Cricket Bar Battle

Have you ever eaten bugs? I don’t mean the ones you accidentally swallowed while riding your motorcycle or while you were out camping one day. I’m referring to the culinary cuisine surrounding insect eating slowly infiltrating the Western world. Have you had a taste of these bug-filled dishes?

If you recoil at the thought of eating bugs, you are not alone. The idea of eating creepy crawlies still produces that ick factor for most North Americans which have only been propagated further by shows like ‘Fear Factor’ where eating bugs are portrayed as a challenge. I have also seen many bug eating videos on youtube where the youtubers melodramatically scream, whine, cry, or gag as they embark on a bug eating challenge in a bid to increase their followers.

Unlike the Western culture, eating bugs or what is scientifically referred to as entomophagy is common in other parts of the world. Thailand, Ghana, China, and Brazil, for example, have long incorporated insects and continue to do so into their diets. In fact, entomophagy is touted by some scientists as sustainable, easy on the environment, and downright nutritious. It is difficult, however, for a culture conditioned to view insects as gross, dirty, or diseased to suddenly embrace the thought of devouring them. Apart from preconceived notions surrounding insects, getting used to the unfamiliar texture when eating them can also be a challenge. Even if one can successfully block one’s mind from the thought that one is about to eat a bug, it can become problematic once you have tentacles tickling the insides of your mouth.

There is, however, a solution for reluctant eaters who are still determined to give entomophagy a try. Cricket flour is a perfect way to introduce yourself, your family, your kids, or your friends to eating bugs. Several companies produce protein energy bars made up of cricket flour. We had the opportunity to try out a couple of brands - the veterans Exo and up-and-comers Lithic Nutrition.

Trust me, eating their bars did not at all feel like one is munching on crickets. I told Kiarra and her little brother Seamus several times before they tasted the cricket bars what they were made of and to this day it has not yet sunk in that they have been eating bugs. They loved the bars so much that they have become part of the kids' go-to snacks. Each time I mention the crickets, it's often met with stares of disbelief, and then simply brushed off as rantings of an off-kilt prankster mother. In the end, they are sold on eating the cricket bars, bugs or no bugs, and here is ultimately what they(we) thought of Exo’s and Lithic Nutrition’s different offerings...

For those who want to take it one step further or for those who are already bug eating connoisseurs, we are working on an entomophagy post that extends past cricket bars. Ready to take the next step or to find out more? Join our Circus and we’ll keep you updated on current and upcoming bug delicacies.

Founded in 2013 with the help of a generously funded and successful Kickstarter project, Exo, one could say, are the leaders when it comes to pushing the acceptance of entomology in North America. Founded by Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz when they were both Seniors at Brown, Exo, now worth millions, started with an order of 2,000 live crickets mailed to the founders’ dorm. It goes without saying that Exo has become a household name when it comes to cricket protein bars. Veterans in their field, Exo deserves respect for helping pave the way for other cricket flour brands to come. As for our thoughts on their bars, read on below.

Photo Credit: Exo

Almonds, Dates, Coconut, Honey, Cricket Flour (Acheta domesticus), Cocoa Nibs, Cocoa Powder, Ground Flaxseeds, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt.
13 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein - per 1 bar (60g)
$42 USD for a 12 pack
(3.5/5)
On the whole, the kids enjoyed the Cocoa Nut flavour. Ronan mentioned a bug aftertaste which I doubted and disagreed with. Unless he’s eaten crickets before without my knowledge and knew how crickets tasted, I think he was referring to the cacao nibs. The cacao nibs, unlike chocolate chips, can impart a bitter taste. To be honest, taste testing this flavour did not incite enthusiastic responses. It was good but not mind-blowing delicious. When I bought a box worth of these babies, however, the kids had no issues eating them all. They also wanted them enough to scavenge for the stash they knew I was hiding out somewhere in our apartment. I am fast running out of hiding spots - these monstrous bug-eaters are bonafide bloodhounds when it comes to sniffing out snacks.

Almonds, Apricots, Blueberries (Blueberries, Apple Juice Concentrate), Strawberries (Strawberries, Apple Juice Concentrate), Cricket Flour (Acheta domesticus), Honey, Ground Flaxseeds, Coconut, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt.
14 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein - per 1 bar (60 g)
$42 USD for a 12 pack
(1/5)
The blueberry vanilla flavour was the least favourite among the kids. It had a slight aftertaste that was not particularly pleasing to the palate. The first bite elicited positive responses but then it was quickly followed by that aftertaste. None of us were fans of the aftertaste.

Sunflower Seeds, Bananas, Prunes, Cricket Flour (Acheta domesticus), Chicory Root Fiber, Banana Chips (Bananas, Coconut Oil, Honey, Natural Banana Flavor), Flaxseeds, Vanilla Extract, Spices, Sea Salt, Natural Banana Flavor.
14 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein - per 1 bar (60 g)
$42 USD for a 12 pack
(3.5/5)
Like the Cocoa Nut flavour, the kids liked the banana bread flavour. Kiarra and Ronan did not rave enthusiastically about it though they had no complaints. Seamus, on the other hand, attempted to take the entire lot we had left. His attraction to the idea of eating bread may very well have incited him to attempt to take them all for himself. Seamus is convinced that he eats bread even though our family doesn’t eat it. The bugger after all has been eating bread crumbs off the floor at his daycare much to my annoyance. Being able to eat something that had the name ‘bread’ in it was taboo and likely exciting for him - more exciting than the prospect of eating bugs.

