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Universal Yums “Ukraine” Review – March 2019

Becca Peterson
ByBecca PetersonMar 29, 2019 | 25 comments

1 Universal Yums March 2019 - Unopened Box

Universal Yums
4.3 overall rating
43 Ratings | 33 Reviews

Universal Yums is a snack subscription box that sends out snacks and candies from a different country each month. Choose from the Yum Box for $14 a month, the Yum Yum Box for $25 a month, or the Super Yum Box for $39 a month. This month’s box takes us to Ukraine!

2 Universal Yums March 2019 - Unopened Boxside

This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $25 a month.

3 Universal Yums March 2019 - Unopened Box

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

4 Universal Yums March 2019 - All Products Laidout

About Universal Yums

The Subscription Box: Universal Yums

The Cost: $25 a month + free US shipping

The Products: The contents of the boxes change each month as they to highlight the best snacks from each featured country. However, you can always expect a mix of flavors: salty, sweet, spicy, fruity, and more. Only authentic snacks from the featured country.

Ships to: U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and Israel

Universal Yums "Ukraine” March 2019 Review

I love being at home. That being said, I don’t travel much, so I haven’t had a lot of experience with other cultures. Universal Yums has been a great way to try new foods and learn a little bit about different countries. This is a great experience for my family and has been so much fun. Let’s dive in and see what Ukraine has to offer!

5 Universal Yums March 2019 - Official Yum Awards

The first thing you see when you open this box is a map of Ukraine with fun clip art and facts about the country. On the backside, you will find “The Official Yum Awards” sheet. This is where you can cast your vote for your favorite and least favorite yum in each box. If you upload this ballot on social media and tag @Universalyums, you’ll have a chance to win more of your favorite snacks! It also includes a recipe and a secret puzzle to solve!

6 Universal Yums March 2019 - Pamphlet Cover

This box comes with a detailed guide that takes you on a mini-tour of Ukraine. It includes information for each of the included items, ingredient lists in English, a trivia quiz, recipes, and even a clue to next month’s box!

7 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 23 8 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 45 9 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 67 10 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 89 11 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 1011 12 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 1213 13 Universal Yums March 2019 - Page 1415 14 Universal Yums March 2019 - Last Page

Let’s experience Ukraine!

15 Universal Yums March 2019 - Minky Binky Blueberry 16 Universal Yums March 2019 - Minky Binky Peach

Minky Binky Assorted Fruit Caramels with Fruit Fillings

I like to start small, so I tried the Minky Binky assorted fruit filling candies first. I  received 1 blueberry and 3 peach flavored candies. The blueberry candy was soft and milky with a sweet blueberry center. It was easy to chew and very sweet. The peach filled toffee was also soft and milky, but with a peach center. I preferred the peach because it had just a slight tartness to compliment the sweet toffee. I also love the cute monkey on the packaging!

17 Universal Yums March 2019 - Barberry Karamelkino Packaged

Barberry Karamelkino- Barberry flavored hard candy

I have never heard of barberry, but learned in the booklet that this is a unique fruit cherished by Ukrainians! These hard candies are deliciously sweet and taste a little like “Luden’s Wild Cherry Drops” which I used to eat like candy when I was a kid!

18 Universal Yums March 2019 - Roshenlady Bird Candies

Roshen LadyBird - Assorted Fruit Gummies - Buy a 2.2lb bag for $22.99

Look at this packaging! These are so cute! And when you open the packaging you see these slightly translucent gummies with the red juice filling! These are chewy and yummy with the perfect amount of filling. The booklet notes there are 5 flavors: pear, raspberry, grapefruit, apple, and strawberry. My kids LOVED these!!

19 Universal Yums March 2019 - Golden Chips Package 20 Universal Yums March 2019 - Golden Chips Opened

Golden Chips Aspic (Meat Jelly) & Horseradish

The next item in the box was this rectangular box of Golden potato crisps. These are a savory chip that reminds me of a meat flavored pringle. I would have felt a lot better about these if they didn’t have “meat jelly” in the label - that just doesn’t sound appetizing to me. I did try them and they were salty, meaty, and pretty tasty. They do smell a lot like cold roast beef!

21 Universal Yums March 2019 - Shoude Dark Chocolate Packaged 22 Universal Yums March 2019 - Shoude Dark Chocolate Opened

Shou’de Dark Chocolate with Candied Fruits

Look at this beautiful dark chocolate candy bar! I don’t think I have ever seen a chocolate bar that is so pretty! They use a 70% cocoa blend, and it is sprinkled with dried oranges, lemons, and raspberries. The lemon and orange rinds are a pretty good size, so it is slightly bitter, but the flavor goes with the chocolate so well I found myself going back for more!

23 Universal Yums March 2019 - Saluteham And Mustardpuff Package 24 Universal Yums March 2019 - Saluteham And Mustardpuff Opened

Salute Ham and Mustard Puffs

This next snack is an interesting one. These little tater-tot looking puffs have the consistency of puffcorn, but with a ham and mustard flavor. I am all about puffcorn, but I wasn’t a fan of this flavor combo. Cheddar would have been a better flavor for me!

