Universal Yums is a snack subscription box that sends out snacks and candies from a different country each month.
This month's box takes us to Greece!
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.)
This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $25 a month.
About Universal Yums
The Subscription Box: Universal Yums
The Cost: $14/month for the Yum Box, $25/month for the Yum Yum Box.
The Products: "The contents of the boxes change each month as we try 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., and Israel
Universal Yums "Greece" January 2018 Review
As soon as you open your box, there's a piece of thick paper that reveals this month's location and has a fun taste testing rating game on the back! You will also receive the monthly booklet that goes into great detail about Greece and the featured snacks!
As you can see, the booklet is very detailed and goes into a bit of history for each snack. You can also learn about why they chose Greece this month and play a fun trivia game!
Let's dig in!
Tsanos Moustokouloura Cookies - Buy a 300 g. box for $9.31 USD
The process to create these delicious cookies is so interesting! According to the monthly booklet, each cookie is made from must just like the start of the wine-making process. You see, before grapes can be turned into wine, they are turned into must. Once the must is ready, it is then turned into these cookies instead of wine, and then spiced with cinnamon. These cookies were very thick and crunchy with a similar taste to a gingerbread cookie. I ate mine with a cup of tea which really brought out the natural spices in each bite.
Serenata Triplo Wafer, 50 g - Estimated Value $1.50
This is unlike any other wafer bar I have ever tasted! You have the thick chocolate layer like a candy bar, following by the crunchy wafer, and then a thick filling of hazelnut cream. This treat was so creamy, so sweet, and so good! The crunch mixed with the hazelnut filling was such a surprise that I ended up gobbling this down in .2 seconds.
Tottis Onion Bread Chips, 2.82 oz. - Retail Value $3.00
In Greece, the crustier the bread the better! To make bread crunchy without burning, it is usually placed in a warm oven overnight while the oven cools which extracts moisture from the bread naturally, ensuring that it will not burn. So this little snack is a smaller version of crusty bread that you would find in Greece. The monthly booklet notes that this snack is often used as a topper to a salad, similar to a crouton. The onion flavors really standout in each bite, yet the oil makes everything rich. I ate these straight out of the bag and then dipped them in hummus for an afternoon treat. This is the type of snack that I truly love!
Sesame Pasteli with Almonds, 1.06 oz. - Estimated Value $2.50
This yummy bar has been produced by the Papayiannis Brothers Company since 1949, but pasteli dates back to ancient Greece. According to the monthly booklet, the Linear B tablets have the words sesame seeds and honey on them, and you can even find writings from Greece historians that lived from 484 - 425 BC speaking about snacks filled with sesame and honey in them. I say this a lot, but I love a little history with my snacking! This treat was a delight, it felt healthy while still have a light sweetness to it. The original snack most likely did not contain almonds, but I think the almonds in this bar added a lovely texture and extra crunch along with the sesame seeds.
Fourel Honey Candy, 4 pieces - Buy a 2-pound bag for $26.97
This candy tasted like a cough drop that you actually want to eat! The outer shell is hard with a super soft honey filled center that was oh so sweet. Have you ever heard the term "nectar of the gods?" Well in ancient Greece, honey was considered just that and believed to give you immortality! I don't know if these candies will help me live forever, but they surely were delicious and super soothing to snack on. I could see this being great to enjoy with a sour throat or when you want something not too sweet.
Croissant with Cocoa & Vanilla, 50 g - Estimated Value $5.00
I love croissants just so much so when I see this snack in a box I get way too excited. According to the monthly booklet, croissants are one of the most common breakfast options in Greece, especially this brand since you can grab and eat on the go. I will take this cocoa and vanilla filled croissant over a bowl of cereal any day! The filling is not overpowering but was almost a light sweet surprise in the center of this flaky croissant. I enjoyed this treat with my morning cup of coffee and let my mind slip away to a warm day in Greece!
Bergamot Jelly Candies, 6 pieces - Estimated Value $1.00
According to the monthly booklet, bergamot is the ingredient that flavors Earl Grey tea, who knew! It is also a big part of Greek cuisine. These candies were unique and had a strong tea flavor to them, which makes sense after reading more about the ingredients. I thought there would be more of a sweetness in each bite, but you really just get the earthy flavors from the bergamot. While these candies were a bit strong for me, I really enjoyed learning about how these little jelly candies came to be!
