How do I prepare mealworms?

1. Do you have recipes for it?

• We made lots of cooking experiments, we still eat them on a regular basis and we are sharing some of our experiments with you throughout our blog, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Connect with us so you won’t miss any of them!
• Email Clay (clayton@livinfarms.com) if you have any recipes you would love to share with the community.

2. How many meals can I make out of one harvest?

• We are typically getting out 2-3 mixed dishes out of one week´s harvest (e.g. risotto, lasagne or salads).
• We have previously made 4 burger patties out of 100-200g of mealworms!
• One harvest yields on average up to 300g of mealworms every other week (depending on the frequency of feeding the mealworms, type of feed to the mealworms, maintenance etc).

3. Is it something to have only as a snack? How many do I need to get full?

• You can make them crispy and light to have a snack while watching TV. Fortunately, unlike conventional meat, you can also incorporate them into sweet or savory dishes. Whether crispy or juicy, if you get full from 500g of meat, you will get full from 500g of worms too!
• When mealworms are simply roasted, just as our MicroFoods™, they will have a nutty flavor and a crunchy texture. They will, therefore, be a perfect healthy snack for your craving or to share with your friends. But that’s not all, they will be a perfect match with a large variety of different foods; as for example for your pasta, risotto, soup or salads. You can also turn them into a powder and add them to your regular flour and make nutty and nutritious pancakes and pastries.

4. What amount of mealworms do I need to eat to fulfill my protein need?

• A typical serving of traditional meats like lean beef, pork, chicken, and fish ranges from 60-100g. We recommend a similar serving size for mealworms, although it may be less when used in a mixed dish. Fresh mealworms contain about 20% protein, which is the same as raw beef! Together with a healthy and diverse diet, mealworms can easily help you fulfill your dietary needs as a healthy meat substitute.

5. Can I eat them raw? How is it further processing?

• We very explicitly recommend to cook them before processing further. Please consider mealworms like any other type of animal product. If raw or undercooked, people can react sensitively to it. If you cook them thoroughly (in boiling water for a few minutes), they are totally safe to eat and process further. You can then fry them, roast them, mix them into sauces or all kinds of recipes. Be creative and have fun with this new type of food! Dried and ground we also use them as a protein source in sweet dishes like granola or cookies.