Bug bars - dedicated to Katie
Folks, this is the food of the future. Because they produce quickly and don't take up a lot of space, raising insects for food is highly sustainable and good for the environment. Insects are also nutritious, with a fair amount of protein and fiber. So when I saw an ad on my Facebook feed for an introductory $5 offer on Exo bars, I clicked to purchase.
About 9 days later, my bars arrive from a company based out of Brooklyn. They're four flavors: PB&J, Banana Bread, Blueberry Vanilla, and Cocoa Nut.
I asked on social media which one to try first and went with the first response from my friend Laura: Blueberry Vanilla.
How was it? Notes: blueberry vanilla - smells fruity, like it has dates in it; not too sweet, a little sour. Good brownie-like texture with some nuts inside. Can't taste vanilla but it definitely tastes healthy and minimally processed.
Knowing full well I can't eat 4 bars in one sitting, I took my time. The next bar in line was PB&J. Perhaps I was comparing this variety with other bars I've had, but it was just OK. It was dryer than the first bar and I couldn't really taste the peanut butter. On to the others!
I was meeting up with a friend for dinner and told him of my taste-testing. Being open-minded about new foods, he said he'd try them with me, so I stashed them in my purse. It was only after I got home that I remembered we were supposed to try them but didn't. Oh well, back to just me sampling again.
The last two were good, thankfully. Banana bread was chewier than the others with a pretty high fat content for a small bar, at 17g. Cocoa nut was also good, and I could taste the dates in them.
Conclusion: For $5, it was worth the sampling experience. It's a good alternative to other bars that have less wholesome ingredients, and I see the appeal among certain niches in the health and fitness crowd. But it will take a while for these cricket bars to flood the mainstream, not because it's a bad product, but because many people have biases against eating anything insect-related that will be hard to overcome.
Also, I still don't know what crickets taste like because I couldn't tell what they tasted like! :)
About 9 days later, my bars arrive from a company based out of Brooklyn. They're four flavors: PB&J, Banana Bread, Blueberry Vanilla, and Cocoa Nut.
I asked on social media which one to try first and went with the first response from my friend Laura: Blueberry Vanilla.
How was it? Notes: blueberry vanilla - smells fruity, like it has dates in it; not too sweet, a little sour. Good brownie-like texture with some nuts inside. Can't taste vanilla but it definitely tastes healthy and minimally processed.
Knowing full well I can't eat 4 bars in one sitting, I took my time. The next bar in line was PB&J. Perhaps I was comparing this variety with other bars I've had, but it was just OK. It was dryer than the first bar and I couldn't really taste the peanut butter. On to the others!
I was meeting up with a friend for dinner and told him of my taste-testing. Being open-minded about new foods, he said he'd try them with me, so I stashed them in my purse. It was only after I got home that I remembered we were supposed to try them but didn't. Oh well, back to just me sampling again.
The last two were good, thankfully. Banana bread was chewier than the others with a pretty high fat content for a small bar, at 17g. Cocoa nut was also good, and I could taste the dates in them.
Conclusion: For $5, it was worth the sampling experience. It's a good alternative to other bars that have less wholesome ingredients, and I see the appeal among certain niches in the health and fitness crowd. But it will take a while for these cricket bars to flood the mainstream, not because it's a bad product, but because many people have biases against eating anything insect-related that will be hard to overcome.
Also, I still don't know what crickets taste like because I couldn't tell what they tasted like! :)
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