We Ate an Iguana for Valentine’s Day! Here’s Why.

Yup. You read that right. We ATE an iguana for Valentine’s Day! We promise though, it wasn’t because we couldn’t get our hands on other food. It’s something we’ve always wanted to try and we figured, hell, why not make a date out of it?

Why would anyone in their right mind WANT to eat iguana, you ask? The answer is more complex than you might think…

Valentine’s Day Iguana Surprise

This year, our Valentine’s Day went a little bit differently than others. My lovely girlfriend, Laura, decided to go above and beyond on a gift for me…

No, it wasn’t a box of chocolates; it wasn’t a bouquet of flowers; and it wasn’t a hand made card (what do girls get guys for Valentine’s Day anyway? Serious answers only). This year, Laura decided to LEARN HOW TO CATCH, KILL, SKIN, AND COOK AN IGUANA.

Fellas, if that ain’t love, then I don’t know what it is. You need to get yourselves a Laura (not mine, though). =)

That’s weird. Why would you want to eat an iguana?

Good question. Here’s why:

It all started because I’m a HUGE fan of the Netflix Series, Meat Eater. The show is hosted by one of my idols in conservation, Steven Rinella. One of Steve’s conservation philosophies is eating sustainable meat.

What does that mean? Simply put, we should only eat animal populations that can handle human influence. Asking ourselves, “how will humans impact the animal population as a whole and the surrounding environment?”

For example, you wouldn’t eat an endangered species. Why? Because the species’ population won’t be able to sustain the removal of any individual members!

Makes sense? To our best ability, we model our eating behavior after this philosophy! And it’s all thanks to my love for a TV show.

NOTE: This is a very brief summary of the topic. Sustainability is a book in itself. Stay tuned for a future post discussing more.

What does eating sustainably have to do with iguanas?

Another good question.

Although cool looking, iguanas are an invasive species in South Florida (right along with lionfish and Burmese pythons). Meaning, iguanas are having a devastating impact on the native environment in South Florida! (not to mention people’s gardens).

Why are iguanas an invasive species? You’d be surprised to hear the lizard is actually a herbivore. Or, if you will, they abide by a strict vegan diet. In South Florida, no plant is safe from the mouth of an iguana causing harm to the natural ecosystem. Additionally, the reptile has no consistent natural predators meaning their numbers are exponentially growing.

This makes invasive species, iguanas included, some of the most sustainable animals to eat!

But are iguanas safe to eat?

Uuuuum, I sure hope so!

Just messing! Of course they are!

If you clean the animal correctly, the meat from the legs and tail are actually quite tasty!

Why you should try eating iguana

I LOVE meat; considering it an essential (and delicious) component of the human diet. Unfortunately, a lot of the meat you eat from the grocery store is unsustainable and farmed under horrific conditions. Hence, eating iguanas!

We didn’t come up with the idea ourselves, either. Believe it or not, South Floridians have started eating iguanas more often! So much that we’ve actually seen them featured on the Facebook Marketplace!! Not to mention the few restaurants in Florida and the Caribbean that serve the lizard up as a tasty appetizer.

Between removing an invasive species, helping a local environment, and reducing factory farming production, I’d say you’ve done quite the service if you eat an iguana. And a fun one, at that.

Admittedly, you do HAVE to be adventurous in your eating – it’s not your typical American dish, after all. But it’s totally worth the experience if you want to have some environmentally friendly fun with your eating!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Would you try iguana given the opportunity?

We want to hear from you! What do you think about sustainable eating? How should we do it? Is eating iguanas a solution? Comment below to let us know or contact us with any questions!