Insects have long been a part of the human diet and, once over the initial yuck factor, they actually don’t taste bad at all, with a nutty flavour similar to almonds – and a real crunch.  Al Overton, head of buying at Planet Organic, says: ‘80% of the world currently eats insects as part of their regular diet’ and, with sustainable food sources struggling, maybe it won’t be long before we all go Bushtucker for breakfast.

Are they safe?

As well as being edible, insects have considerable nutritional benefits. Mealworms are packed with amino acids, which are responsible for building lean body tissue, maintaining metabolic fuel and producing melanin, the pigment for hair and skin. Snack on Grub Mealworms (£7.80, Planet Organic) for a protein boost, or try oven-roasting them in soy sauce, wrapped in tin foil, for a crisp and delicious finish.

Is it the untapped sustainable food source?

The world’s population is expected to grow to more than nine billion by 2050. As the demand for food increases, so too will our already dwindling resources. With nearly one billion chronically hungry people worldwide, the UN has endorsed entomophagy (the eating of insects) as a sustainable, nutritious food source. And unlike cattle, insects can eat food considered to be waste, such as food scraps and animal manure, and it doesn’t affect their nutritional value.

3 bug-based snacks to try

1. Crobar, 40g, £2.50

If you can’t handle munching a whole cricket, try these energy bars made using cricket flour, with 7.6g protein per bar. They taste like peanut butter and are packed with iron.

2. Chiamp Bar, 50g, £1.99

These raw bars provide 10g of plant protein from sprouted chia, brown rice and pea protein. The Almond Butter & Chocolate Chip bar is our fave!

3. Jimini’s Greek Spices Grasshoppers, 10g, £6.7

Whole-dried and seasoned with oregano, thyme, pepper and paprika, these grasshoppers have around 4.9g of protein in each box.

Read more: 10 healthy afternoon snacks (that don’t include insects)