Eating Cicadas (and other bugs)

[Horwath]

What do you think it would take to shift a modern population to a bug-based protein diet?

Why in Seven hell would I want to do that?

As @Umbran said, yeah in case of famine I would go "Bear Grylls" on anything edible, but any other time?
Keep your bugs, I'll have my bacon and venison, thank you.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Make it look like a burger. People will happily eat it then.

That's my thought as well. Burgers and sausage can already be made out of all sorts of stuff... Why not bugs?

 

[BookTenTiger]

Why in Seven hell would I want to do that?

As @Umbran said, yeah in case of famine I would go "Bear Grylls" on anything edible, but any other time?
Keep your bugs, I'll have my bacon and venison, thank you.

According to the article, bugs produce a lot less methane and would use much fewer resources to raise than cows, pigs, etc.

 

[Morrus]

That's my thought as well. Burgers and sausage can already be made out of all sorts of stuff... Why not bugs?

I mean, if people really cared to know what was in their sausages. They know, really, but they prefer to put it out of mind. Same with bug burgers. You'd get used to it real quick.

 

[Umbran]

Why in Seven hell would I want to do that?

Because, as a protein source, they are far more efficient than mammals. You need much less feed and energy to produce a pound of bug protein than a pound of bacon or venison.

Right now, you personally may be wealthy enough to not do this, but humans, in general, as the population rises, may need to turn to other protein sources.

 

[CleverNickName]

Make it look like a burger. People will happily eat it then.

Or peanut butter. Rumor has it that there is already a nonzero amount of insects in every jar of peanut butter.

 

[Alzrius]

What do you think it would take to shift a modern population to a bug-based protein diet?

Humanity having finally finished enacting its vengeance on waterfowl:

 

[Horwath]

Because, as a protein source, they are far more efficient than mammals. You need much less feed and energy to produce a pound of bug protein than a pound of bacon or venison.

Right now, you personally may be wealthy enough to not do this, but humans, in general, as the population rises, may need to turn to other protein sources.

yeah. I know all that.

And true, we could tone down little on cow meat as they are least efficient.

Pork and chicken are much better, rabbits even better. But you cannot eat only rabbits alone, not enough fat.

But, our food production is not the problem(or not real one right now), planet can sustain us now with our meat diet.
But maybe we should really look into not expanding our population over 9 or 10 billions?

Also, except food, we could improve on other things that will reduce our "carbon footprint":

Do not buy a car that uses over 5L/100km(47 MPG),
Have all your home appliance at least A++ energy efficiency rating,
Better window and wall isolation for heating/cooling expenditure of energy,
Do NOT protest building new nuclear power plants,
Try your very best to sort every piece of waste you produce in your home,
Do not leave water running for 5 mins every time you brush your teeth,

there is lots of things we can do before we have to exchange our pork chops for grasshopper and cockroaches.

 

[Ryujin]

yeah. I know all that.

And true, we could tone down little on cow meat as they are least efficient.

Pork and chicken are much better, rabbits even better. But you cannot eat only rabbits alone, not enough fat.

But, our food production is not the problem(or not real one right now), planet can sustain us now with our meat diet.
But maybe we should really look into not expanding our population over 9 or 10 billions?

Also, except food, we could improve on other things that will reduce our "carbon footprint":

Do not buy a car that uses over 5L/100km(47 MPG),
Have all your home appliance at least A++ energy efficiency rating,
Better window and wall isolation for heating/cooling expenditure of energy,
Do NOT protest building new nuclear power plants,
Try your very best to sort every piece of waste you produce in your home,
Do not leave water running for 5 mins every time you brush your teeth,

there is lots of things we can do before we have to exchange our pork chops for grasshopper and cockroaches.

True, but altering the protein that we eat could be one of the most effective ways to improve efficiency, while reducing carbon footprint. Think of how much land could be allowed to go fallow, or be used for the production of produce instead. Also, think of all of those eliminated cow farts.

Given how much processed crap most people seem to eat these days, it's also not like anyone would notice the change anyway. Is your frozen microwave burrito made with beef, or meal worms? Would you know even now?

 

[Morrus]

But maybe we should really look into not expanding our population over 9 or 10 billions?

I await your plan with baited breath.