Jeffrey H. Cohen, professor of anthropology at The Ohio State University and Institute for Population Research (IPR) affiliate, took a deep dive into grasshopper cuisine. Supported by an IPR Seed Grant in 2006 - 2007, Cohen partnered with Ohio State Anthropology Professor Douglas Crews to research the cultural meaning and nutritional value of traditional foods, including grasshoppers, and diet among Oaxacans (inhabitants from Oaxaca, Mexico). They also explored how nutrition changes in response to migration.

This research led to Dr. Cohen's latest book: Eating Grasshoppers: Chapulines and the Women Who Sell Them. Learn more about Cohen's research and book in the press release below.

Press release for Eating Grasshoppers

What does eating grasshoppers tell you about modern-day Mexico?

That question guided me through markets, kitchens, and years of fieldwork in Oaxaca, Mexico; and through the lens of chapulines (toasted grasshoppers), led me to a deeper understanding of culture, commerce, and cuisine.  

Culture, commerce, and cuisine is at the center of my new University of Texas Press ethnography, Eating Grasshoppers, coming in September 2025. This compelling story from the heart of Oaxaca, Mexico is centered around a small but powerful symbol of tradition: the chapuline.

Chapulines are more than a snack to enjoy with mezcal; they are a staple, sold by the kilo throughout Oaxaca’s central valleys. A source of income for entrepreneurial women (chapulineras) who follow their mothers into the marketplace, they are a window into 3000 years of Oaxaca’s culinary heritage. 

I’ve conducted ethnographic research in Oaxaca’s central valleys for decades, inspired by generations of anthropologists. In addition to foodways, my work has explored migration, globalization, and community.

This project uses immersive fieldwork, anthropological analysis, and personal experience to highlight the significance of edible insects. Through the voices of the chapulineras, Eating Grasshoppers describes why chapulines carry such important value. 

More than food, they are culture, survival, and pride. This is a story of tradition and innovation, resilience and sustainability; are you ready for a taste?