As I was slicing through a particularly tough and unpleasant-smelling piece of beef the other day, a thought struck me, almost as forcefully as the knife on the cutting board. I realized that it wasn't the best protein source available. So how come we still stick to traditional meats such as chicken, beef, and pork? This moment of reflection set me down a rabbit hole of dietary tradition, sustainability, and nutritional science. The dominance of chicken, beef, and pork in our diets can be traced back thousands of years.
Our ancestors were not picky eaters; they consumed a wide array of animals, from mammoths to mosquitoes. However, with the advent of agriculture around 10,000 years ago, humans started to domesticate animals like cows, pigs, and chickens. These animals offered several advantages: they were relatively easy to breed and raise, provided substantial amounts of food. Over time, they became the staples of human diets in many parts of the world.
But why stop there? This question becomes even more moving when we consider dietary practices in other cultures. Take Thailand, for example, where eating insects is not just a necessity but a preference. Thai cuisine incorporates insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and bamboo worms, seasoned with local flavors like lemongrass and chili, turning them into delicious and nutritious dishes. Insects are an excellent source of protein, cheaper to produce, and having much less ecological impact than cattle, pigs, and other traditional livestock. 
Edible insects displayed with garnishes.
This brings us back to the question: why do we still put so much on the bank with chicken, beef, and pork, while there are other equally available sustainable and nutritious options? Perhaps the answer lies in the cultural habits and perceptions of what is "proper" food, but with sustainability and health ever more prominent in our minds, now is the time to reassess such traditions.
Looking at Thailand's cooking traditions, we see a successful integration of alternative protein sources that not only meet nutritional needs but also align with environmental sustainability goals.
This really has to be something thought-provoking for us to ponder on new options toward our diet. So, why not look into insects as part of our regular diet? That begs the question: shall we go on eating the very same meats out of force of habit, or is it high time that, in keeping with many cultures and countries all over the world, we all come round to a wholehearted embrace of these new sustainable and healthy food sources? I did get to try eating a couple of insects on my recent trip to Thailand. It was quite enlightening and an experience that really opened my eyes to how bizarre we all are with our eating habits.