Children will be fed insects as part of a plan to encourage the next generation to switch from meat to insects and convince their parents to follow suit. Pupils at four primary schools in Wales will be offered insects as food as part of a project to measure children's appetite for “alternative protein” such as crickets, grasshoppers, silkworms, locusts and mealworms The researchers hope their findings provide clues on how best to educate children about the environmental and nutritional benefits of edible insects across the UK and possibly beyond abroad – and, in turn, their parents as the world seeks to help the environment by reducing meat consumption.

In 2019, about 9 million Europeans ate insects. By 2030, their number is planned to be increased to 390 million