Product review : The dried crickets from Micronutris

For this first review, I’ve chosen the dried crickets from Micronutris.
We will see together what were the feelings of my friends, family and mine regarding to this product.

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Our insects : The crickets

The insect tasted today are the house crickets (Acheta Domesticus). This specie is spread worldwide and are among the most raised and eaten crickets.

Fun fact : Despite the fact that “Cricket” comes from the french noun “Criquet”, the french noun for crickets is “grillon”.

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Our product of the day : The Micronutris crickets

Introduction

Here in France, when you hear talking about edible insects, you know that the society Micronutris will be evoked. All the team is working hard for developing entomophagy and they start being known here. I feel sorry for my American readers, but this product is only available in France! It’s not a reason for leaving this page, you will find in this article some recipes and ideas for cooking and preparing crickets!

In the news all around the world, crickets are chirping everywhere, they are said to be the next food trend and the source of proteins for the future (Click here if you want to read my article about the proteins). If you mix the 2 previous information, you have my preview of the day : The dried crickets from Micronutris.

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The packaging of these crickets

We will start with the packaging! It is a little resealable paper-cardboard bag. It is sober and light : The brown and green colors are nice and fit well together. There are only useful and legal information : what’s inside, how many of them and how much does it weigh. The shelf life and the mention about the allergenes are there too. You will also find some information about Micronutris, the environmental benefits and (maybe too…) few information about how to prepare it. You will find also a number batch which means that there is a real traceability.

The resealable packaging is efficient, there is no alteration of the product for at least 2 weeks after opening (I’d liked to try to keep them for more than 2 weeks for the review, but they were too tasty for staying in their bag…).

You have about 40 crickets in the package which represents 5 grams of dried products or about 40 grams of rehydrated crickets. That can be a little quantity for big bug-eaters, so it is quite a pity, that you can’t find them in bigger bags.

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Nice and sober
Take very little space
Efficient resealable packaging
Mention about the traceability of the product
(Fits in my pocket : following my rule n°2 for promoting edible insects)[/column][column size=”one-half” last=”true”]

The back is blank. Some information about the nutritional information and/or a recipe would have been interesting.
Only one volume is available.

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PACKAGING :

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Tasting some crickets

My family had eaten them dried as appetizers. Moreover, I brought some dried crickets at 2 different parties (you never come with empty hands!), and they had a lot of success.
I have also tried to rehydrate them by 2 different ways : One time with my steam cooker and a second time during the cooking of my rice.
For another test, these little guys went to the oven for topping my pizza.
I also try them in a sweet preparation,I fried them in a pan with coconut oil and some cinnamon.

The first thing I did when I opened the bag of my Micronutris crickets was to smell inside : it was a very good idea! A pleasant odor of nuts and pistachios cames in my nose.
When you take a look at them, it’s very pleasant : The Micronutris crickets have almost all the same size, color and few are damaged I find them visually attractive (yes crickets are attractive!)
The shelf life is quite long for this little quantity. (more than 2 months)

The general review during the 2 parties of these dried crickets was very good. For a majority of my friends and family, they are crunchy, just enough salty and have a little pleasant taste of pistachio. Moreover once you start, they are easily eaten. The nutty taste stay for a few moment in your mouth! The legs can be trapped between your teeth, and it had offended a little some few people. Well, consumed dried as soon as open, it’s a very healthy appetizer!

After being heated in the oven, they become a little crunchier and the taste stay slightly the same.
When fried in the pan with coconut oil and cinnamon, the Micronutris crickets become a delightful and crunchy alternative to nuts.

I tried to rehydrate them by 2 different ways. These 2 ways both worked well. For the steam cooker, I put some crickets in a glass and heat during 10 minutes. For the rice, I heated some coconut oil, add the rice, the water and the crickets and waited until the water was absorbed. When rehydrated, they will inflate and become about twice bigger.

The crunchiness is a little altered (quite normal!), but they will become soft and tender. I found them delicious, the nutty flavor is more pronounced and become totally unique.
If you liked them dried, you will love your Micronutris crickets when they will be rehydrated!

As dried, they can be used as appetizers or as topping for dishes like pizza or for dessert like fruits or muffins.
When they are fried, you can add them in your omelette, salad or in your desserts : the warmth and the crunchiness of these crickets fit perfectly in an ice cream. I tried them fried and put into my snack made of cottage cheese, sliced banana, oats and dark chocolate, the result was delicious and healthy!

For more important dishes,rehydrate them, they will become bigger and the Micronutris crickets unleash their full potential! They will become a real alternative to your meat by their nutritional value, their decent size and unique flavor.