Almonds, Plum Paste (Plum Juice Concentrate, Plums), Apricots, Apple Paste (Apple Juice Concentrate, Apple Puree Concentrate), Cricket Flour (Acheta Domesticus), Honey, Apples, Ground Flaxseeds, Coconut, Vanilla Extract, Spices, Sea Salt.
16 grams of sugar, 10 grams of protein - per 1 bar (60 g)
$42 USD for a 12 pack
(4.5/5)
The Apple Cinnamon flavour was by far the favourite. I myself favoured this one out of all the rest. Granted, it did contain a bit more sugar than the other flavours which I am certain had something to do with it. There is also something about the flavour of apples that made the bar taste like a refreshing, wholesome, and light snack. Like the average person, our family too loves chocolate but there comes a point cocoa can get quite overwhelming on the taste buds. Chocoholics might disagree with me but one can only eat so much chocolate before feeling heavy, stuffed, or feeling that sudden urgency to climb walls. The fruity taste of apple, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to elicit those same feelings.

Lithic Nutrition was co-founded in 2015 by veteran Dave Baugh who thought of the idea of eating crickets while deployed in Thailand and the Philippines where entomophagy was already prevalent. Lithic Nutrition’s other founder Dave’s twin brother Lars Baugh already had the makings of Lithic Nutrition’s business plan drafted before a formal conversation between them took place. Borrowing their parent’s kitchen, both went to work and started formulating cricket flour recipes which proved to be a success. They have since then employed the assistance of a Food Scientist to perfect their recipes and have been busily spreading the word about their cricket bars and the positive aspects of entomology fervently. Lithic Nutrition have not been in business as long as older companies such as Exo but are quickly gaining momentum thanks in part to their continuous dedication to producing new flavours, and their plans for new products in the future.

Photo Credit: Lithic Nutrition

Almonds, Dates, Cricket Powder, Dark Chocolate Chips (Unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla), Honey, Cacao, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.
16 grams of sugar, 15 grams of protein - per 1 bar (70 g)
$35.99 USD for a 12 pack
(4.5/5)
Dark Chocolate Brownie was the most popular flavour among the kids and me included. It did not taste like you were just eating something chocolate-flavoured. It tasted like one was actually eating a scrumptious fudge-y homemade brownie. It was no surprise that this flavour quickly became a family favourite.

Almonds, Cricket Powder, Dates, Banana, Honey, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt. 14 grams of sugar, 15 grams of protein - per 1 bar (69 g) $35.99 USD for a 12 pack (3.5/5)
The kids had no aversions to the Banana Bread flavour. In fact, as to be expected, for likely the same reasons he favoured Exo’s banana bread flavour, Seamus liked Lithic Nutrition’s banana bread as well. The kid is a bread monger - enough said. The kids would have no issues eating this flavour if presented to them again. They would just prefer one of Lithic Nutrition’s other flavours if given the choice - Seamus included since he realized Dark Chocolate Brownie tasted both like chocolate and bread, a double win.

Almonds, Dates, Cricket Powder, Blueberries, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt, Honey.
16 grams of sugar, 15 grams of protein - per 1 bar (70 g)
$35.99 USD for a 12 pack
(4/5)
I was expecting this flavour to garner the same reactions that Exo’s Blueberry Vanilla incited from the kids. I was wrong. The kids loved this flavour. They attested that it tasted just like candy. Blueberry Vanilla is Kiarra’s favourite flavour. It was a welcome surprise and a learning experience for me. I had written it off thinking it would taste similar to Exo’s version. I had forgotten that there can be many variations of a flavour just as there would be multiple variations of a particular snack recipe.

There seemed to be a correlation between our reviews and the amount of sugar contained in each bar. The more sugar, the better it tasted. I cannot, however, conclude sugar was the only determining factor. Lithic Nutrition is formulating new flavours which contain less sugar, one of them being the Blueberry Vanilla flavour, which Kiarra had a taste of and loved just the same as the original. I will not argue that sugar is not a factor at all in our review. It just wasn’t the only factor. Of course, less sugar overall would be a healthier and more preferable alternative.

If we had to pit the best flavours - Apple Cinnamon by Exo and Dark Chocolate Brownie by Lithic Nutrition - against each other, it would be a draw. There are times I want something chocolate-tasting and other times, I want something fruity. I can only eat so many brownies and as I mentioned previously, apple cinnamon has a lighter taste to it. I will say that on the whole, between the two companies, the kids preferred Lithic Nutrition’s flavours to Exo. I am certain that is apparent from the ratings above. In the end, however, it all comes down to a matter of preference just as the kids had their own favourites.

Our final thoughts? Just because you’ve had one cricket bar doesn’t mean you have tasted them all. Try different flavours. Try a few brands. Do not rule out the idea of eating cricket bars based on one tasting alone. They are all diverse and just like chefs can have multiple variations of a dish like meringue for example (the best analogy I can come up with at the moment since my 9 year old son Ronan has been making meringue and has his own signature creation), same goes for the cricket bars. So, seek out at least a couple of brands and a few flavours. We have a page listing all of the cricket bars available out there to make your search easier. Be sure to join our Circus (aka mailing list for those of you new to our blog and unfamiliar with our catch phrases) by completing the form below to stay updated on this upcoming ‘for current and aspiring bug eaters’ list.

If you end up trying Exo and Lithic Nutrition, be sure to share your thoughts on Kiarra’s page on Facebook. She’d love to hear from you. This 6 year old loves getting attention...and of course, feedback...from her readers.

Share your experience eating cricket bars with Kiarra on her page

All or a portion of this product or service was sponsored or provided at a reduced cost in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed in this post are our own - no pretenses here!

Exo
Lithic Nutrition