Facebook PixelUniversal Yums “Turkey” Review - August 2019 | MSA
My Subscription Addiction
My Subscription Addiction
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.

Universal Yums “Turkey” Review – August 2019

Becca Peterson
ByBecca PetersonAug 28, 2019 | 20 comments

Universal Yums August 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 $15 a month, the Yum Yum Box for $25 a month, or the Super Yum Box for $39 a month.

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

Universal Yums August 2019 - Unopened Box Side

This month’s box takes us to Turkey!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Opened 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.)

Universal Yums August 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 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: The U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and Israel

Universal Yums “Turkey” August 2019 Review

I love Universal Yums and how it has given me the opportunity to learn about new countries and cultures through food without having to leave my living room. I have never been outside of the United States and Canada, so receiving this box has really has given us a lot of insight on other places! My kids absolutely love this box! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Official yum Awards

When you first open the box, you are welcomed with a lovely illustrated map of Turkey. This map shares interesting tidbits about history as well as fun trivia about some of the items in the box. On the back of this map, you have the opportunity to fill out the ballot for favorite, least favorite, 2nd best, and weirdest snack- if you post your ballot on social media, you have a chance to win more of your favorites! It also includes a secret puzzle and a Turkish game to learn!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Pamphlet Cover

Next, we have a detailed pamphlet including all of this month’s snacks, ingredient lists, fun trivia, a recipe, and a clue to next month’s box!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 23 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 45 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 67 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 89 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 1011 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 1213 Universal Yums August 2019 - Page 1415 Universal Yums August 2019 - Last Page

Let’s experience Turkey at its finest!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Ondule Kebab Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Ondule Kebab Opened

Ondule Kebab

These grilled kebab flavored corn snacks are pretty darn tasty! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but these crunchy little bites actually did taste like a grilled kebab! I also enjoyed the shape and texture- they almost looked like little kebabs!  My kids loved these and commented that this was a great way to start the box off!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Toku Enjoy Kek Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Toku Enjoy Kek Opened

Toku Enjoy Kek - Retail Value $2.00

I’m not usually a fan of storebought cakes, but this chocolate and vanilla cake with orange filling was really good! It was moist, rich, and filled with the perfect amount of orange jam. My kids were really impressed with the flavors as well, and wished we had a second one! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Ulker Krispi Tirtikli Kraker Baharatli Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Ulker Krispi Tirtikli Kraker Baharatli Opened

Ulker Krispi Tirtikli Kraker Baharatli

Oh my gosh. These are my favorite! I absolutely love the Baharat spices! They have a delicious blend of onion powder, parsley, garlic, thyme, and paprika, and they are perfectly crispy and crunchy. See how cute they are? I love any chip/cracker with ridges! My kids and I polished this off in no time and wished we had more! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Keyifce Fistikli Cezerye Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Keyifce Fistikli Cezerye Opened

Keyifce Fistikli Cezerye 

This interesting little snack has carrots, pistachio, and coconut incorporated into it. It has a jelly texture and is very chewy. This snack wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t awful. My kids thought it was interesting but didn’t ask for seconds.

Universal Yums August 2019 - Lush Cocoa Creme Mosaic Cookies Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Lush Cocoa Creme Mosaic Cookies Opened

Lush Cocoa Creme Mosaic Cookies 

Now these cookies are right up my alley! I love the beautiful mosaic pattern and the delicious chocolate cream filling! I will eat almost anything that incorporates both vanilla and chocolate, so these are obviously perfect for me! I’m really happy they sent 2 packages because it really is hard to stop eating these! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Crunch Tako and Hardal Aromali Cips Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Crunch Tako and Hardal Aromali Cips Opened

Crunch Tako and Hardal Aromali Cips

These little triangular treats are crisps with mustard and taco seasoning. They look similar to a Bugle, but tasted a little stale. I couldn’t detect a real strong mustard or taco seasoning, so they just left my mouth feeling blah. I thought my kids would like these because of the triangular shape, but they didn’t care for them at all.

