Sustainability is a major focus for many companies in the pet industry right now, but you've probably never even realized it. Most people haven't, but researchers and experts in the pet food industry are well aware of the problem. Some products, like Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats, are made using sustainable resources with a focus on our environment.
You see, dog food is being made with higher quality ingredients than ever before. Most of the same ingredients are also used in the making of human food. It sounds great – dogs eating the same quality food as their owners – but the problem isn't in the quality of the food.
The problem is in the resources that the food is made with. Resources like grains, fruits, vegetables, and meat are all in limited supply. Yes, we can always grow or raise more, but if the demand outweighs the supply, we'll begin to have a shortage of these foods.
Some manufacturers have begun looking for new ingredients that are more sustainable than the traditional ingredients that we've been using for decades. That's why Jiminy's uses cricket powder as the protein source for their dog treats. Yep, a powder made from ground-up crickets.
If you're interested in learning more about sustainability in the pet industry or cricket powder as a source of protein, check out our interview: What's All the Hype About Cricket Protein for Dogs?
Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats Review
Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats are available in soft chew or crunchy cookie variety. As you will see in my video review above, I tried both with my dogs. They enjoy both types of treats but definitely prefer the soft chews.
The treats are quite small, so I would definitely recommend them for any size pooch. They are available in 4 different flavors:
- Peanut Butter & Blueberry Cookies
- Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sweet Potato, Apple & Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peas & Sweet Potato Chewy Treats
With 3 dogs, we use a lot of training treats in our house. Depending on the flavor that you choose, Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats have between 2.9 and 9 calories per treat. This makes them a low-calorie option for training purposes.
Now, let's talk about what makes these treats unique. Clearly, it's the cricket powder. Not only are crickets a sustainable protein, but they are also a source of very lean protein, iron, fiber, and all of the essential amino acids.
According to Jiminy, it takes 22,000 times more water to raise a cow than it does to raise a cricket, and it takes 2,300 times more water to raise a chicken than a cricket. In fact, they say that if you compare a 5-ounce bag of their Cricket Protein Dog Treats to the same size bag of traditional dog treats, they save about 220 gallons of water per bag!
Likewise, it takes 93% less land to raise crickets than beef and 67% less land to raise crickets than chickens. Jiminy's even partnered with Carbon Credit Capital to measure the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with their products. They found that their cricket protein treats produce 740% less GHG emissions than traditional beef dog treats and 270% less than chicken treats.
Cricket powder scores as high in digestibility for dogs as chicken or beef protein. Cricket powder is also a natural pre-biotic. And cricket powder is hypoallergenic as well! Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats are made in the USA and free of corn, wheat, and soy. They are not made with any artificial preservatives, artificial colors, or antibiotics.
These dog treats are grain and gluten-free, non-GMO, and made with limited ingredients. The crickets are sourced 100% in North America. The full list of ingredients for each recipe are:
- Peanut Butter & Blueberry Cookies – Peanut Butter, Cricket Powder, Ground Flax Seed, Lentils, Blueberries, Molasses, Coconut Oil, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Buffered Distilled White Vinegar, Antioxidants (Canola Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract)
- Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Cookies – Cricket Powder, Lentils, Pumpkin Puree, Ground Flax Seed, Peanut Butter, Molasses, Coconut Oil, Sea Salt, Cinnamon, Citric Acid, Buffered Distilled White Vinegar, Antioxidants (Canola Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract)
- Sweet Potato, Apple & Peanut Butter Cookies – Cricket Powder, Lentils, Sweet Potato Puree, Ground Flax Seed, Peanut Butter, Apple Puree, Coconut Oil, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Buffered Distilled White Vinegar, Antioxidants (Canola Oil, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract)
- Peas & Sweet Potato Chewy Treats – Sweet Potato, Yellow Pea, Oats, Crickets, Vegetable Glycerin, Molasses, Tapioca, Vegetable Gelatin, Canola Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (a preservative), Distilled Vinegar, Natural Smoke Flavor, Garlic, Rosemary
You can purchase a 6-ounce bag of Jiminy's Cricket Protein Dog Treats on Amazon for $9.45. If you compare this price to that of high-quality dog treats made with chicken or beef, they are only a couple of dollars more expensive. However, you're getting a much more sustainable product that is healthy and safe for your canine companion.
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