Proteins are the building blocks of the human body. Nutrition is extremely important for the optimal physical and mental growth of a child. The primary source of protein for a toddler is milk. Other sources of protein like supplemental powders and solid foods, are added as a child grows. However, a woman has decided to add another layer to it.
Protein sources like lean meats and dairy come at a cost. Therefore, a woman from Canada has started feeding crickets to her 18-month-old toddler to fulfill her protein requirements and to cut down the grocery bills.
You heard it right, CRICKETS! Crickets are cylindrical-shaped, soft-bodied insects with round heads and long antennae. They are distinctly related to grasshoppers. The act of feeding insects to a toddler seems overtly gross and weird, especially for a food blogger who knows a thing or two about food. However, Tiffany Leigh believes this to be the solution to kill two birds with one stone.
This act of consuming insects is called Entomophagy. Leigh learned about it from her experiences of food blogging and traveling. She recalls eating fried tarantula legs, scorpions, ants, and crickets in countries like Thailand and Vietnam.
Leigh claims that her family grocery bill would typically cost about $250 to $300 a week. However, after the incorporation of crickets into her toddler's diet, the bill now costs only $150 to $200 a week. The meals would typically include whole roasted crickets, cricket puff snacks, and cricket protein powder. She also said that her 18-month-old daughter enjoys eating crickets. She concluded by saying that this is a good opportunity to try such 'exotic' meals for her toddler.
(Input from various media sources)