Meal Worms

My little buddies: a hobby, snack, pet, and readily available protein source in one.  The meal "worms" are not actually worms, but larvae of the darkling beetle.  Luckily the darkling beetles don't fly, so they stay nicely contained in this little plastic storage bins.

They're pretty tasty too, nutty and creamy.  The texture of the exoskeleton takes a bit of getting used to, but it's not bad.  These guys are also on my list of "things to eat if you don't have a refrigerator", for some reason I love thinking about that.  Ok, you twisted my arm, I'll tell you what else is on that list:

SAY YOU DON'T HAVE A FRIDGE
-meat is eaten the day you get it from the store/farm/forest (leftovers can be left in the pot for one day to     be reheated
-canned wild fish: salmon, sardines, tuna
-meal worms or other "farmable" insects
-beef jerky
-eggs will keep unrefrigerated for a week
-butter will keep in a butter crock
-herb garden during the growing season/dried herbs in winter
-potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, apples, rice, dried beans, dried corn in the pantry
-sprouts
-foraged food
           -greens: dandelions, plantain, purslane, sorrel, lamb's quarters, etc., etc.
           -mushrooms
           -berries
           -nuts
-dried fruit
-canned veggies (tomato sauce, jellies, pickles, etc.)

I think the only thing you'd really have to give up would be milk (unless you can get some from a neighbor or are milking an animal yourself).