Anyone for Bug Bol? Pupils warm to edible insects

“BUG Bolognese” is popular among schoolchildren, with 60 per cent preferring it to traditional meals, a study has found.

Academics carried out tasting sessions with nearly 200 primary and secondary schoolchildren in Wales using products made from insect and plant protein mince. At three schools children tasted VEXO Bolognese and burgers, which are made by Bug Farm Foods, a Welsh company.

When the Bolognese was placed temporarily on the school menu, 60 per cent of children eating hot meals chose the VEXO option – favouring it over other traditional meals.

The study’s lead author Dr Verity Jones, from UWE Bristol, said: “This is the first time that a study like this has focused on young people and the first time that practical tastings with edible insects have been conducted.

“In what might be a surprise to many parents, the reception from children was overwhelmingly positive.”

The study is published in the Children’s Geographies journal.