredients into a range of projects, from developing recipes for gingersnap cookies and potato soup in which the insect is hidden — to scorpion appetizers, where the insect is the star of the show.

Out of everything I’ve experimented with, cricket protein powder is the easiest first step for people to try edible insects. It’s actually part of my regular morning smoothies because it’s high in protein, packed with nutrients, and surprisingly easy to incorporate into everyday food.

From Yuk to Yum

My latest project represents another step in that journey: a three-tiered chocolate-and-orange cake featuring dark and white chocolate butterflies, with insect protein powder incorporated into the orange layer.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/85c256_08f504ab50c248f1a5023dc2b6a65092/480p/mp4/file.mp4

An AI-Generated mock-up of a chocolate and orange cake with cricket powder.

The goal is not shock value. It is awareness. Alternative proteins like cricket powder offer a more sustainable, nutrient-dense approach to food production while challenging assumptions about what belongs on the plate. By presenting these ingredients in a familiar, approachable format, this project invites people to reconsider the future of food—one slice at a time. --------

Cricket Powder vs. Traditional Protein Powder

Of course, sustainability is only part of the conversation. What surprised me most was how nutritionally competitive cricket protein actually is compared to many traditional whey or plant-based protein powders.

Protein Comparison (Per ~30g Serving)

Protein Source	Approx. Protein	Notes
Cricket Powder	18–22g	Complete protein with additional nutrients
Whey Protein	20–25g	Fast-digesting dairy protein
Pea Protein	15–22g	Plant-based, often blended
Soy Protein	20–25g	Complete plant protein

Cricket powder contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, similar to whey and soy. In addition, it is:

Naturally High in Vitamin B12

Cricket powder contains meaningful levels of B12, which supports energy production and nervous system health—something many plant-based protein powders lack.

High in Iron

Cricket protein can contain more iron than beef by weight, depending on the formulation. This makes it attractive for people looking for alternative iron sources.

Contains Fiber

Unlike whey protein, cricket powder naturally contains fiber because of chitin—the structural component found in insect exoskeletons.

Lower Environmental Impact

Compared to livestock:

• Requires significantly less water

• Uses far less land

• Produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions

--------

More Edible Insect Projects at ACC Culinary

I don’t expect everyone to immediately embrace edible insects. But if projects like this encourage even a few people to think differently about sustainability, nutrition, and the future of food, then the experiment was worth it.

Below, you’ll find a gallery featuring some of my other edible insect projects—from baked goods and savory dishes to plated appetizers—all part of my ongoing exploration into alternative proteins and culinary experimentation.

A Closing Thought

In the end, this project was never really about getting people to eat insects. It was about curiosity, experimentation, and challenging assumptions about where food can come from and how we think about sustainability.

Food has always evolved alongside culture, technology, and necessity. Alternative proteins—including insect protein—represent one small part of a much larger conversation about the future of nutrition and responsible food production.

If this project sparked a conversation, introduced a new perspective, or simply encouraged someone to try something unfamiliar, then it accomplished exactly what I hoped it would.