Olympos Peanut Halva, 2.64 oz. - Retail Value $7.35 USD
I have tried different flavors of halva before, but never one that is flavored with peanuts! Made with sesame seeds and other all-natural ingredients, this snack was so light and fluffy. The texture really reminds me of cotton candy, but with the peanuts in this batch, there was a whole new layer of crunch that I really enjoyed. Each bite just melts in your mouth leaving you with this lovely sweetness that has a richness to it from the sesame seeds.
Serenata Dark Chocolate Wafer, 1.16 oz. - Buy a 40-pc box for $27.84
The brand Tottis, according to the monthly booklet, is still a 100% Greek-owned company and produces some of the most popular wafer snacks in Greece. This lovely bar was so delicious and airy! There are thick layers of wafers that give off a vanilla-like sweetness. We can't forget the first layer though of rich dark chocolate that pairs so nicely with the sweet wafers. The dark chocolate is bitter yet sweet and so yummy!
Parthenon Green Olives with Fennel & Coriander, 1.05 oz. - Buy a 100 g. bag for $2.67
Olives are probably one of my favorite snacks to enjoy so I was very excited to see this little packet. According to the monthly booklet, Greek mythology notes that Zeus offered a city in Greece to either Poseidon or Athena, they just had to give the city a gift that they deemed most useful. Athena struck the ground with her spear, giving the people of the city an olive tree, which was chosen as the most useful gift, and hence the city of Athens was named. Not to mention that olive oil was a big part of ancient Greek history, used as a soap and shampoo and to anoint a king or queen. So it makes sense that this yummy treat would be included in this month's box! The olives were seasoned perfectly with fennel and coriander making them earthy and salty.
Ion Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Orange, and Lemon Pieces, 85 g - Estimated Value $3.00
This chocolate bar was so fresh, it reminded me of a warm summer day. There are real chunks of lemon and orange inside that make each bite so tart and sweet. The rich chocolate is super thick and creamy with a delightful sweetness that pairs so well with the fresh fruit flavors. The almonds are an added bonus, creating a wonderful crunch. While I thought this chocolate bar was a bit too tart for my liking, I shared it with my Mom who could not get enough of the natural fruit flavors!
Tottis Oregano Chips, 52 g - Estimated Value $2.50
I love oregano and the bold flavor that it can bring to any dish. Add the spice to some potato chips and you have me sold, I could not put this bag down! Back in 1829, the first Prime Minister of Greece wanted farmers to plant potato crops to help keep people fed and to grow their export business. No one thought that was a good though until the Prime Minister decided to have armed guards stand at a ship carrying potatoes. Everyone thought they were valuable goods and started stealing the potatoes, which then encourage farmers to start planting potato crops. How smart! If you remember from earlier, Tottis is still a 100% Greek-owned business, so I was very excited to read this story while snacking on this bold bag of chips!
Bliss Cocoa Toffee - Estimated Value $0.50
This snack had a big bold flavor to it! The cocoa really stood out, with only light hints of a toffee flavor. The treat was rich and creamy, but the flavors were almost too bitter for my taste buds. I decided to pass these along to my brother who loves cocoa! According to the monthly booklet, in the 1700s a Swedish botanist gave the cocoa tree the name "food of the gods."
Derby Chocolate Bar, 2 bars - Buy 3 bars for $9.18
I seem to always get the bars of chocolate that look so incredibly yummy, and then I read that they are filled with coconut. I have tried so hard to love coconut, but I can't seem to get past the flavor and texture. This bar really had a bold coconut taste to it. According to the monthly booklet, Derby bars a classic in Greece and I can see why! First, you have a layer of chocolate, followed by a sprinkle of crisped rice, and then a creamy coconut filling. Since I received two of these sweet candy bars, I was able to share with my Mom who is a big coconut and chocolate fan.
The Verdict: I took ancient Greek history courses in college which filled me with a deep passion for Greece. I always wanted to travel there but haven't had the chance yet. So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw that this month's Universal Yums was Greek-themed! The snacks were so unique, with bold flavors that were sweet, salty, and so fresh. For me, the best part of Universal Yums is the monthly booklet. There is so much detail and care that goes into providing a rich history to each snack, making this much more than a snack box. Not to mention there are so many snacks each month that makes this the perfect box to share with friends or enjoy as a family while you learn about each month's featured location.
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the February box, which will ship on 2/15.
Value Breakdown: This box is $25.00 a month (including shipping). I received a whopping 14 snacks this month which averages out to $1.79 per item.
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