New ideas for creating a family food tradition that’s right in your back, or front yard.

The Growing Craze for Edible Insects: From Crickets to Tarantulas and the health, wellness, and eco-friendly benefits that could help you, your family, neighbors, and the planet.

Family Tree Food & Stories, Ep. #46

Tune in as this episode of the Family Tree Food & Stories podcast crawls straight into the fascinating (and sometimes squirm-worthy) world of edible insects. In “Foods That Bug Us,”  your co-hosts Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely explore cultural traditions, health benefits, and some less familiar history behind eating bugs.

From deep-fried tarantulas and crispy roasted crickets to John the Baptist’s locust-and-honey diet and the surprising insect life cycle hidden inside figs, this episode gives you a list of ideas and ways to create your own buged-out buffet along with some facts that will have you asking for seconds – well, maybe.  In addition, learn about how the FDA has approved bug parts in food, why 2 billion people worldwide already enjoy insects as part of their diet, and how bugs are a good protein substitute with a much smaller environmental footprint than livestock. Yes, the pun (bug footprint, is intended!)  😉

Alongside historical tidbits and personal stories (like how one of our friends swears green stink bugs taste like apple Jolly Ranchers), Nancy and Sylvia share the health benefits—from high-density protein and B12 to chitin. This crunchy exoskeleton compound has been studied and shown to help improve gut health and even has anti-inflammatory properties.

With humor, storytelling, and a healthy dose of “yuck and yum,” this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories will challenge the way you think about what’s on our plate and proves that every meal has a story—and even sometimes comes with wings.

5 Key Learning Points:

1. There really is a global appetite for bugs – Over 2 billion people consume 2,000 species of edible insects worldwide.
2. Bugs Are a Nutritional Powerhouse – Crickets, grasshoppers, and mealworms offer more protein per gram than beef, plus B12, iron, zinc, and healthy fats.
3. Eat Chitin for Better Gut Health – The exoskeleton of insects contains chitin, a prebiotic linked to improved digestion and reduced inflammation.
4. FDA Approved Bug Parts – The FDA regulates allowable bug parts in food; even chocolate and coffee naturally contain them.
5. Bug Eating Cultural & Historical Roots – From John the Baptist’s locust diet to modern Michelin-starred dishes with ants, bugs have deep historical and culinary significance.

Ready to rethink your dinner party meal plan 🍽️

Listen and share “Foods That Bug Us” on the Family Tree Food & Stories Podcast and join the conversation about food traditions that surprise, delight, and may even make you squirm a bit.

Subscribe, share it with a friend, and tell us—would YOU try a cricket-crusted fried chicken or glow-in-the-dark M&Ms made from bugshells?

Additional Links ❤️

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About Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.

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