Got Grub?

What do you eat when you want a healthy snack? Veggies? Yogurt? How about a bowl of crispy crickets?

Crickets might not be a popular snack in the United States. But entomophagy, or eating insects, is common in most places. Insects are a food source in as many as 80% of the world’s countries. They’re packed with protein. They’re easy to grow. And they’re tasty, says Tamra Reall of the University of Missouri. She’s an expert on plants and insects. (Her nickname is Dr. Bug.)

These chocolates are topped with insects. The insects are toasted or fried for an extra crunch.

“They’re really good,” Reall told TIME for Kids. “Ants are citrusy. Crickets are more nutty. Like popcorn. Grasshoppers are crunchy. [They taste] kind of like shrimp.”

These lollipops have a surprise inside. They contain edible insects, such as crickets.

Eco-Friendly Insects

Insects may also be a sustainable food source, Sujaya Rao says. She’s an entomologist, or bug expert. Rao calls insects an “eco-friendly food.” She told TFK that raising them requires much less space than raising cows or chickens. That leaves more room for people and plants.

This plate features scorpions, worms, and ants. They are flavored with spices. Which would you try first?

Rao often tells people to picture a small farm. “How many cattle could you raise [there]?” she asks. “Now: How many insects could you raise?”

Fried scorpions and insects are a popular street food in parts of Asia. They are sold on a stick. They can be eaten on the go.

Small Bites

People consume insects in lots of ways. The photos in this story show examples. In Mexico and Thailand, insects might be fried. In some countries, they’re covered in chocolate. Then they’re served as dessert. They can even be ground up into flour. The flour is used for cooking and baking.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Banana bread can be made with cricket flour. The flour has a nutty flavor.

Want to try a taste? “It’s not a good idea to go out and collect insects from your yard,” Reall says. But there are bugs online that are safe to eat. An adult can help you find them. Dig in!