Paleo By Maileo is a snack and food box for those who follow the Paleo diet. The Paleo diet, in a nutshell, is high in fat, fruits, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, refined sugars, and dairy. Of course, it's more complex than that, so I recommend doing your own research if you're interested in trying the Paleo diet.
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.)
About Paleo By Maileo
The Subscription Box: Paleo By Maileo
The Cost: $39.00 per box + free shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first month-to-month box!
CODE: SNACKATTACK
The Products: 5-8 Paleo snacks and food items each month.
Ships to: US and APO for free, Canada for $5
Paleo By Maileo December 2017 Review
Same as always, this card offers a great introduction to the Paleo By Maileo box. Whether subscribers have signed up for this box due to dietary restrictions or simple preferences, it's wonderfully reassuring to have written confirmation that their needs are being met. For me, I don't follow a strict Paleo diet, but I did try it for a spell, and I do still work Paleo recipes into my rotation regularly.
Note: Part of the reason the Paleo diet didn't work for me was because of how meat-heavy it is. I do eat and enjoy meat—preferably local and/or grass-fed, which is consistent with the Paleo guidelines—but I'm a real veggie-lover, so it feels more natural and satisfying for me for plants to make up a larger part of my diet. For the sake of a range of opinions and a fair review, I asked my husband, Guy, to join me in trying all the food items in this box again. In particular, he was able to provide a more experienced opinion surrounding some of the meat products.
Curt's Classic Nut Clusters, 3.5oz. — Retail Value $6.99
This first snack seems right up my alley—superfoods in ball form are kind of my thing lately. I thank healthy food bloggers for this—they just love to ball up the goods! I don't tend to have issues with controlling portion sizes, but I think this is a great method for folks who do. Having a firm number of balls you can eat in one serving, like 3 in this case, is an easy rule to follow. When I opened the resealable bag, a raisin-y smell wafted out. When I bit in, I was surprised to find I didn't like what I tasted. I referred to the ingredients list to determine what might not be agreeing with my taste buds, but among the raisins, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, and sea salt there's nothing I don't like in there! Weird!
Epic Beef Apple Uncured Bacon Bar, 1.5oz. — Retail Value $2.89
I've received an Epic bar in a previous Paleo by Maileo box, but in a different flavor, and remember really liking it. Compared to classic beef jerky, it was a little less greasy and maybe a hint drier (but not in a bad way). It was highly seasoned, so ultimately it didn’t taste hugely dissimilar to other types of jerky...well, other than it tasted mostly like bacon. I mean, that's the dream, right?
Larabar Mango Spinach Cashew Fruits + Greens Bar, 1.24 oz. — (Buy a 4 count for $4.50)
Hi, we're a Larabar family. There are always Larabars stocked in my work snack corner, and I definitely load up on them every time my funds get refreshed. My general opinion is that they're so insanely chewy and flavorful that I have to eat them little by little, but Guy tends to gobble them.
We've never tried the fruits and greens variation before, and it's a little weird but good! If we weren't spinach fans or OK with slightly funky hippie food, I'm not sure we'd like the flavor here, but seeing as we align with both of these distinctions, this bar will be gobbled 'n' gone in 3, 2, 1...
RXBAR Gingerbread Protein Bar, 1.83 oz. — Retail Value $2.49
I've seen these RXBARs at Trader Joe's before but never taken the leap to check out what they're all about. I love that the ingredients are listed out clearly on the front of the package, so there are no hidden surprises. Guy has tried other flavors of this bar before—he often brings them on hikes or mountain bike rides because he likes the way their density means a small bite = an efficiently fuel-packed experience.
I'm into it! I love the gingerbread flavor—it's not one you find every day, so it's a nice change of pace. As with many bars of this nature, I could never see myself eating the whole thing in one sitting; it's just way too rich and dense. But, as with Guy's findings, I believe it would make an awesome trail snack.
Hunter Gatherer Foods Spicy Chili Pili Nuts, 1.85 oz. — Retail Value $5.99
Well, I've never heard of a pili nut before, but I am now an official fan! Looks like they're from the Philippines, so maybe they're a little-known nut in the US. They reminded me of macadamia nuts in both consistency and flavor, just with a different shape that's somewhat akin to shaved almonds. According to the packaging here, Pili nuts have the highest oil content and lowest carbs of any nut.
