Cricket flour facts for kids

An energy bar made with cricket flour.

Snacks made with cricket flour and oats.

Cricket flour, also called cricket powder, is a special kind of flour. It's made from crickets! Unlike regular flour from grains, cricket flour is mostly protein. It has very little starch or dietary fiber. People use it to add extra protein to their food.

What's in Cricket Flour?

Cricket flour is packed with good stuff for your body. It has all nine "essential amino acids." These are like building blocks for your muscles. It also contains important nutrients. These include calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins B12 and B2. Plus, it has healthy fats.

How is Cricket Flour Made?

Making cricket flour involves a few steps. First, crickets raised for food are frozen. This makes them ready for the next steps. After freezing, the crickets are baked. Baking helps to dry them out and makes them easier to grind. Once baked, they are ground into a very fine powder. This process of freezing, baking, and grinding turns the crickets into a dark brown flour. It has a powdery feel, just like regular flour.

In many places, insects raised for food must meet the same safety rules as other foods. This helps make sure they are safe to eat.

How Much Does Cricket Flour Cost?

Cricket flour can be a bit expensive right now. The price can change depending on where you buy it. On average, a pound of pre-made cricket flour costs around $40. This amount uses about 4,200 to 4,800 crickets. The high price is because it's not yet a very common food. Not many companies make or sell it yet. You can usually find cricket flour online or in special food stores.

If you want to save money, you can buy frozen crickets. They cost about $9 per pound. You can then make your own cricket flour at home.

Foods Made with Cricket Flour

Cricket flour can be used in many different foods. It's often added to processed food products. Some common foods that use cricket flour include:

• pasta
• bread
• cookies
• snacks like chips or nachos
• smoothies

You can even use cricket flour to completely replace regular flour in some recipes. It has a nutty taste. Foods made with cricket flour might cook a little differently than those made with wheat flour.

Important Allergy Information

If you have an allergy to shellfish, like shrimp or crab, you should be careful with cricket flour. Crickets are insects, and their bodies are similar to shellfish. This means you might have an allergic reaction to cricket flour. Always check with an adult or doctor if you are unsure.