Why would you eat cricket powder? It sounds gross but I'm asking genuinely. Plus, I like crickets and am not sure about the idea of this. Thoughts?

It's generally for environmental or health reasons. It takes an average of 2,000 liters of water for 1 pound of steak. It only takes 1 liter of water to raise 1 pound of edible cricket parts. There are also lower amounts of methane emissions resulting from the lifespan of crickets.Crickets are also PACKED with vitamins. It's really crazy how many nutrients some bugs contain. This is a great health benefit over beef or chicken.Cricket flour makes it easier for people to eat in a more environmentally friendly and healthier way, without having the "gross" experience of seeing the bugs in their whole form that many in North America dislike.I hope this helps!

Are these free-range, cage free crickets? That's very important to me.

They're nurtured at professional farms. They're raised in a hygienic environment and are processed at a GMP certified factory. No preservatives, artificial colors or flavors. Per packaging. I think that's about as good as you'll get. While I eat free range everything else, crickets ate a little tougher to wrangle. Controlled environment probably works better.

hi...do you mix with regular flour or simply substitute?

MIX. We made muffins using 100% this instead of mixing it with regular flower, and yeah.... as we now say, that was when we learned "you never go full cricket." LOL! The muffins were gross. I managed a few bites but my partner could not. The dog liked them a lot so we kept them in the freezer as special treats for him. Still wanna try it again!

Can I mix this with my green shake?

Yes, you can mix it in with anything. Personally when I tasted the cricket flour straught up on its own i found the flavor more savory and nutty. I prefer to use it as a protein within savory dishes such as within a coconut cauliflower curry dish or mixed in with other cooked veggie dishes. I did not enjoy the flavor when tasting it in paleo/primal "bread" or baked goods. Happy experimenting!