What does tarantula taste like?
Tarantula tastes like crab or shrimp. The meat is soft with a nutty flavor. When cooked, tarantula is crispy on the outside. People often enjoy it fried, grilled, or in dishes like tacos.
Tarantulas weren’t mentioned when we asked students what their favorite food was when traveling. But that doesn’t mean eating an arachnid isn’t a memorable or even a tasty experience. At the very least, it gives you a good travel story.
On a few of our programs, students get a chance to sample snacks you won’t normally find in the United States, like fried creepy crawlies. Here are a few of the unusual foods you may encounter while on the road:
“I will never forget trying crickets and actually enjoying them! They almost tasted like salted chips.”
– Alumna Abigail Evangelista
Fried Tarantulas and Crickets in Cambodia
In Cambodia, students in the Floating Village Service Expedition have a chance to try fried crickets and tarantulas while traveling in remote regions of the country. The students get the snack opportunity at a rest stop while enroute to the town of Battambang.
Cambodia Country Manager Pannha En says fried tarantulas are considered a delicacy. They are often rolled in sugar or garlic and eaten by the handful, sort of like potato chips.