An international group of students took part in an insect cooking masterclass at the University of Vic. The session focused on edible insects, insect-based ingredients and how these can be used in everyday recipes.
The group included Dutch students from HAN University of Applied Sciences in Nijmegen, together with students from Portugal, Romania, Poland and Spain. This international setting made the activity especially relevant for IPPEC, as the project aims to raise awareness and support knowledge exchange around insect protein across different countries, cultures and educational backgrounds.
The masterclass started with a presentation by Raffaela Schreurs about insect awareness, the use of insects in food and different cooking techniques. The aim was to introduce the topic in a practical and accessible way. Instead of only discussing insects as a sustainable protein source in theory, the students were invited to discover how insect ingredients can be used in familiar recipes.
After the presentation, the students went into the kitchen to prepare several recipes with insects. The recipes had been arranged beforehand and included croquettes with crickets, vegetarian burgers with Tenebrio insect flour, guacamole with crispy mealworms, chocolate cookies with insect flour, tacos with crickets, chocolate bark with crickets, and a yogurt dip with insect flour.
The practical cooking part gave students the chance to work directly with insect ingredients. They could cook, taste and discuss the products themselves. This is important for IPPEC because consumer acceptance and awareness are key challenges for the future of insect-based food. Activities like this help students move from curiosity or hesitation towards a more informed opinion.
After cooking, the students joined a brainstorming activity. In small groups, they created their own idea for a new insect-based recipe. They had to think about the name of the dish, the insect they would use, the main ingredients and how they would present the recipe to future consumers.
This brainstorming activity links directly to IPPEC’s goal of creating an active learning community. The students were not only receiving information; they were invited to participate, think creatively and contribute their own ideas. This makes the activity more than a workshop: it becomes a first step towards involving young people in the development of new food concepts with insect protein.
As a follow-up, a short survey will be sent to the students. The survey will ask whether they would be interested in joining a future insect cooking recipe community, where young people and students can share recipes, ideas and experiences with insect protein.
For IPPEC, this masterclass contributes to awareness raising, education, community building and the development of practical tools for engaging young people. It helps test how students respond to insect-based cooking activities and whether there is interest in a future recipe community. These insights can support the further development of IPPEC activities related to edible insects, learning communities and communication around the protein transition.
