Perception of edible insects and insect-based foods among children in Denmark: educational and tasting interventions in online and in-person classrooms

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Insect-based foods may contribute to the consumption of more sustainable diets. Acceptance strategies for children are necessary to integrate insect-based foods into normal diets and lead to significant protein replacement. This study aimed to: (1) pilot the evaluation of insect-based foods in an online classroom; and (2) investigate the effects of exposing school children to educational and tasting interventions on the perception of edible insects and insect-based foods using in-person classrooms. The online classroom (n=220) used a simple intervention design where the perception of insect-based flatbreads and dhal-inspired dish were measured after exposure to the information session and tasting. The in-person classroom intervention (n=65) was composed of a lesson, food tasting, and a question-and-answer session with designated questionnaires. The online classroom response rate decreased as the number of tasks increased during the tasting or cooking sessions. Children participating in the in-person classroom session reported positive post-intervention correlations between agreeing society needing sustainable foods and willingness to consume insects. Awareness initiatives for insect-based foods for regular consumption should advance as opinions and knowledge about sustainability change.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Insects as Food and Feed
Volume9
Issue number8
Pages (from-to)989-1001
Number of pages13
ISSN2352-4588
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

    Research areas

  • Faculty of Science - Children, Sustainability, Exposure, Neophobia, Alternative proteins, Edible insects, Insect-based foods, Denmark

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