A visit to Chinatown is never complete without a lengthy search for roasted scorpions or fried ants. A delicacy to some cultures, Canadians largely consider eating bugs to be a weird novelty at best, a repulsive punishment at worst, and usually, an accident that happens while cycling.

The United Nations would like to see that changed. The new report Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security makes the case for widespread (intentional) consumption of the crawling, the flying and the wriggling.

The report outlines the multifaceted benefits of entomophagy, or ingesting insects as food. From a health perspective, bugs are as rich in protein and other nutrients as our usual meat staples; plus, they are already eaten as part of a normal diet in countries around the world.

From an environmental perspective, insect production requires significantly less land and water than cattle rearing. Insects also need far less feed, because they convert feed into meat at a higher rate. Insects also emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than common livestock, and they can even be reared on human and animal waste.

From an economic perspective, raising insects for food is open to almost anyone because of the low costs involved; it can be done almost anywhere, including in urban areas; and the operations are easily scalable depending on the level of investment the farmer is willing to put in.

If the UN has you convinced, keep reading for some insect recipes courtesy of the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University. For more recipes, see their website. These are all insects that can be found in Canada, but the authors advise buying them from pet stores or biological supply companies; many of these insects are pests targeted by pesticides, which can be dangerous to eat.

Recipes

Army Worm Banana Bread