By Xuan Truong, Ashley Standafer and Tommie Robinson
Springfield, MA; Hyden, KY; Jonesboro, GA

On a recent Wednesday, a lone ice cream truck was parked in front of a side exit at New York’s bustling Chelsea Market. This wasn’t a typical Mister Softee truck playing jolly tunes and selling soft serve. There were no nuts or sprinkles—here, the topping options included grasshoppers, mealworms and other insects.

The local Van Leeuwen ice cream shop created the treats as part of a partnership with The Economist and distributed them for free to anyone brave enough to try them. At first, we thought the idea was crazy—and disgusting. What normal person would eat bugs? After speaking with the truck’s employees, however, we learned that these critters are a healthy source of protein.  Continue reading →