First, because it’s fascinating. Think about it: you’re sharing your plate with a secret, tiny world. It doesn’t make the food gross—it makes it real. Farming and processing aren’t sterile labs; they’re natural, messy, and full of life.
Second, here’s the good news: these critters are basically invisible. You can’t taste them, you can’t see them, and they won’t hurt you. In fact, some cultures deliberately eat insects as a delicacy. We’re just doing it by accident.
And honestly, it’s a lot less weird than the artificial dyes and preservatives in many foods. At least a little beetle leg is organic, right?
A Little Math That Makes You Smile
Let’s break it down year by year. If you eat about 1,500 pounds of food (the average American’s yearly intake), and the FDA allows tiny bug parts in most of it, you’re looking at roughly one to two pounds of insects per year.
That’s about the weight of a small bag of sugar. Or a loaf of bread. Or a single, slightly chubby squirrel.
I asked my neighbor if he’d eat a squirrel in his soup. He said no. But when I told him he’s already eating the insect equivalent of one, he just laughed and said, “Well, I guess it’s cheaper than steak.” And honestly, he’s not wrong.
