Cooking with mealworms in Chimaltenango

Throughout the spring, MealFlour traveled to Santa Apolonia in Chimaltenango to meet with the group of women in our new train-the-trainer program. After learning the farming process, the women made two recipes that use mealworm powder; a savory mealworm flour bean dip and healthy banana pancakes. Their farms are too young to collect mealworms to make flour, but they are doing well and each farm has gusanitos (baby mealworms)! In collaboration with our partner organization, ADEMI, the women will receive support and follow-up for the next several years.

New Partners

In April, MealFlour traveled to Huehuetenango to shadow Fundación Contra el Hambre Guatemala (FH, Foundation Against Hunger). FH is an international organization, and in Guatemala they work with communities in Huehuetenango, Quiché, and Alta Verapaz. They are interested in incorporating mealworm farming into their nutrition and education programs, and MealFlour will work with them to pilot programs in a few of the towns they work in.

There isn't just one way to make farms!

Gian Mario, MealFlour's intern from Italy, created several innovative models for mealworm farms. They are all made from either upcycled objects or cheap materials that can be found in the markets of Guatemala.  Pictured are farms made from old roof material, repurposed styrofoam, restaurant take out containers, and beverage cans!

Local urban organic farmers in Xela have also been experimenting with farm materials. The organizers of Xela's monthly organic food market use old shoes to hold plants, bottles for flowers, and they are using jerry cans to separate the life stages of mealworms!