Pestaurant offers ploughing punters chance to take a bite out of insects
They will get the chance to eat like contestants on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, with dishes such as barbecued crickets, chocolate-dipped worms, cheddar cheese mealworms, curried crickets, and plain roasted locusts.
They will also be doing their bit for the environment, because insects and worms are believed to be among the most sustainable protein foods — in other words, they are one of the recommended ways to expand food production for a growing population without damaging the environment.
The Rentokil company is bringing its Pestaurant pop-up diner to the three-day Ploughing festival at Ratheniska, Stradbally, Co Laois.
Rentokil boss Michael O’Mahoney said:‘The Pestaurant is all about celebrating the hard work that goes into keeping the country’s pests under control. Common Irish pests such as wasps, mice, rats, bed-bugs, cockroaches, and pigeons can become problems for anyone and can affect both the farming community and commercial and residential properties.
“Much like us, they are focused on looking for food and shelter.”
The foods at the Pestaurant will be free to all, and experts will be on hand to discuss the food being served — and give tips on pest control.
All of the edible insects are properly sourced, and are nut-free and gluten-free. However, some can cause reactions among those who are allergic to shellfish and crustaceans.
Crickets (which resemble grasshoppers) are about 64% protein. Mealworms are almost 50% — with many of the omega-3 proteins recommended by dietitians.
Insects also seen as an important future food because they use almost no land compared to conventional meat, and can be grown “vertically” in stackable bins and tubs.
They use about 1,000th of the water that raising beef requires, and have a tiny carbon footprint.
Farmers may be interested to hear how insects also have a high ‘feed conversion rate’, meaning that they can be farmed using relatively little land, water and energy compared to livestock. Many insects are rich in protein, zinc, calcium and iron whilst also being low in fat.
