Last year for Halloween, the Mister and I performed a chocolate covered edible bug taste test and published our findings here on the blog. This year, we decided to up the ante and try some more bugs…this time without the chocolate!

We bought our bugs through Think Geek (same as last time) and used the same 5 point grading scale as last time:

Presentation (1 possible point): Does it look like what it’s supposed to be?
Texture (1 possible point): Does the texture add to or detract from overall yumminess?
Flavor (2 possible points): Does the bug taste good? Does it combine well with the flavorings?
Snackability (1 possible point): If you didn’t know or didn’t care this was a bug, would you have it as a snack?

We took the average of our scores and posted them below, along with descriptions of each flavor profile. Enjoy, and have a safe and spooky Halloween, folks!

EDIBLE BUG TASTE TEST PART 2

SALTED WEAVER ANTS

Presentation: 0.5, Texture: 0.5, Flavor: 1, Snackability: 0.5
The itty bitty size of the weaver ants reminded me of cereal, which was kind of fitting since they had a texture a lot like puffed rice. The salty flavor was nice, but a little dry at the end (I found them a little too dry, but the Mister liked them). I was a little disappointed that none of them were whole: since their so tiny and delicate, most of them had broken into several pieces.

Overall Score: 2.5 of 5

 

BACON & CHEESE GRASSHOPPERS

Presentation: 0.75, Texture: 1, Flavor: 1, Snackability: 1
Unlike the weaver ants, the grasshoppers were huge and whole. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on how much the bug shape might bother you. They were pleasantly crunchy. The taste reminded me of neither bacon nor cheese, but it was still a nice flavor, a little like very mild Chex mix.

Overall Score: 3.75 of 5

 

WASABI CRICKETS

Presentation: 1, Texture: 1, Flavor: 1.5, Snackability: 1
Ok, I was super nervous about these. The word wasabi had me not wanting to try them at all ( me + spice = 🙁 ) Turns out, the flavor was actually quite nice! Kinda nutty. I was into it. There was a little bit of a wasabi kick if you ate a few at once, but not much.

Overall Score: 4.5 of 5

 

BBQ BAMBOO WORMS

Presentation: 1, Texture: 0.75, Flavor: 1.75, Snackability: 1
I really liked the look of these—like tiny french fries! They had a very delicate crunch on the outside, which was cool. There was a weird sort of moistness in the middle that I didn’t like, but as the Mister pointed out, “What kind of texture are you expecting from a worm?” Aptly put. We both agreed that the bbq flavor was good, but not as strong as we would have wanted.

Overall Score: 4.25 of 5

 

NORI (SEAWEED) SCORPIONS

Presentation: 1, Texture: 1, Flavor: 2, Snackability: 1
Aw yeah, the scorpions are back! If you read our taste test from last year, you’ll remember that the scorpions were our reigning favorites. I’m pleased to say they were popular this time around too! It’s worth noting that the tin only comes with two scorpions, since they’re so big. I was happy to see that they were both the same size this time, since one of the scorpions from our last review was half the size of the other. I LOVE the flavor of these, but I also eat dried seaweed the way some people eat potato chips (I’m weird like that). These scorpions were pleasantly salty with a tiny bit of spice and strong nori flavor (which is a combo of salt, ocean, and just a little bitterness).

Overall Score: 5 of 5

 

FINAL NOTES

And the scorpions win again! As terrifying as they look, I highly recommend starting with scorpions if you’re thinking of trying edible bugs. If you can get over the appearance, they’ll actually remind you of some familiar foods. The salty flavor is easy to equate to chips or fries, and the crunchy texture makes it easy to forget you’re eating a bug!