Universal Yums August 2019 - Mevlana Sekeri Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Mevlana Sekeri Opened

Mevlana Sekeri

These treats look just like an after-dinner mint, but taste completely different! We received the strawberry flavor in our box, and when you place it into your mouth, it starts to soften and release a very sweet strawberry and sugar flavor! The kids thought these were amazing, and wanted to eat the entire pack!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Tatsan Soft Nougat Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Tatsan Soft Nougat Opened

Tatsan Soft Nougat

This soft chocolate nougat with hazelnuts is definitely soft. It took me a good 5 minutes to get the plastic peeled off of this candy. It was so sticky it could have been used as glue! While I love chocolate nougat and hazelnuts, this just wasn’t my favorite. My boys wouldn’t come near this, but I think it was because of what they thought it looked like! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Tatkrak Cubuk Acili Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Tatkrak Cubuk Acili Opened

Tatkrak Cubuk Acili 

I am definitely digging these spicy cracker sticks! These skinny little sticks have just the right amount of spice (although my 4 year old thought they were a bit too spicy). In the included literature, it states they have other flavors such as cheese, and buttery popcorn! I really need all of these flavors in my life! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Today Cherry Donut Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Today Cherry Donut Opened

Today Cherry Donut

There are 2 things my kids love: donuts and cherries. They saw this package and went NUTS! This rich chocolate donut is very chocolatey and has a very powerful flavored cherry jelly inside. While I didn’t enjoy the flavoring of this snack, my kids sure did! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Ulker Krispi Peynir Sogan Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Ulker Krispi Peynir Sogan Opened

Ulker Krispi Peynir Sogan

Hooray! Another Ulker treat! I loved the first package of cracker chips in this box, and this cheese and onion flavor is satisfying as well! These round, little chips are perfectly crunchy and have a distinct, yet tasty, onion and cheddar taste. The only problem that I have with these is there wasn’t more! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Assorted Turkish Delight Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Assorted Turkish Delight Opened

Assorted Turkish Delight 

Just look at these beautiful candies! The box is lovely, and the sweet jelly candies are beautiful pastel colors dipped in powdered sugar to look elegant and pretty. The assortment of flavors includes rose, lemon and orange. It is said that friends in Turkey exchange these candies wrapped in lace handkerchiefs, while families serve platters of them on special occasions! While I enjoyed these tasty little treats, my kids didn’t appreciate their strong flavoring and left them for me to savor! 

Universal Yums August 2019 - Toffix Mastic Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Toffix Mastic Opened

Toffix Mastic

Look at how inviting these little blue wrapped candies are! These soft, chewy candies are infused with mastic flavor...what is mastic you ask? Well it is gum-like sap of the mastic tree! These candies are initially bitter with a heavy pine aftertaste. The booklet states most people either love or hate these little treats, and I have to say I am part of the latter - it honestly tasted like I was chewing on a pinecone! My kids wanted NOTHING to do with these after their initial lick! It was fun to try though!

Universal Yums August 2019 - Toffix Melo Melo Unopened Universal Yums August 2019 - Toffix Melo Melo Opened

Toffix Melo Melo

Now these candies are more my style! These soft milk candies are flavored with pear and orange and are the perfect little fruity fusion. They are easy to chew and extremely tasty. I really enjoyed these candies, but my boys were too scared to try them after the mastic candies!

The Verdict: We always have a great time sampling the Universal Yums box, and this month we really enjoyed the Turkish treats that were included. We had a few more misses than usual this month, but we had a lot of fun trying all of the new snacks. This box is always curated so wonderfully- we love the pictures and information they put together in the booklet, it really makes for an entire experience. We can’t wait to see where next month’s box is coming from. The included clue says “we’re off to the land of giants and greats, where you can go for the gold- but it’s up to the fates! Here, you’ll find Yums both renowned and superb, from fragrant fruit cookies to chips covered in herbs!” 

Score card picks:

  • Best Yum: Ulker Krispi Tirtikli Kraker Baharatli
  • Runner-up: Lush Cocoa Creme Mosaic Cookies 
  • Worst Yum: Toffix Mastic 
  • Most Unusual: Keyifce Fistikli Cezerye

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 21 individually wrapped snacks, which averages out to $1.19 per item.

Check out all of our Universal Yums reviews and the best snack subscription boxes!

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

Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try? 

Starting at $16.00
Subscribe Now

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!

