- March 3, 2026 - Insectarium
Two billion people in the world eat insects. Not out of necessity, but because they want to! In Québec, entomophagy, the fact of consuming insects, still hasn’t sparked much enthusiasm. And yet, insects make for a tasty, nutritious option, besides being an ecofriendly alternative to traditional meats.
New flavors to explore
With more than two thousand species of edible insects, a whole range of flavors is available to food lovers, ranging from hints of roasted nuts to the taste of shrimp and notes of popcorn.
Several elements contribute to an insect’s taste: the pheromones present at the animal’s surface, the environment in which it lives, its diet, the way it’s prepared…1,2 In other words, there’s an insect to satisfy the most sophisticated palates.
Excellent nutritional value
With their high protein content, insects are also an excellent source of fiber and essential amino acids, in addition to providing multiple vitamins and minerals. It should be noted, however, that the nutritional contribution varies according to the stage an insect is at in its life cycle, its diet, growth conditions, preparation method, the species cooked, and so on.
Regardless, insects can greatly enhance meals with their nutritional value.
A promising environmental outlook
Raising edible insects could constitute a more ecofriendly alternative to the traditional production of other meats. Studies indicate that the production of insects intended for the human diet shows a more favorable environmental balance than that of other animal rearing operations, notably as concerns greenhouse gas emissions, ammonia emissions or required amounts of land.3,4
However, since what is involved is still an emerging sector, the available data remains limited, and a more complete understanding of environmental impact will be needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
Nevertheless, in a context where conventional animal husbandry struggles to meet the needs of a growing global population in a sustainable way – because of the natural resources (land, water, etc.) it requires and its environmental impact – the integration of insects as a protein source seems to be a promising solution.
Making the most of waste using insects
Insect farming also has the potential to become part of a circular-economy approach. Organic waste from the food industry or from households can be used as food for insect farms. In Québec, for example, roughly 40 tonnes of organic waste matter a week are already being used to feed farmed insects.5
An experience within our reach
Even if more people are recognizing the potential advantages of an insectivorous diet, disgust is still an obstacle to them really integrating insects into their diet. Which is why more rational arguments – having to do with the environment or with nutritional value – aren’t enough to convince everyone.
Acceptance of an insectivorous diet would rely on a more emotional approach that consisted in making the food more attractive, in associating it with something familiar or in making it part of an experience (cooking it ourselves, for example).6,7
It’s precisely that sort of experience that the Insectarium is inviting you to every Saturday and Sunday from February 28 to March 22 on the occasion of the Insects on the Menu family workshops.
Sources
1Evans J., Flore, R. and Frost, M.B. 2017. On Eating Insects: Essays, Stories and Recipes. Phaidon. 335 pp.
2Kouřimská, L. and Adámková, A. 2016. Nutritional and sensory quality of edible insects. NFS Journal 4: 22-26.
3Oonincx D.G., van Itterbeeck, J., ... and van Huis, A. 2010. An exploration on greenhouse gas and ammonia production by insect species suitable for animal or human consumption. PLoS One. 5 (12): e14445.
4Van Huis, A., Van Itterbeeck, J., ... and Vantomme, P. 2014. Insectes comestibles: perspectives pour la sécurité alimentaire et l’alimentation animale (Edible insects: prospects for food security and animal feed). FAO, Rome, Italy: 207 pp.
5Table Filière des Insects comestibles (TFIC: Table of Edible Insects). 2022. Portrait de l’industrie des insectes comestibles du Québec en 2022 (Portrait of the Edible-Insect Industry in Québec in 2022). 44 pp.
6Evans J., Flore, R., and Frost, M.B. 2017. On Eating Insects: Essays, Stories and Recipes. Phaidon. 335p.
7Palcu, J., Schreier, M., ... and Salerno, A. 2025. Fixing the bug in insect consumption. Food Quality and Preference 128: 105472.