They do have an oily, almost buttery situation going on, and with the faint spicy chili flavoring (I'm serious...it's super faint), they make an exciting afternoon snack. Like, way more exciting than the raw almonds I usually keep on hand. The above photo shows all the nuts that came in the bag, and while it's just a large handful (1 serving), I do wish it were resealable. Guy eats an insane amount of nuts, often pairing almonds or cashews with an apple for an on-the-go lunch. His reaction involved less pondering to ask, "What is this exotic treasure?" and more eating and nodding.
Vital Proteins Bone Broth Collagen, 0.35 oz. — Retail Value $2.99
Oh man, here we go. Anyone who read my November Paleo by Maileo review might be familiar with my skepticism of collagen. And, by skepticism, I mean that I'm sure it's awesome for you, but I just can't wrap my head around the concept of it being appetizing in any way. This bone broth collagen supplement is like the energy drink powder you pour into a water bottle, but...not.
See how it's both flakey and crystal-y at once? Such a unique consistency!
The directions on this supplement's package say to combine the contents with 8 ounces of liquid and mix thoroughly. I didn't think it was unreasonable to pour it into a mason jar, fill it with cold water, and shake, shake, shake. What happened was...beer? Just kidding, it became frothy and changed the color of the water, but there was still a ton of sediment at the bottom that hadn't combined. We left it in the fridge for a few hours and it sort of dissolved, but not fully. I simply could not bear to try this concoction, but Guy's feedback was that it smells like chicken broth and tastes like water. Even he, who will eat or drink almost anything, wasn't too convinced that he wanted to partake in this situation (mainly because it wouldn't mix in), but ultimately he was interested in the health gains he'd receive from the protein, so he went for it. His final word: "It's not salty. I would be interested in doing a blind taste test because knowing what it is is really influencing the experience. I don't care for the smell."
Wild Zora Taco Pork Meat & Veggie Bar, 1.1 oz. — Retail Value $2.99
Here's another snack with which I'm familiar, thanks to a previous Paleo by Maileo box. Like last time, I love the concept of a jerky that has veggies mixed in, and this one includes cilantro, lime, and jalepeno. More like seasonings, but there are some of my absolute favorite seasonings, so I ain't mad. And, awesomely, this jerky tastes exactly like tacos, so, boom, success on Wild Zora's part! I like that this jerky is easy to bite into and that you don't have to pull at it with your molars clenched tight just to take a bite. Even the faint of teeth can enjoy this pork bar! Two thumbs up from Guy.
Wilde Chocolate Coconut Nectar Crunch Bar, 1 oz. — Retail Value $3.99
Ah, a chocolate bar! My true love, and my forever favorite part of food boxes! We totally adore dark chocolate, so the super dark, naturally sweetened bars we've received in each Paleo By Maileo box have been welcome and cherished.
This bar is, of course, no exception. The ingredients are raw organic cacao, organic coconut sugar, raw organic coconut butter, Himalayan sea salt, and raw organic vanilla. All my favorite things! There's also a faint crunch to it...I'm not sure what from, but it adds a really nice texture to the experience. Major yum.
Verdict: Paleo By Maileo continues to be one of my favorite subscription boxes to receive each month. It's such a treat to explore a snack box knowing that every single item will be unique, healthy, and delicious—and, sometimes, a totally new, palate-expanding experience. I love the way this box alleviates me from having to hunt down my own Paleo snacks; it can be hard to know where to start and risky to spend money on something I'm not certain I'll like. This way, I can explore all sorts of flavors and brands, and purchase my favorite ones directly from the Paleo By Maileo site. While this box isn't cheap to begin with, I'd be willing to pay even a few more bucks to receive a few more snacks each month...they have a way of vanishing before my very eyes!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the January box. From Paleo by Maleo:
All orders placed between the 1st and the 20th of the current month will ship out on the 1st of the following month. For example: Orders made between January 1-20 will ship out on February 1st.
Orders placed between the 21st and the end of the month will ship out the month after the upcoming month. For example: Orders made between January 21-31 will ship out on March 1st.
Coupon – Use code SNACKATTACK to save $5 off your first month-to-month box!
Value Breakdown: This box cost me $39 + free shipping, which means that each of the 8 items in the box has an average cost of $4.88.
Check out all of our Paleo By Maileo reviews and visit the Food Subscription Box Directory to learn about more healthy snack subscription boxes!
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What did you think of the food items in this month's Paleo By Maileo box?
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