This UK Fast Food Chain Wants People to Eat Crunchy Bugs

It's now offering sweet chili and lime-flavored crickets as a salad topping.

Crickets, Anyone?

A London startup is on a mission to make eating bugs seem less weird — and a new partnership with a U.K. fast food chain could help it reach that goal.

On Sunday, The Guardian published a story announcing that the Abokado fast food restaurant chain will become the first in the U.K. to feature edible insects on its regular menu. As of Tuesday, Abokado's customers will have the option of adding startup Eat Grub's sweet chili and lime-flavored crickets as a topping on their salad or poke bowl. Or, if they're feeling particularly adventurous, they can snag a snack-sized bag of the bugs to munch on solo.

Grub Grub

Edible insects might not be mainstream just yet, but the idea of binging on bugs isn't as far out as it was even a decade ago. Because current meat industry practices are taking a tremendous toll on our environment, insects have started to look more and more like a viable — and possibly unavoidable — alternative protein source.

Abokado has already established itself as a brand focused on sustainability and the environment, so it makes sense as a partner for Eat Grub.

"It’s great to have Abokado supporting us in spreading the grub love," Eat Grub’s co-founder Shami Radia told The Guardian. "The fun way they approach food and innovation is exactly what we need to make eating insects more mainstream."

READ MORE: Grub's up: roasted crickets to go on sale at London food chain [The Guardian]

More on insects: Study Finds That Going Meatless Could Save the Environment