25 Universal Yums March 2019 - Toffee Squares Packaged 26 Universal Yums March 2019 - Toffee Squares Opened

Creamy Deluxe Toffee Squares

I love toffee, and these squares are delicious. I did notice this toffee has a slight sugary texture and didn’t pull apart like other toffees I have tasted. They are very good, and our family enjoyed them.

27 Universal Yums March 2019 - Shoude Cinnamon Caramel Packaged 28 Universal Yums March 2019 - Shoude Cinnamon Caramel Opened 29 Universal Yums March 2019 - Shoude Cinnamon Caramel Bite

Shoud’e Cinnamon Caramel Chocolate - Milk chocolate with cinnamon caramel filling

This is an interesting combination I have never had before. It is a milk chocolate bar filled with cinnamon and caramel filling. It reminded me of a carmello with added cinnamon. It was very good and unique!

30 Universal Yums March 2019 - Potato Boom Pacakged 31 Universal Yums March 2019 - Potato Boom Unpackaged

Veal & Adjika Potato Boom - Roast veal and adjika flavored crisps (Does not contain meat)

When you open the package of these you get hit with a cold roast beef sandwich scent. These crispy fry-like potatoes are crunchy with a savory meat flavor. I didn’t care for these, but my husband liked them!

32 Universal Yums March 2019 - Kaubie Carmaelized Peanuts Package 33 Universal Yums March 2019 - Kaubie Carmalized Peanuts Opened

Caramelized Peanuts with Puffed Rice Bar

This was the only item that wasn’t in the booklet. I’m not sure if I accidentally received it, or if they just forgot to put it in the guide. It is a delicious mix of puffed rice with caramelized peanuts. It tastes similar to my grandma's peanut brittle, and I am in love! I definitely would like to eat more of this!

34 Universal Yums March 2019 - Potato Boom Onion Packaged 35 Universal Yums March 2019 - Potato Boom Onion Opened

Potato and Onion Potato Boom - Potato and onion flavored crisps

These crisps had a very strong onion flavor to them! They were like an extra crunchy onion french fry. They were very tasty and I enjoyed these a lot more than the meat jelly flavored package we received!

36 Universal Yums March 2019 - Dill And Sour Cream Chips Packaged 37 Universal Yums March 2019 - Dill And Sour Cream Chips Opened

Dill & Sour Cream Golden Chips - Potato crisps with dill and sour cream

These chips are very thin and crunchy, like a Pringle, but with a slight dill and sour cream flavor. These were really tasty. I liked this flavor much more than the meat jelly flavor, and will have to hide them from my husband!

38 Universal Yums March 2019 - Slasticurd Wafer Packaged 39 Universal Yums March 2019 - Slasticurd Wafer Opened

Slasti Curd Waffles - Wafers with chocolate and cheese

Yummy! I love wafers, but these take the ones I’ve had to another level! They are chocolatey with a slight cream cheese flavor. And look at the beautiful layers- more filling for more deliciousness! This is one of my favorites of the box!

40 Universal Yums March 2019 - Roshen Cremebrulee Package 41 Universal Yums March 2019 - Roshen Cremebrulee Opened

Roshen Creme Brulee Milk Chocolate Bar - Buy a box of 30 bars for $34.95

This bar was soooo good! These little squares were perfectly creamy and smooth with a gooey creme brulee filling. Definitely my favorite item in the box! I wish there would have been more!

The Verdict: Universal Yums is an awesome box. While I didn’t love every snack, it was so much fun to read about Ukraine, learn about a new culture, and try authentic snack foods that I cannot pronounce! My family had so much fun with this! We can’t wait to see where the next box will come from!

Score card picks:

  • Best Yum: Roshen Creme Brulee Chocolate
  • Runner-up: Slasti Curd Waffles
  • Worst Yum: Veal & Adjika Potato Boom
  • Most Unusual: Salute Ham & Mustard Puffs

To Wrap Up:

Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No. Each month they ship your box no later than the 15th day of the month. The first month you will receive a box varies based on availability and may depend on the size that you order.

Value Breakdown: This box is $25.00 a month (including shipping). I received 23 individual snacks, which averages out to $1.09 per item.

Check out all of our Universal Yums reviews and find similar boxes in the Snack Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try? 

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Universal Yums is a monthly snack subscription box that delivers a variety of international snacks from all around the world. Each delivery brings an unforgettable experience that mixes the fun of food, travel, and learning in one tasty box!

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Becca Peterson
Becca Peterson

I am a wild and crazy mom of 2 boys and work in the public education system as an Indigenous Support Advocate. I love all things outdoors, beauty, crafts, and food. Living the simple life in the country, we spend a lot of time hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Oh, and I absolutely adore my high school sweetheart aka my husband of almost 17 years!


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25 comments

Lee

This box is a hit in our home. I bought a sub for my 16 yo son and he loves it. My hubs was a little jealous so now he gets his own box. So we get 2 a month. They love their snacks!
I’ve had awesome CS from them as well when we had an issue.
It’s hard to find a great sub for the guys in my house so this is perfect!

