Review | Grub Club Insect-Based Treats

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We are all very aware that we need to reduce waste, cut our carbon footprint and reduce our meat intake in order to do our bit for the planet but did you know that your pets could help with this too?!

Yes, that’s right even our pets contribute towards global warming. In the UK alone we are reported to own around 12 million pets – that’s 44% of us who own a pet of some variety, so what exactly does this look like in terms of emissions?

Well, we can get an idea of how much carbon our favourite pets are producing by referring to Mike Berners-Lee’s book, “How Bad Are Bananas?”, which reveals the carbon footprint of just about everything, including some of our most popular pets:

• Goldfish – 25kg of CO2e per year
• Average-size cat – 310kg of CO2e per year
• Average-size dog – 770 kg of CO2e per year
• Large dog – 2,500kg of CO2e per year

To put this into visual terms, a dog living an unsustainable lifestyle could well produce more than twice the amount of CO2 than that of a 4×4 car. Wow!

I have covered 10 ways you can be a more eco-friendly dog owner previously here and I have managed to follow most of these but one way I am yet to change is my little dog’s diet. Now, this is, of course, a completely personal choice and for us, it is tricky because when we got her it took a while to find a food that agreed with her delicate tummy. Now that she is a little older and is tolerating more things I am keen to try out some sustainable options and what better way to start than with Grub Club insect-based treats to ease her in? This is how we got on…

About Grub Club

Knowing that our pet’s meat was a big contributor to carbon emissions, Grub Club set out to make a difference.

“106M TONNES OF CO2 is GENERATED EVERY YEAR BY THE PET FOOD INDUSTRY OR, TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THIS IS EQUAL TO THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF… THE PHILIPPINES!”

Grub Club Website

When the founders discovered these facts they set out to bring a sustainable option to market in the form of treats (and soon food) made from insects. By using protein from insects rather than animals for pet food products we are looking at using 47x less land, 25x less CO2 and 25x less water, figures that show this is a really positive change. Grub Club use insect protein from the Black Soldier Fly Larvae which is fully approved by the British Veterniary Association, is rich in omegas and amino acids as well as being grain free and hypoallergenic. Each treat is hand baked in the UK and with 3 varieties to choose from so far and with food being worked on as we speak, Grub Club really could be providing a perfect all round sustainable solution we need.

Grub Club Treats Review

First Impressions

When our treats arrived I must say I was surprised to see so many choices. I guess when I heard dog treats I just assumed it would be one treat fits all but no, Grub Club have even taken into account that different dogs have different requirements and so they offer Sit Roll Treat Repeat, Poop Perfector and Canine Shine. I immediately liked how bright and fun the packaging looks, I really loved the amount of information provided (I find this so important when it comes to feeding your pet) as well as the sustainability figures I mentioned above.

Now, the resealable packet does look like plastic but the label states that it is made from plants. To be sure that I got my facts right on this I did email Grub Club to query the makeup of the packaging and to find out how to dispose of it correctly (whether it was compostable or recyclable etc). They told me that it is made from 70% sugar cane and can be added to your local kerbside recycling. As you know, I always like to check these things in order to be completely transparent with my readers and a company who can give me an immediate, straight honest answer gets a thumbs up from me.

Onto the taste tests…

Sit Roll Treat Repeat

I chose to start Tessa on these simply because of the name and because they state that they are ideal for everyday use. Made from insect protein, spirulina, berries, and fresh banana they say that they are rich in fibre, antioxidants, and detoxifying vitamins, plus they’re soft baked for maximum chewability. They didn’t look overly exciting to me but Tessa was immediately sniffing the air so they clearly have a great aroma to dogs and as soon as I put my hand out she was lapping them up!

All the treats are a good size for her (Border Terrier) but they can be easily crumbled up if your dog is smaller or if they need a reduced amount.

I waited a day or so to check that her tummy/digestive system could take a different treat and when there was no reaction I continued to use them for training and on walks. The Sit Roll Treat Repeat Treats have remained a hit with her and at only 7 calories each, they haven’t been an issue for weight either.

Poop Perfector

Once I was happy with the first treats I moved onto trying the Poop Perfector because that’s where we have had trouble in the past with many, many foods and I was eager to see if these would be good for her digestive health. These contain hypoallergenic insect protein, parsley, sage and prebiotic to help delicate tummies and just like with Sit Roll Treat Repeat we had no upsets, no reaction and she loved the taste of these too. If you have a dog who has loose stools these treats could well be the answer.

Canine Shine

And lastly, we tried out the Canine Shine Treats. These promise to give your dog a glossy and healthy looking coat which is due to the ingredients of insect protein, coconut, turmeric, and apple. Now we’ve not had any issues with a lacklustre coat on Tessa so I can’t report back on that side of things but again she loved the taste and they haven’t disagreed with her.

Prices

You can purchase individual packs for £3.49 each or you can choose a multipack where you will receive 2 of each pack for the price of £19.99 OR you can opt to subscribe which will give you an extra 15% off your chosen treats and allow you to set the frequency of delivery between every 2 weeks up to every 6 weeks meaning your pet will never be without their favourite treats.

Overall Thoughts

I am super impressed by these insect-based treats, I honestly never thought I would be one to say my dog eats insects but they really are great for her and for the planet. Having found so many foods and treats to have such a negative effect on her little body I am so pleased that Grub Club Treats are both gentle and nutritious. Next up, seeing if their new food could also work for her. Stay tuned!

*I was sent the Grub Club Treats for an honest review. As always all opinions are our own. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.

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