(NaturalNews) American college campuses can become pretty strange (and intolerant) these days, and it seems like they just keep getting stranger by the day. Just recently, students at the University of Connecticut (UConn) have taken to eating bugs in advance of some kind of food revolution.

As reported by EAGNews.org, the school's Food for Thought food truck is now serving roasted crickets for 99 cents as a taco topping — and the idea is getting mixed reviews.

"Some people do get them as a topping, some get them for the protein, some for the 'wow factor' of having these things," dining services area assistant manager John Smith told the Daily Campus, which also did a report on the bug toppings. "I think people are just surprised we have them."

The cricket topping has been advertised on the outside of the food truck, on the campus dining services website, on television monitors in dining halls and in print. Ads note that crickets are "organic, GMO-free and earth friendly."

The Daily Campus report continued:

"Launched in 2013, Next Millennium Farms is the insect farm that sources UConn's crickets. The farm is very careful during the process of roasting the crickets, removing dead and unhealthy crickets before the live insects are euthanized with carbon dioxide, and then cooked. The farm houses an estimated 30 million crickets at any given time, according to theverge.com."

By 2050, beef will be scarce and bugs will be plentiful

Human consumption of bugs even has a name — entomophagy — and apparently, it has been increasing in popularity over the past couple of years. Experts say they expect major increases in bug consumption because, by 2050, beef and other livestock may become a luxury due to rising food costs (but there is always soylent green — which is processed people — cue the 1973 film starring the late Charlton Heston).

To fill the expected void, insect farms are planned to be established all over the world. In fact, many are already in operation at present, the Daily Campus reported, raising crickets specifically for consumption by humans.

Experts say there are more than 1,000 bug species that are safe for human consumption — so get ready to dig in!

The Daily Campus further reported:

"Crickets provide an excellent source of protein, are low in fat, and high in B vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc. The insects are abundant and very easy to raise in comparison to livestock and also produce less waste."

(On a personal note, could you imagine the noise cricket farms would generate? Just one cricket chirping away at night drives me crazy.)

Some anxiously awaited the arrival of cricket cuisine on the campus of UConn. One of them was Charles Couture, dining services assistant director of retail operations, who wanted to see how well they would be received.

"Just, no"

"I'll try anything," Couture said. "I was curious, and it was a really interesting idea. I honestly thought people (at UConn) would try them."

Couture and Smith held a small free-sampling event at the food truck recently, asking the few who got lunch there if they wanted to try the crickets. Most students, including Ned Eskew, a civil engineering graduate student, said no.

When asked why, Eskew said, "Just, no — because they're crickets."

Others were more game, however.

Paula Wilmot, assistant director of the Honors Program and Learning Communities, was more than willing and even took the sample well.

"It reminds me of a veggie puff," she said. "I will definitely tell my colleagues about this."

And George Pidvysotski, a fifth-semester political science major, said that although he's never eaten bugs, he was willing to give it a go.

"They're like seeds," Pidvysotski said. "This is the first time I've tried a bug. I would eat this."

Sources:

EAGNews.com

DailyCampus.com

GMO.news