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 $19.00 per month, the Yum Yum Box for $33.00 per month, or the Super Yum Box for $51.00 per month. (You also have the option to save by purchasing a 3,6-, or 12-month plan.)
This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $33.00 per month.
Author's Note: This particular box did go up in price in recent months.
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
School is on the horizon folks, so the demeanor in our household has been that of panic, excitement, and sadness. Because I have already gone back to school, the kids have discovered they aren't ready for the 6:00 a.m. wake up call, and that we need to start going to bed much, much earlier. With a bit of crankiness in the air, I was very thankful to see the upbeat blue and white Universal Yums box on my doorstep this month to help soothe our back-to-school sorrows. Sifting through this month's South Korean snacks, see what we thought of this month's treats below.
What's Inside The Box
1 of 7
Every month we receive a fun, illustrated map that shows where our Yums are coming from. This month, our brightly colored map depicts South Korea 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. Also included is a sticker that features fun clip art from the box, along with a space to write in your name, announcing to the world that you traveled to South Korea via snacks. Fun!
Marshmallow Choco Pie - Buy a pack of 15 for $15.60
1 of 4
Chewy, sweet, and soft, this marshmallow choco pie had a little twist I was not expecting. Flavored with black sugar and tea, there was definitely a bit of an earthy flavor. Because I’m not huge on tea, or flavored foods for that matter, I didn’t care for this treat, and neither did the boys. While it wasn't absolutely terrible, it definitely didn't make the top it into our top 5 snacks, and the remains were donated to my husband's lunch pail.
Spicy Chicken Flavored Corn Puffs - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.70
1 of 3
Spicy chicken is one of my favorite foods ever, and these sweet and spicy corn puffs are absolutely fantastic. Not only are they a mess-free snack, but they make me want to eat this flavored chicken for dinner. Both kids loved these corn puffs, and they were the first snack to disappear in the box! You can bet these are in our Yum shop cart that seems to keep getting fuller and fuller.
Mascarpone-Filled Shortbread Cookies - Buy a pack of 2 for $6.20
1 of 3
What a delicious treat. Packed in a beautiful red box, we received individually wrapped delicate cookies that were not only pretty, but addictive! Light and crispy, these little cookies are packed with a subtle cream filling that takes this shortbread to the next level. And lucky for me, even though these little cookies are so thin and dainty, not a single one was cracked or broken! Sooo good, I'm wondering just how big of a box of these guys I can order.
Sweet & Sour Grape Flavored Chews - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.40
1 of 3
Similar to a Now or Later or grape Laffy Taffy, these sweet and sour grape flavored chews are tart and chewy. Because these are individually wrapped, they are a perfect snack for your purse when you need just a little something to wake you up or get you through your day.
Shrimp Chips - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.60
1 of 3
I’m not a fan of seafood, so these shrimp chips just weren’t for me. After one whiff of opening the bag, I was greeted with a fishy aroma, and that put a damper on my tastebuds. Airy and light, they were quite salty and had a little bit of a fish flavor, but not quite as pronounced as I thought it would be with the initial scent. The boys said they were okay, but they also didn't argue over who gets to pack them in their lunch, which is kind of a tell-tale sign that they didn't like them either.
Peach Flavored Gummies - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.40
1 of 3
How cute is this pink resealable bag of gummies?! With a little pink peach on the front, the kids of course went gaga over these little heart-shaped treats. Peachy in flavor and fun in shape and color, these would be the perfect Valentine treat, especially because the little bag contains more than one serving. What did you think of these fruit snacks?
Cookies & Cream Flavored Pepero - Buy a pack of 2 for $6.00
1 of 3
Interestingly enough, the kids and I have tried a variety of these Pepero sticks and while the kids generally don't love white cookie flavored items, these were a huge hit. The salted stick was very mild in flavor (think La Choy crunchy noodles), so the white cookie flavoring was the perfect addition for a sweet and tiny bit salty snack. The balance was perfect, and they look fancy as well. Definitely a win for us!
Bulgogi Flavored Noodle Snack - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.40
1 of 4
Having two little guys in school, last year we were out sick more than our fair share, so ramen noodles became a "sickness staple". Easy to eat and soothing, the chicken flavor quickly became Charlie's favorite, and got him through multiple bouts of the stomach flu and Covid. While we had tried a few different flavors, we have never experienced bulgogi flavor, and I can tell you that we are all here for it! Being even more delicious than the chicken flavored packet, we followed the instructions on this package and smashed the noodles to bits, added the flavoring, and ate raw. What a great snack and talk about salty and fantastic! Another awesome inclusion!
Cinnamon Sugar Churros - Buy a pack of 2 for $7.60
1 of 3
Who can resist a churro? Not me! Dark, crispy, and full of cinnamon and sugar sweetness, these pretty little "Churroz" are addictive and tasty. Thankful for the large amount they packed into this air-protected bag, the kids really liked these, especially paired with a big glass of milk. Likening them to Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, this treat was another win for us.
Chocolatey Snack Cake - Buy a pack of of 12 for $18.00
1 of 3
After our first chocolate cake experience, the boys were a little apprehensive to give this chocolatey snack cake a try. Drizzled in even more chocolate, I read nothing about tea flavoring, so I talked them into trying it, and they gobbled it right up. Decadently sweet, this crumbly little cake was the perfect little afternoon snack, though could have been taken to the next level with a little microwaving and vanilla ice cream. Yummmmmy!
The Verdict
Last month our box took us to a country we hadn't been to for many years, which was a really exciting experience for the boys and me. But this month was very familiar. Having been to South Korea via snacks only a little over a year ago, we were a bit worried we were going to find many duplicates from our last trip. While we did find a couple of duplicates (with updated packaging of course), they were all the ones that we loved last time, so it was actually a win for us. As always, Universal Yums did a fantastic job at curating a box with an excellent mix of sweet and salty snacks. With the weather cooling, I was excited to see some chocolate, and am excited for that trend to continue. Along with discovering the yummy snacks, we also learned facts about South Korea, and had a fun-filled experience, distracting us from the fact that next week we will embark on the 2022-2023 school year. Eekkk! Any guesses where we will be headed next month?
Scorecard Picks:
- Favorite: Spicy Chicken Flavored Corn Puffs
- Runner-Up: Mascarpone-Filled Shortbread Cookies
- Worst Yum: Shrimp Chips
- Most Unusual: Bulgogi Flavored Noodle Snack
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 you can choose to receive the South Korea, South America, or India box.
Value Breakdown: This box is $33.00 per month (including shipping). I received 10 individually wrapped snacks which average out to $3.33 per item.
Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try?
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.