Universal Yums is a snack subscription box that sends out snacks and candies from a different country each month. The contents of the boxes change each month as they highlight the best snacks from each featured country, but you can always expect a mix of flavors: salty, sweet, spicy, fruity, and more. Only authentic snacks from the featured country are included in this box. Choose from the Yum Box for $16.00 per month, the Yum Yum Box for $27.00 per month, or the Super Yum Box for $41.00 per month.
This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $27.00 per month.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
Parlez-vous français? I don't know much except for this phrase, and the French chorus to Aladdin's "A Whole New World" (all thanks to a 1990s song download, whoopsie!) Anyways, this month we had the pleasure of taking a trip to France via Universal Yums. Not only did we discover that a Frenchman named Emile Cohl created the world's first cartoon, and that the Eiffel Tower has over seven million visitors each year, but we also learned that the suburbs of Paris are home to over 100 wild wallabies! Adding to this month's excitement, we were sent 10 tasty treats to try out - read what we thought about them below.
What's Inside The Box
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Every month we receive a fun, illustrated map that shows where our Yums are coming from. This month, our brightly colored map depicts France with a variety of trivia. The backside hosts the usual Yum Scoreboard and scavenger hunt. Also included in this box is a lovely pamphlet that guides you through each country via trivia, recipes, photography, and activities, along with a cool sticker. Not only is this box tasty, but it's educational as well!
French Strawberry Chews - Buy a pack of 3 for $7.10
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Anything with strawberry and candy in the title tends to be fought over in our house, and it definitely rang true for these little bonbons. Juicy and sweet, these little strawberry snacks were extremely chewy (like, be careful if you have crowns chewy) and totally delish. Reminding my youngest of a wad of bubblegum, I found these to be more along the lines of a "Now or Later" as they lasted seemingly forever! Fun and tasty, these were definitely a hit and a great way to start out the box!
French Cheese Tubes - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.40
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Did you know France has 246 varieties of cheese? This was news to me, but as a cheese lover, I'm now seriously considering adding a trip to France on my bucket list. These French Cheese Tubes are similar in texture and flavor to a Bugle, but without the fun "witch finger" properties. Airy and light, this bag didn't last long, and while we enjoyed the cheese flavor, we all agreed we wished it was a little bit more pronounced, maybe with the addition of garlic or pepper?
Pure Butter Sables - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.30
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I love a traditional cookie, and this little butter shortbread was a perfect treat. Light, crisp, and buttery, my kids thought these were a little plain and boring, but I loved them. With the pretty crimped edges and the embossed date, I found these cookies to be elegant and dainty looking, like they should be paired with a fancy teacup and cloth napkin. Tea party anyone?
Garlic Aioli Potato Chips - Buy a pack of 2 for $6.30
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Garlic is one of my go-to spices while cooking, and while I absolutely love the flavor it gives to (let's be honest) everything, it somehow seeps out of my pores the second I've taken a bite. These magical, crunchy, garlicky beasts are potent, and I've got the breath to prove it! While these were extremely tasty and flavorful, they packed a punch so strong that my husband knew I had eaten garlic that day when he came home from work 8 hours later, after a shower and brushing my teeth. Whoops. I have to say, though, it was totally worth it!
Salted Butter Caramels
Onto something a bit more decadent, we received four salted butter caramels. As a bit of a caramel connoisseur, I have tried my fair share of caramels, and this version hit all the high notes for me. Chewy, sweet, a little salty, no grit, and just plain melt in your mouth, I loved it. The kids too were fans and were hoping to see more in the Yum Shop to melt and dip apple slices into. Maybe in the future they will show up? Or maybe we just need to order another entire Universal Yums box? What do you think?
Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Truffle Bar - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.60
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Another treat that felt quite elegant were these pretty little truffles dipped in cocoa powder. If you don't love dark chocolate, these probably aren't for you. My kids found them way too bitter and passed them off to me, which I happily accepted. Deep, rich, and fudgy, these truffles were addicting and chewy - paired perfectly with a big glass of milk and a hot soak in the tub! Now that's a way to end a long day!
Assorted French Fruit Chews
More strawberry candy for the win! Similar in texture and flavor to a Starburst, these fruit chews are just a tad bigger in size but packed with a sweet and tasty punch. While we only received the strawberry and orange version, the pamphlet reads they also come in raspberry and blueberry, which would have been interesting to try. Again, because it's pink and sweet and candy, my boys loved them, as did I. More please?
Apricot & Vanilla Macaron Cookies - Buy a single pack for $5.90
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Honestly, with such a big package, my hopes were set high for these apricot and vanilla cookies. That soon faded after opening. Pictured as perfect in the pamphlet and online, the actual product looked burnt, crushed, and kind of unappetizing. With a crisp and airy flavor, they didn't have a strong apricot taste, but just didn't appease any of us. Dad lunch pail stash? I think so.
Onion Confit & Balsamic Vinegar Potato Chips - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.20
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I didn't think any chip could be more flavorful than those garlic aioli ones, but this onion confit and balsamic vinegar version gave them a run for their money! Ridged and crispy, these had a fantastically savory aroma and flavor, making my tastebuds want more. Had we had a bit of Top the Tater on hand, I think I would have been in heaven, but even without they were tremendous. My kids love, love, love onion and they too were impressed with the bold favor of these chips, adding them to their Yum Shop wish list.
47% Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt - Buy a pack of 2 for $6.50
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Our last yum was a very large dark chocolate bar. While I tend to prefer milk chocolate, I am an equal opportunity chocolate taster, and found this dark chocolate and sea salt crystals to be a perfect combo. Honestly, there is nothing more satisfying than finding a treat that is sweet and salty, curbing both of those cravings in one bite, and this did it. My kids found the chocolate to be too bitter for their liking, and I have to admit, I was a little excited about that because it meant more for mama! Paired with a fire roasted marshmallow and set of graham crackers, I think you could have yourself a fair winning dessert!
The Verdict
I have to say, Universal Yums pretty much hit it out of the park this month with our tour de France! Not only did we find this curation to be a fantastic mix of sweet and savory snacks, but we honestly loved almost everything. After last month's disappointment, we were happy to see more fruity flavors and salty surprises. Paired with the pamphlet, playlist, and snacking, our family had a wonderful date afternoon and this experience has quickly become one of our favorite monthly activities. Where do you think we will be headed in March? Any guesses?
Scorecard Picks:
- Favorite: Onion Confit & Balsamic Vinegar Potato Chips
- Runner-up: Salted Butter Caramels
- Worst Yum: Apricot & Vanilla Macaron Cookies
- Most Unusual: Garlic Aioli Potato Chips
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, sign up now and choose to start with either France, Everywhere, Scandinavia, or Poland box.
Value Breakdown: This box is $27.00 per month (including shipping). I received 16 individually wrapped snacks which average out to $1.68 per item.
Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try?
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