Universal Yums is an international snack subscription box. Every month they send a mix of snacks from one country or region. (A different country or region is featured each month.)
This month’s snacks are from the Philippines!
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Universal Yums
The Cost: $13/month for the Yum Box (6+ snacks) and $25/month for the Yum Yum Box (13+ snacks). (Note that this is a review of the Yum Yum Box.)
The Products: A selection of unique snacks from a different country each month.
Ships to: US & Canada (Canadian shipping is extra.)
Check out all of our Universal Yums reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory!
Universal Yums includes a booklet that lists all of the items in the box.
The booklet includes trivia and other fun info. (This month’s booklet even includes a feature entitled “strange animals of the Philippines!”)
Universal Yums also details the ingredients of each item on their website.
Regent Golden Sweet Corn Puffs (60 g.)- $1.95
If I’ve learned anything from my subscription to Universal Yums, it’s that the American snack market is seriously lacking when it comes to sweet corn snacks. It seems like they’re popular in a ton of other countries, and I don’t think I’ve sampled a single one that I don’t like. Unsurprisingly, these corn-flavored puffs are delicious, too. They’re savory and a little sweet.
Oishi Cracklings Salt & Vinegar Beer Match (50 g.)- $1.45
Salt & vinegar isn’t my favorite chip flavor, but I really like it on these crunchy, puffed snacks. I think the strong flavor of the vinegar helps cut through the richness of the cracklings.
Pandan Cake is a popular sponge cake that’s fluffy, light, and green in color. Traditionally, it’s flavored with juice that’s made from the leaves of the tropical Pandanus amaryllifolius plant. I’ve had pandan cake before, and I’m a fan. However, I think this one is just okay.
Boy Bawang Hot Garlic Flavor (100 g.)- $3.67
These puffed, crunchy corn kernels are delicious! The hot garlic flavor is truly both- spicy and garlicky. I can definitely recommend these.
Fita Lemon Flavor Sandwich (25 g.)- $0.22?
I’m a fan of savory sweets, and these cracker sandwiches definitely fit that bill. The crackers are rich and savory (they remind me a little of Ritz), and the sweet lemon filling is delicate and subtle.
Pinky's Chocolate Butterscotch Bars (2 bars)
Based on the description, I was expecting these to be like candy bars, but they’re actually more like brownie bites. I’m a fan of the fudgy/cakey texture, but the flavor didn’t really work for me.
Goldilocks Polvoron in Ube and Cookies & Cream
Goldilocks describes polvoron as “Manila shortbread,” but I’ve also seen it described as
“powdered milk candy.” This is my first time trying it, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. The texture is chalky, crumbly, and dry. It’s not quite a cookie, but it’s not quite a candy either. Regardless, I really like it! (Though I prefer the Cookie & Cream flavor over Ube, which is a type of purple yam.)
Starr Melon Dew Menthol
Lipps Mango Color Burst
Universal Yums always includes a handful of different candies from every featured country. Even though they’re small, I always find that the candies are one of my favorite parts of the box! This month, I think the Choc Nut has to be my favorite. The crumbly, chocolaty candies are rich, sweet, and tasty. The Mango Color Burst was great, too. I love mango, and I found the flavor to be surprisingly similar to the real thing. It also lived up to its name- my tongue was very yellow after eating one!
On the back of the information card, Universal Yums provides a clue to the next month’s destination. What do you think about the clue? It sounds like Poland to me!
Verdict: I discovered a lot of new treats in this month’s Universal Yums box! Standout items for me were definitely the Choc Nut, Sweet Corn Puffs, and Boy Bawang. Though, I also really enjoyed trying the polvoron shortbreads- they’re truly unlike anything I’ve ever had before! It’s always difficult to determine a value for boxes from Universal Yums, but I feel they do a pretty good job of sending full boxes packed with treats I wouldn’t necessarily be able to find locally. I had a lot of fun with this box, and I’m already curious to see what next month’s box will bring!
What do you think of this month’s Universal Yums box?
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