Eating insects often causes discomfort before people even consider taste or nutrition. This was clear at a Bengaluru food mela where visitors faced curiosity and disgust at an edible insects stall themed ‘Calorie’. Many thought insect-eating was a foreign idea. However, entomophagy, or eating insects, is part of India's food culture, especially in Northeast states like Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, where seasonal insect eating is common. Visitors at the stall tried cricket cookies, chilli garlic crickets, and fried silkworms. Nearly 60% tasted insects for the first time. They described the silkworm as tasting "like overcooked kidney beans" and the cricket as having "more flavour" with an "eggy texture" for silkworms. Insects provide rich protein and vitamins and are more efficient to produce than livestock. For example, crickets need far less land, water, and feed than sheep or chickens. Despite this, urbanisation has distanced many from these traditional foods, associating them with rural or less modern lifestyles. Visitors often saw insect-eating as indigenous and rural, not fitting into urban or aspirational food norms. Yet in regions where insects are eaten, these foods are familiar and seasonal. Some visitors urged people to "overlook typical stereotypes and experiment more" and highlighted insects as a "sustainable protein source that is cost-effective to produce and with low environmental impact." However, doubts remain about insects replacing staple meals. One visitor wondered, "how filling this would be as a complete meal," while another said, "I don’t see it becoming a staple food" but called the initiative "good for public health." Ethical voices called for credit to the communities where insect-eating originates. The stall offered insects in various forms like ground cookies and whole fried insects to reduce discomfort. This approach helped visitors focus on taste and texture rather than appearance. Public events like this create safe spaces for curiosity before judgment. Experts like Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan from the Insect Biosystematics and Conservation Laboratory at ATREE in Bengaluru focus on sustainable insect farming. Producing insects in a controlled way can protect wild populations and ensure consistent quality and safety. Changing how insects are farmed could be as important as changing attitudes towards eating them. Insects could play a key role in sustainable, nutritious food futures for India.