Why am I upside down? It’s because I’m made of cricket flour, isn’t it?
The very optimistic folks at EXO sent me an email one day. They have these gluten-free bars that are also GMO-free, dairy-free and they just happen to be made with cricket flour.
Now, I know that ants and crickets and things can make for some pretty decent food when you’re in a desperate place. And I consider myself mad lucky to not be in that desperate place. Which is why I was like, “No, thanks.” But the EXO gal was persistent and thought I would enjoy their flavorful and healthy bars, and why not just give it a try? I mean these people are balls out. Their motto is “Crickets Are the New Kale” for chrissake. They believe in the product and I decided to believe in them.
So I finally said yes and the Apple Cinnamon, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Blueberry Vanilla EXO bars have been sitting in my snack bowl for quite some time. This week I decided I would face my cricket fear, but only if the rest of my family did it first. I didn’t tell this kid what was happening.
And this one was laughing very hard after I told her, because her brother had eaten cricket flour.
My husband managed to disappear but my mother-in-law was visiting and was much more receptive to the idea of chowing down on bugs.
I’ll be honest, I still couldn’t bring myself to do it. And wow, are my kids mad at me for not telling them in the first place. Still, the taste testing mother-in-law had the following thoughts since she’s not afraid of a little cricket flour:
“If I’m going to eat a bar, it needs to have more than 10 grams of protein.”
“Mmmm, the apple cinnamon is my favorite. Great with a cup of coffee.”
“The peanut butter jelly is mostly jelly, peanut butter after taste.”
Also,
“I’ll try anything.”
So there you have it.
Gluten is my Bitch 
I’m kinda disappointed in you for not trying. And you are such an evil mom; that makes up a little for the disappointment.
Yaknow, someday sooner that we might like, we’ll probably all be eating bugs (or should, if we want to be environmentally responsible or even just considerate of our fellow travelers). Seems like cricket flour is among the least offensive ways to consume a cricket.
I have to admit, I haven’t eaten many bugs either–and none that I know of lately.
I know. I thought of the big picture a lot when I was refusing to eat it. But my social conscious was not enough to put that bug flour into my mouth.
You’re the kind of mother I hope to be one day. I make GF stuff all the time and don’t tell people because for some reason gluten free is synonymous with tastes bad. Interested to try these cricket bars, though.
C’mon April………..give it a try! Then we will, too! Promise!
Ha! I’m going to have to work my way up to that. Maybe ants first.
I’ve eaten actual crickets. Fried crispy as a snack. Kind of oily. I also saw some old kids’ show urging their viewers to try pizza with chirps, which was pizza topped with friend crickets. You can also get them at that Willie Wonka chocolate store in the Kodak theater in Hollywood.
I’m totally going to that store and packing those in my kids’ lunch.
You so remind me of my wife–who works with kids for a living (and for fun). If they have any kind of phobia or aversion, she will dutifully (and, arguably, aggressively) facilitate their confronting and overcoming it. For herself, not so much. ;-p