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