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Becca

Thank you for commenting! My 4 and 6 year old boys are obsessed with this box- I definitely can see us needing another box soon! We split up the snacks and I pack them in lunches- they are always a conversation piece!

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Maria G

I LOVE Roshen candy ever since my travels to Ukraine. Just to let you know, some of their best candies and chocolates weren’t even in the box! Luckily Amazon has a good number of Roshen caramel and toffee and chocolate options now. Also, the Ladybug candy has dropped in price since your review — I see it is only $18.99 now, not $23! They also have the Minky Binky — it went out of stock but the price should drop again when it’s available Prime again. As you can tell… I’m a little addicted to this awesome Ukrainian candy. 😉 These are some of my favorites: https://www.amazon.com/Roshen-Caramel-Caramels-Individually-Assortment/dp/B07PSP1H8P

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Becca

Thank you for commenting and for the info! I’m definitely going to order me some! As a snack addict myself, I love this box to discover new treats!

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LB

This box was so good! My first one was last months Italy box and I am glad I upsized to the Super Yum box after enjoying it so much. I like reading the reviews here, the reviews really help me pick what boxes to subscribe to.

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Becca

Thanks for commenting! Did you see where the next box is coming from? I can’t wait!

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Yurena

People here in Bulgaria where I am currently teaching are crazy about Roshen chocolate, so much it is available in every supermarket and the company has had to open a massive office building here, the biggest outside Ukraine, to deal with the marketing of their products.

The one you receive in the box is not the only flavor they make, they have those chocolate bars in lots of variations: with almonds, blueberry, sesame, caramel white chocolate and I think 3-4 more.
Try all of them if you can 🙂

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Becca

Thank you so much for commenting! Caramel white chocolate sounds AMAZING!!!

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Svetlana7e

This box missing main Ukraine culinary representations- SALO

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LB

The Super Yum box had Salo inspired chips inside of it! They were good too.

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Becca

I am going to have to check into these! Thank you for commenting!

Melissa Mead

I was astonished to find out that I loved the aspic chips + I wish I could get them around here.

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Becca

I know!!! I wish it was easier to find and re-order some of these snacks! I wish Universal Yums had a store on their website so we could stock up on certain items!

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Jody

Meat Jelly and Cheese curd are just not words I want to eat in my snacks!

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Becca

Lol!!! I agree about the meat jelly. I feel if they would have left that out of the description I would have enjoyed the snack more. I see a lot of people felt the same way!

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Emilia

If I subscribe today will I be getting past boxes or only new ones?

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Becca

From what the Universal Yums website says in their FAQs, you will get new boxes. Thanks for commenting!

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Sheila

I love this box. Always fun, unusual and TASTY things to try. The only problem is not being able to find things online to buy more when you love something. Lol

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Becca

Right?! I had a heck of a time trying to find anything online! This box is so much fun! We look forward to it every month!

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Kay

I really loved those Ladybird and Minky Binky candies and the dill & sour cream Golden Chips (totally tasted like Pringles!)

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Becca

Those Ladybirds were sooo pretty! And my kids were fighting over the Minky Binkies! It’s so much fun to try new things!

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Maria G

I know! We loved these. So happy to find them on amazon in the big bags — plenty to go around!

Deborah

FYI – I received an email about the peanut bar being left out of the book a little before my box was delivered:

“When you receive your Yum Yum box this month, you may notice there’s an item inside that’s not listed in your booklet. We apologize for our mistake!

“Though we’re sure you would enjoy this tasty treat with no introduction at all, we still wanted to send you the missing information! You can find the booklet excerpt below, including the snack description and ingredient list.

“Spoiler Alert: Before reading any further, we want to warn you that the following information reveals this month’s featured country as well as a product in your box.
Peanut Kozinak – Peanut bar with puffed rice and honey

“Ingredients: Peanut Kernel, Sugar, Treacle, Puffed Rice Grains, Honey, Sea Buckthorn Oil.

“Unfortunately, Ukraine can’t take much of the credit for this incredible Yum. You’re holding a type of gozinaki, a classic confection invented in ancient Georgia (the country, not the US state). Traditionally made from walnuts fried in honey, Georgian gozinaki is served exclusively on New Year’s Eve, symbolizing a promise for a sweet and happy life in the year ahead. Since its creation, this simple, yet satisfying, sweet has spread to Russia (kozinaki) and then to Ukraine (kozinak), spawning many unique variations along the way. Unlike Georgian gozinaki, Ukrainian kozinak is eaten year round. And this version is made with one special ingredient that Ukraine can take credit for: honey. Around 1.5% of Ukraine’s population are beekeepers, and together, they produce the greatest amount of honey per capita in the world. Whoa!”

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Julie

I also received the email. I imagine all subscribers did. I thought it was cute that they included the little factoid blurb that would have appeared in the booklet.

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Becca

Thank you so much for the info!! That is very helpful! It was so yummy! My husband tried sneaking it in his lunch, but I took it back!!

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