You won’t have to worry about forgetting your p... read more.

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!


Join the Conversation

Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.

20 comments

Michelle

I get snack crate, but now I think I may switch to this box! Looks like a better value for the price. Thanks for the great review!

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Thanks for commenting Michelle! It really is a great box! It gives me enough snacks to last quite a while!

Reply ButtonReply

Victoria

This was a hit or miss box for me too! I did not even try the Turkish delight bar with the coconut–I just couldn’t imagine the flavor. The mustard chips were gross. But so much of it was good. I’m another weird one who ended up liking the mastic and it did definitely taste like a pine tree. I guess I can eat a pine tree and like it if I ever get lost in the woods LOL.

My first thought with the clue was Ireland for next month. Between giants and gold, it made me immediately think of it. But going for the gold and Fates definitely could be Greece too. Whatever it will be, it will be fun to learn about. I seriously enjoy getting this box so much every month.

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Thanks so much for commenting Victoria! I wish I liked those mastic treats- I might have to give them another shot! Ireland is a really good guess for the next month! I hope they let us know soon!

Reply ButtonReply

Lily

I have no kids at home to share snacks with, but was thinking of getting this for my own small snacking habits.

I had a question about how they are sure what they put in the boxes are safe and their FAQ section says this about the sourcing: ” Universal Yums purchases our products directly from the companies who make them, so we have full transparency into the ingredients used to make each product and the way they are made. We employ a food safety and compliance team that collects extensive documentation from each supplier to ensure they comply with FDA regulations. If you have specific food safety concerns, please email us at [email protected] and we would be happy to provide you with more information about our food safety practices.”

I think that’s very responsible and great. I’m going to subscribe and try it. Just not sure which size box I should get?

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Lily I strongly suggest getting this box!! It’s so much fun! The Yum Yum box is a great size for us, but sometimes I wish we got the Super Yum box because I feel like I’m missing out on some really tasty treats!

Reply ButtonReply

Gintare

This one of my favorite subscriptions. My daughter goes bananas every time this box is delivered. I think it’s a wonderful way to teach kids geography, different cultures and open their minds to try new flavors. I do wish they would venture out into featuring smaller countries though. Like how about Lithuania, Surname, Iceland?

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Don’t they do a great job?! I love how on point they are with all aspects of this box! My kids are always checking the mail box to see if it’s here! I agree, smaller countries would be awesome! Thanks for commenting Gintare!

Reply ButtonReply

Kate N.

I enjoyed your review….even with the treats you didn’t enjoy, you were able to acknowledge that the experience was worth something! (If we only ever tried the things we were sure we would like, how would we ever try something new???)

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Thank you Kate N! You are so sweet! We are all about trying something new! It’s interesting how different some peoples palates are! And you never know unless you try! 🙂

Reply ButtonReply

Tina Ames

Hi I also get this box I get the bigger box,and this box is always fun and interesting….You are not going to believe what I am about to say,but I actually liked the Toffix Mastic candies wrapped in the blue wrappers….I did not taste pine or birch sap at all,believe it or not they tasted like a radish to me,and I love radishes….I do not know why I tasted radishes and no one else has,I must have a very unique taste pallet,or maybe I am just imagining it lol.

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

I’m going to have to try those Toffix Mastic candies again. I’ll give them one more try! I have to see if I get a taste of radish! Thanks so much for commenting Tina Ames!

Reply ButtonReply

Tina Ames

Your welcome Becca,let me know if you taste radishes or not,maybe I am crazy who knows lol

Mary

Does the bigger box have the same items in a larger quantity or a different assortment of treats?

Reply ButtonReply

Tina Ames

Mary the bigger box has all the items as the small and medium box and it has 6 extra items,and a couple double of some of the items in the box,and you get twice the amount of the candy in the yum bag.

LunaLee

I love your reviews! I believe the next month will be Greece, even though they did Greece already.

Reply ButtonReply

Becca

Thank you so much LunaLee!!! You are so kind! I’m excited to see what they send! My kids can’t wait for more tasting!

Reply ButtonReply

Tina Ames

I also think we are Going to Greece, next month,and they also did Turkey back in 2017

Reply ButtonReply