Surviving On Edible Insects

Presented by Mother Earth News, Surviving on Edible Insects catalogs only those that are easy to identify and have a long record of human consumption, including cicadas, worms, locusts, scarabs, and ants.

In this unique guide, author Fred Demara (who instructed readers on what plants to nibble on in Eating on the Run) shares tips for identifying safe insects, locating their habitats, harvesting them in numbers, and preparing them properly to make them safe and tasty to eat while on the move. Find the idea of eating insects hard to swallow? Get over it. To sustain life, if you don’t have the food you love, then you’d better learn to love the food you have.

Insects aren’t just a survival option, however. As the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently pointed out, it may be time to swap your burgers for bugs. They’re packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are yummy if cooked properly. (Tex-Mex ant taco, anyone?) Plus, they’re abundant everywhere and free for the taking, making them the perfect survival food.