This is, hands down, the most commonly asked question we get. So common in fact, we often already know you're going to ask it even before you do. Like right now for instance. 

Cricket farms 

We get our crickets from cricket farms. Cool, what's a cricket farm? A cricket farm is is an indoor facility where crickets are raised from egghood to adulthood specifically for human consumption. 

Where are these cricket farms you speak of? 

There are cricket farms all over the place. East, west, up, down. Two of the largest and most well-known farms in North America are Aspire (in Texas) and Entomo (in Canada.) However these are just the big ones, there are smaller farms all over the world and more are popping up every year. 

We get our crickets from a farm in Thailand and you can find out why here. 

Why not just catch them in the wild? 

You mean like this? Looks challenging.

Also, by FDA law, we're actually not allowed to sell wild-caught insects. If we served you crickets caught in the wild we would have no idea what they were eating, what they were getting into, and how they spent their Saturday nights. Raising them on a farm allows us to feed them the best possible diet, assure you of their cleanliness, and most importantly...no one has time to go running around a field catching thousands of crickets.  

If you’re panicking because you heard crickets taste like crickets, and you don’t know what crickets taste like, don't worry. To be honest, crickets don’t taste like much (we wish this were more dramatic). Our cricket powder has a mild, earthy flavor similar to nuts or seeds. So mild in fact you'll be like "where is it?" as you finish off an entire bag of Chirps chips.

There are around 2,000 varieties of known edible insects, each with its own nutritional benefits and unique cultural significance. So then why are we making cricket chips and not caterpillar crisps?

1. Crickets are crunchy, have a mild earthy flavor, and are packed with protein, prebiotics, fiber, and other nutrients. Even when competing with their own kind, cricket protein is tough to beat. 
2. Yes, there's 2,000 kinds of edible insects but who's even heard of half of them? And where are they?! Everyone's familiar with crickets and you know the old saying: if you know what it is, you're more likely to stick it in your mouth. Ok, we made that up. 
3. Folks were already raising crickets for pet feed, so all we had to do was raise the standards for human-grade crickets. Sorry, but we weren't about to go running around with a butterfly net, catching wild crickets. Although we did try.

The "Made in the USA" stamp is important to consumers. Knowing this, we still decided to go with a Thai Farm. Here's why:

1. Environment: We did the math, and it turns out that even with shipping, raising crickets in Thailand is the more sustainable option. That's because in Thailand it's warm all year round so no indoor heating is required, and the farm can feed their crickets partially on food waste from local farms. 
2. The Farm: Farmers in Thailand have been growing crickets for generations (loooong before anyone was putting them in chips), and we want to support the people who started it all. The cricket farm we source from in Thailand is run by mostly women, pays its employees a living wage, and feeds their crickets partially on food waste from local cassava farms. Win, win, win. 
3. Quality: The farm is based in Thailand, but since they export to Europe and the USA, they have to abide by U.S. and European food standards, as well as Thai. It's like having the whole world check over your homework 
   

What is it? 

Cricket powder is roasted crickets that have been milled into a fine powder. 

How is it different from cricket protein and cricket flour? 

Welcome to Cricket Names 101, please have a seat. Cricket powder is straight up, 100% pure, roasted and milled crickets. Cricket protein is a cricket based protein powder supplement. And finally, cricket flour is cricket powder combined with flour to make a nutritious baking mix. Or at least that's what all those words mean to us. A lot of folks mix the three up and other companies refer to cricket powder as cricket flour and the whole thing is a big headache, but we're trying to set the record straight. 

How do I eat it? 

We recommend baking with it or mixing it into solid foods such as your morning oats. Do not use cricket powder 1:1 with regular flour. Start off using the cricket powder 1:4 with flour and adjust to your own personal taste and preference. 

Why should I eat it? 

Because health! Because sweet, sweet, nutrients people. Sustainable protein, iron, B12, fiber, prebiotics, amino acids - it may seem too good to be true, but it turns out you really CAN have it all. 

Why not just eat whole crickets? 

You can, and lots of folks do. But for those of you who aren't ready to snack on fistfuls of crickets, you can still get all the nutritional benefits by mixing cricket powder into your favorite foods.

A lot of vegetarians and even vegans make an exception for bugs because they're one of the most sustainable complete proteins on the planet. Yep, even more sustainable than most plant proteins. There's no clear answer to this question, so maybe do a little research and then proceed to do whatever you want. 

