Ento Whole Roasted Crickets

Move over, Pringles; pass us the slow-roasted crickets - Ento might be Malaysia's first homegrown brand of insect-based commercial snacks, touted as Mother Nature's superfood.

Ento's packaging explains the environmental benefits of eating crickets, emphasising their sustainability - they require up to 14 times less land, 15 times less water and 12 times less feed than various farmed livestock, especially beef. Plus, crickets reputedly contain three times more protein than beef and are relatively high in calcium, potassium, vitamin B12 and fibre.

These crickets are "farmed in controlled environments," according to Ento. For the truly entomophobic, the Texas BBQ flavour is the best bet, with a sweet-savouriness similar to Twisties, spiced with black pepper powder, onion, garlic and cumin. Close your eyes and dig in - the insects are whole-roasted, direct from farm to roastery, so they're clearly crickets, with a gritty, nutty earthiness characterised by Ento as a cross between shrimp and toasted almonds.

The Salted Egg Yolk seasoning is mild, so it probably masks the crickets' natural flavour the least. The third choice is Korean Kimchi, with a spiciness that distracts you from how you're munching on an assortment of leathery legs, antennaes and wings.

Each 25-gram packet of these crispy critters costs RM19.90 and can be ordered on ento.my