Crickets, grasshoppers, worms pushed as protein food of future
The movement to persuade Americans to reduce beef in their diet by eating bugs — “micro livestock” — is gaining momentum ahead of a global meat forum, as seen recently in a Denver Public Schools classroom.
Nearly all the 10-year-olds at a presentation by insects-as-food advocate Wendy Lu McGill nibbled her M&M-adorned cookies made of pulverized crickets.
Then the Denver Language School students ate whole roasted crickets. None, however, would try worms.
And one student, Laynie Whittington, refused any of this alimentary experimentation.
“I do not want to be eating bugs,” she said. “I’m half vegan, so I’m saying meat is sort of OK. But bugs? Not.”
A journalist and lawyer, Bruce Finley has investigated local, national and international issues with on-site reporting in more than 40 countries. In his position as a staff writer for the Denver Post, he is focusing on environment-related news including water challenges, the oil and gas boom and wildfire.