We were surprised when this news came out, too. While the research is limited, studies suggest that adding crickets to your diet could improve your gut health. 

Want to get more sciencey? Here we go. A study conducted at CSU found an increase in a gut friendly bacterium called bifidobacterium which is known for colonizing the gut of infants and dropping off as we age. This drop in bifidobacterium is thought by some to be the reason for decreased immunity in older generations, making it an especially popular probiotic supplement. 

The researchers also found a decrease in an inflammatory marker in the blood called TNF-alpha. Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are both associated with the type of inflammation TNF-alpha causes. 

Several trials with dogs and piglets have also concluded that a diet containing cricket protein improved the overall gut health in these populations. 

For more in depth information you can read the original study published in Nature, or this easier to digest version. Pun very much intended.

Maybe? Maybe not? This question is up for debate. 

Crickets, like crabs and lobsters, are arthropods, so there's a chance that a shellfish allergy could translate to a cricket sensitivity. 

If you have a severe shellfish allergy, it's probably best to err on the side of caution, and keep our crickets at arm's length.

Short answer: Yes. 

Long answer: Yes, in fact the corn in our chips is verified non-GMO, and our crickets are fed a GMO-free diet. If you're wondering about the rest of the ingredients in our products, don't. There are about 10 genetically modified crops and none of our other ingredients are on the list.

No, you and Lizzy are on different diets. Farms raising human-grade crickets have to abide by a higher standard of cleanliness, and the crickets are fed a stricter human-grade diet. In general though, crickets have to be fed a mostly organic diet and be kept in approved facilities regardless of whose bowl they end up in. So don't worry, Lizzy is still getting some good stuff.  

If you're use to seeing crickets in your garden or as an unwanted house guest, you might be surprised to see them on your plate. Rest assured, our cricket farms are some of the cleanest places on Earth. The crickets are kept in separate boxes based on life stage and are fed a non-GMO and gluten free diet (they might even be eating better than you are). They must be raised under FDA guidelines, and our farms perform regular testing on the cricket powder to ensure the highest quality and safety.

Roughly 2.5 billion people around the world eat insects. Primarily in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. 

In Thailand, Mexico, and many other countries, you can crunch into a heavy handful of chapulines (grasshoppers), crickets, or bamboo worms, and none of your friends will scream...not even one.

According to the FAO, sustainable diets are those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to a healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally accepted, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources. (FAO, 2010b)

Yes, we reeeeally do. We believe insects are the food of the future, and we want the world to taste why.

Less fat, more protein, more good stuff. For example, Lays Potato Chips have 1 g of protein per serving and 10 g of fat. Chirps have 4 g of protein and 7 g of fat. Crickets are a complete protein source with more iron than spinach, more B12 than salmon, and are one of the only high protein foods with fiber and prebiotics.

Nutrition facts are shown on each product page as an image.

Our products are gluten free, with the exception of our original cookie mix, and none of our facilities work with nuts. Also, excluding our Cheddar Chirps, all the rest of our products are dairy free. However, because insects are in the same family as shellfish, if you are allergic to shellfish, you may be sensitive to crickets as well.

Yes, we use non-GMO stone ground corn. Looking for a corn-free option? Well what do you know, our cookie mix, cricket powder, protein powders, and t-shirts are all free of corn.

There is one cricket per chip or 20 crickets per cookie. Count your crickets as you go!

Yes! Check out the Shop page.

Yes! We do. We ship Chirps all over the world. If you have more questions regarding wholesale rates, please email Liz at liz@eatchips.com.

We accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, and PayPal. No cattle allowed as currency.

All orders placed in the US have a $5 shipping fee. US orders over $35 have free shipping. Woohoo.

When your order ships, you will receive a tracking number by email that will allow you to track your crickets until they land on your doorstep.

You should receive your order in five to seven business days. If it starts raining locusts, expect delays.

We don’t accept returns, but if you have a problem with your order, please send us an email at hello@chirpschips.com and we’ll get back to you in two flaps of a butterfly's wing.

If you have a big order for an event, project, or you're just going through puberty and you're VERY hungry, please email us at hello@chirpschips.com for a bulk order discount.

No. Stop calling us.

Check out our store locator to find our chips in a store near you.