Despite the fact that people snack on grasshoppers and crickets in Thailand, many people in the United States express disgust at the idea. This suggests that, in the United States, eating insects is a .

taboo

Explanation:

Based on the information provided within the question it can be said that eating insects in the United States is considered to be taboo. This term refers to anything that is considered by the society of a certain location to be wrong and not supposed to be done. What is and isn't taboo depends solely on the society in question, as something that is taboo in the United States may not be taboo in Thailand.