Universal Yums is a snack subscription box that sends out sacks and candies from a different country each month. Choose from the Yum Box for $14 a month, the Yum Yum Box for $25 a month, or the Super Yum Box for $39 a month. This month’s box takes us to Germany!
This review is of the Yum Yum box, which is $25 a month.
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 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 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 "Germany" January 2019 Review
This is my first box from Universal Yums. I visited Germany when I was in college and have fond memories of the food there, so I was excited to see if anything in this box looked familiar!
When you open the box and pull off the flag that tops the snacks, flip it over and you'll see there's a grid you can use to rank your favorite and least favorite snacks. If you upload your ballot on social media tagging @universalyums, you'll have a chance at winning a free box of goodies!
This detailed guide book includes info (including an ingredient list in English) on each of the items. There are also facts about some tourist attractions, trivia, a recipe, and more.
Ready to dive in?
Lorenz Curly Classic Peanut Butter Puffs
Believe it or not, the first snack I explored is one I've had before, but not in Germany; rather, as part of a snack subscription box here in the US! While it's a bit of an unexpected combo—peanut butter on a classic corn puff—there are no surprises as far as flavor goes. They truly do just taste peanut butter-y and crunchy...a nice savory snack.
Shokomonk Poppy Seed White Chocolate Bar & Hedgehog Slice Chocolate Bar
Who likes a little crunch in their chocolate? That's just what these two bars offer. Both are flavors I've never tried! I wasn't sure what to expect from the poppy seed bar and was pleased to find the poppies didn't add any unusual flavor, just that satisfying crunch amid the white chocolate. "Hedgehog," I learned from the booklet, refers to a German dessert that layers biscuits and chocolate. So, that bar gave a bit of a different crunch, more of a cookie-ish one. Both were so good!
Zitrone Waffeln Wafer Cookies
Oh my gosh, I got such a nostalgic feeling seeing these! Who else stole a wafer from the grocery store as a kid? These are a bit of an upgrade with their lemon flavor. They're really deliciously sweet and flavorful! My husband prefers the old school flavors over these, but I myself can't stop eating them.
XOX Swiebels Onion Flavored Corn Rings
This snack is a lot like Funyuns for any onion-lovers out there. They're light and very salty, and I found them to be just OK. There wasn't anything unusual about them, and they just left my fingers all covered in onion-flavored flakes.
Hazelnut Sun Rice Snack
January's box treated us to not one but two of these yummy snacks! They're sort of like a toned-down version of a chocolate-covered Rice Krispies treat, with a crunchy and slightly sticky puffed center and milk chocolate on top. Pretty straightforward!
Konditor Marzipan Stollen Fruit Cake with Raisins
This looks like your classic insanely-delicious-but-truly indulgent snack cake that you'd get at a gas station. But snazzed up with marzipan! When it comes to baked goods, I'm more into the freshly baked stuff, but I gave this a bite and it was the dense, sweet dessert one would hope for it to be!
XOX Schinken & Kase Knuffels Ham and Cheese Corn Snack
More puffs! These ones are ham and cheese flavored, and, of course, turn your fingers orange in that satisfying (if you're in the mood) way that snacks like this do. I couldn't quite detect the ham flavor in these, but I had fun knowing it was meant to be in there as a nod to the classic German go-to food!
Himbeer Creme Schokolade Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Cream
How could you possibly go wrong with this amazing treat? I love dark chocolate, and while I'm not always one to reach for fruity fillings, the creamy raspberry center of this bar is insanely good. I don't know what else to say. Just, yum!
Gewurz Mandeln Chocolate-Coated Almonds
This is a snack I've indulged in versions of many a time and always told myself it was a health food. Because, almonds! This variety has a mocha-ish taste to it with a light cinnamon coating. They're pretty hard not to eat all in one sitting! Supposedly this snack is sold fresh in paper cones at the German Christmas markets...oh my gosh, I would not be able to control myself!
Each month, Universal Yums includes a "yum bag" filled with a few types of individually wrapped candies.
This month's includes Mr. Blubber Lucky "Gluck" Coins and Bohme Sour Fruit Toffees. The Lucky Coins are similar to Smarties in a way, with sherbet-inspired flavors. The sour fruit chewy candies are similar to Starbursts. I like that they're all white instead of artificially colored.
The Verdict: Well, yum! Universal Yums totally kept me interested as I explored German snacks both familiar and new to me. I enjoyed the mix of sweet and savory options, as well as the range of "classier" snacks to junk food.
If I were to fill out the scorecard from above, here's what I would choose:
- Best Yum: Zitrone Waffeln Wafer Cookies
- Runner-Up: Himbeer Creme Schokolade Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Cream
- Worst Yum: XOX Swiebels Onion Flavored Corn Rings
- Most Unusual: Shokomonk Poppy Seed White Chocolate Bar
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the February box, which ships 2/15.
Value Breakdown: This box is $25.00 a month (including shipping). I received 11 varieties of snacks, which averages out to $2.27 per item.
Check out all of our Universal Yums reviews and find similar boxes in the Snack Subscription Box Directory!
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