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It smells very good
Very homogenous products in size, color and shape
Can be eaten as soon as open : it’s a healthy and tasty appetizer
Very crunchy when dried
Can be used in different ways
Very easy to cook
Unique flavor and tender when rehydrated[/column][column size=”one-half” last=”true”]

The legs can be stuck between your teeth (I know I had to find something negative… It is for trying to hide that this review is a total fake and that Micronutris had paid me for this with some crickets!) [/column]

TASTING :

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Shipping and price of these crickets

The product was sent rapidly with a little flyer in it. It was well protected and arrived within the estimated date.
I find positive that Micronutris inform the customer of an eventual delay BEFORE you order your products.

The company seems to be the victim of his success and some products are often sold-out.

The price is quite high for the moment : A bag of 40 crickets costs approximately 15.5 US$.
This high price is justified. As the first producer, Micronutris has to pay all the processes and the research and development for establishing some strict and effective sanitary rules for the entire future sector.
More over the use of local and organic products increase the price. But, as the sector will develop, the prices will be able to decrease. It’s simple, for the moment Micronutris can’t lower the price.

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The shipping is fast and effective
The online shop is pleasant
Honesty regarding the possible delay
No crickets were harmed during the shipping[/column][column size=”one-half” last=”true”]

This very high quality has a price…
Some products are often sold-out
[/column]

SHIPPING & PRICE REVIEW :

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Overall personal review & conclusion

I‘m very satisfied by these Micronutris dried crickets. For me, these products have some very good organoleptic qualities : they are tasty, crunchy and have a pleasant visual aspect. The products were appreciated by almost all of my voluntary bug-tasters. They represent a good choice for a first contact with edible insects! But be careful, you can become cricket-oholic!

I think that the little part of the doubters I encountered could have been totally conquered if I had prepared them instead of just presenting them dried.

Micronutris is a serious company : the products are of high quality, the shipping is fast and effective, and there is traceability of the product. But for the moment this high quality has a price, that can dampen some customers…

If you live in France and you want to really promote some local entomophagy with well fed and raised crickets, I strongly recommend this product, you won’t be disappointed! Well, for a first review, the bar is high set!

[column size=”one-half”]

The products are of very high-quality
Nice and sober packaging
Long shelf life
Micronutris is a serious society
The shipping is fast
Crickets can be prepared in a lot different ways.
Perfect for a party with friends or for a dinner with your lover[/column][column size=”one-half” last=”true”]

The price can be prohibitive
No nutritional information on the product
Just one size of bag available[/column]

OVERALL :

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Who is Micronutris?

Micronutris is the first European producer of insects intended strictly to human consumption. It’s located in Toulouse (Midi-Pyrénées – south-west of France) and provide some mealworms and crickets in 2011. The team is composed of 6 passionate people.

All the insects are raised in France and fed only with local and organic products. These insects are intended to the French market.

For more information about Micronutris (in French):

For the online shop, it’s there:

Micronutris sells :

• Dried crickets and mealworms
• Spiced crickets and mealworms
• Chocolates, macarons and biscuits made with insect’s powder.

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Want some great ideas for cooking crickets ? Here is some inspiration!

An original “cabbage, Peas’n crickets” by Daniella Martin : Girl meets bug is available on her website (Check my new “links” section at the top of the page!)

Some other creative recipes are available in her book “Edible – An adventure into the world of Eating Insects and the last great hope to save the planet”.
You will find there the “Crickety Kale Salad”, for introducing this recipe I can’t do better than quoting her own words :

You say you don’t like kale? I’ll make you eat your words.

If you want to discover all her recipes, know all the reasons why you should eat insects and a lot of great quotes, you can buy her book by clicking on the photo just below (available in hard cover, Kindle or audio-book version) :

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A lot of delicious recipes made with crickets are also available in the “Eat-a-bug Cookbook revised” by The Bug Chef – David George Gordon“.

You will find, for example, his famous “Orthopteran Orzo” or the “Chirpy Chex Party Mix” with a secret ingredient in it that will warm your heart.
In his book, there is also the “Bugs in a Rug” which contains BACON (nothing more needs to be said…) and a “Chocolate Cricket Torte” for the dessert.

If you want to try all these recipes and more, you can click on the photo to buy his book (it’s available in hard cover or in Kindle version) :

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This was my own review of this product, if you want to please me: feel free to give me yours!

Dear american readers, despite the fact that you are not able to buy this specific product, I hope that you enjoyed this reading post and it gave you some ideas for preparing your own crickets or just motivate you to try eating some insects. Stay tuned, my next review will be especially for you : The Chapul bar!

Take care of you!

Florian