ABSTRACT
Western European populations are being encouraged to reconsider their diets in light of population growth and the associated intensification of farming systems. In addition, health concerns associated with diets high in sugar, salt and saturated fat are stimulating interest in alternative foods. Including insects in human diets may be one option to help feed a growing population more sustainably, but it comes with its own challenges. This paper reflects on a pilot project introducing edible insects into primary and secondary schools in Wales, UK. Using Bakhtin’s concept of the carnivalesque as a lens for reflection, the difficulties of introducing a novel food are considered and we provide an insight into how more sustainable, fringe practices may be framed in ways that allow them to be normalised.
Acknowledgements
We thank Pembrokeshire County Council and the participating schools for supporting the project. Thanks also go to Andy Holcroft for his time and expertise as a chef during the design of the project and in the running of the workshops.
Disclosure statement
Sarah Beynon (co-author) is Director of Bug Farm Foods. No potential conflict of interest was reported by Verity Jones (corresponding author).
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.