Aussies can expect to be plating up crickets, moths and beetles in 2050 as a food insecure world swells in population.
It's predicted the population will reach 10 billion people in 30 years.
This means an extra two billion mouths to feed.
University of NSW food and health expert Professor Johannes le Coutre said a major challenge would be how to sustainably produce enough food "without overwhelming the planet".
"There are simply not enough cows on this planet to meet the projected food production demands," he said.
"And we can't ignore the looming environmental challenges posed by the agriculture and the food industry."
He said people will need to diversify for protein and insects may be the answer.
"Of course, not every insect is edible. There won't be any wasps or bees on the menu in 30 years but you can bet there will be crickets, moths and beetles," Professor le Coutre said.
"Once we get over the yuck factor I believe the conversations around consuming insects as a source of food can be approachable emotionally."
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Eating insects isn't a new idea. In fact it's commonplace in countries such as Thailand.
And Professor le Coutre said biologically it was similar to eating shrimp - both which are arthropods.
"Arthropods are basically lifeforms either on land or water that are surrounded by a chitin exoskeleton," he said.
"Most people won't cringe at the sight of a shrimp on their plate but many might run if there was an insect crawling on the kitchen counter."
Another expected protein alternative is cultured or lab-grown meat.
Professor le Coutre said the industry was making progress in becoming an affordable alternative to traditional agriculture.
"While we're making progress in this space, further research is needed to ensure lab-produced meat satisfies consumer expectations and can be manufactured at a reasonable cost," he said.
"As demand increases shoppers can expect to see more of it and I have no doubt we'll be eating more foods produced through cellular agriculture."
