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The Grasshopper Taco Experience
A new flavor, a new kind of fullness
A few nights ago, to celebrate my mom’s birthday, I found myself at a Mexican restaurant with my family, staring down a plate of grasshopper tacos. I’d ordered them out of curiosity. Grasshoppers are a delicacy in many parts of the world, and a surprisingly efficient source of protein. I figured: why not?
They were… fine. Crispy, a little earthy, definitely salty. Not something I’d rush to order again, but not unpleasant either. I didn’t dislike them — I just didn’t love them. I probably would’ve preferred them as a garnish rather than the star of the dish.
What surprised me, though, was how full I felt afterward. I hadn’t eaten much — maybe 18 to 24 grasshoppers total across three tacos. That’s nowhere near the 100 grams needed for a full 20–25 grams of protein, which made me wonder: why wasn’t I hungry?
Part of the answer might lie not in the food itself, but in how we experience it. When you try an unfamiliar dish— especially one like insects, with strong cultural and sensory associations — your brain doesn’t just process flavor. It processes novelty. Texture, surprise, context, even the slight thrill of doing something weird. All of that stimulation can contribute to a feeling of fullness.
