So where to find them? It is possible to get edible insects in some restaurants now. These tend to be more at the expensive end of the scale; places that feature experimental food, like Noma in Copenhagen and Archipelago in London. This is changing though, as insects become more accepted and are sold in more affordable venues - food trucks, pop-up restaurants and other street vendors.

Photo: Nordic Food Lab, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

In some countries it’s possible to buy edible insects in supermarkets and specialist stores. And we've digged through them all. Here's the BUGSfeed directory of stores and restaurants:

Stores & Restaurants on BUGSfeed

Another option is to forage for insects. Foraging is becoming more and more popular as both a pastime and a serious source of food. In the places were eating insects is most common they get more than 90% of their insects from foraging. Importantly, and unsurprisingly, wild, foraged insects often provide the best taste.

Photo: Nordic Food Lab, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Forage with care
In terms of safety, you’ll know that plants, mushrooms and berries can be poisonous so research and care is required before heading out foraging. It’s exactly the same for insects - just make sure you know what you’re eating.

You can also raise your own insects at home, something done extensively throughout south-east Asia, and increasingly in Europe and the US. Crickets and mealworms are apparently easy to breed yourself. This way you know exactly what the insects are and what they’re fed on, so no surprise ingredients. If you want to sell the produce, restrictions apply - see our section on legality.

Unsurprisingly, wild, foraged insects often provide the best taste.

In fact many people are raising their own edible insects - if unknowingly - in the form of the bee hives that dot gardens and roofs everywhere. Honey may be the most famous product of the hive, but it’s certainly not the only one - baby bees are also a versatile ingredient.