The Explore Local Box is a monthly artisan subscription box that includes locally made items and food from a different city each month. This box stems from the love of travel and is a great way to experience a variety of US cities from the comfort of your own home!
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 This Box
The Subscription Box: Explore Local Box
The Cost: $39.99 a month + free shipping. Save with prepaid 3, 6, or 12-month subscription.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
The Products: Your box will include locally made items and food from that month’s city.
Ships to: US only
Explore Local Box “Miami, Florida” May 2019 Review
The first insert provides a map of the US, with a black dot indicating cities that have been “explored” by this subscription and a black “star” indicating the city that we will explore this month. The back of the card provides some general information and facts about Miami, Florida.
A full sheet print out is included detailing the items contained in the box.
Everglades All Purpose Seasoning Shaker (4 oz) – Retail Value $2.15
This is an awesome inclusion in this box, and something I don’t see often in subscriptions! I always like trying out new spice blends, and this container is enough for several meals. Although the precise spice blend is not included, I can pick up on salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and some spicier ingredients to give it a slight heat (maybe some cayenne?). You can use this before, during, or after cooking – I sprinkled a little on a chicken breast and it was fantastic!
Minute Mixology Cocktail Mixers (3 - Single Serve Packets) – Buy 8 packets for $6.99
This is a fantastic idea, that I wish I would have thought of. These little packets appear to be just like the ones you dump into a bottle of water to flavor it but instead of pouring into water, you follow a simple cocktail recipe for your very own “craft” cocktail with no fuss! I received one each of the Michelada, Spicy Margarita, and the Moscow Mule. In looking at the flavors online, I’m tempted to order a Coconut Mojito, that sounds delish!
Here’s a photo of the mixed Moscow Mule. To make it, I simply added some soda water, vodka, and ice and shook in a cocktail shaker. I am pleased to report it was very good! I look forward to trying the other beverages soon.
Architec Eco-Smart Eco-Marble Serving Spoons – Buy a similar set for $9.99
I always love getting useful items, and these plastic serving spoons are perfect for summer! They are made in the USA at a certified zero-waste facility from recycled food grade plastic and are dishwasher safe! At 13” long, these spoons are perfect to use at your summer gatherings to dish out your favorite salad. They’re fairly flat, so they would also travel easily for your summer picnics and pot lucks.
Floribbean Mango Mango Salsa (12 fl oz) – Retail Value $6.99
"Floribbean" is a term that combines Florida and Caribbean influences and is also a product band hailing from the sunshine state. I tried it right out of the container, and I thought it was a bit spicy for my palette. I'd also say that mango salsa is commonplace in almost every grocery store (at least in my neck of the woods – which is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) so I wasn't super impressed with this selection. I do think that the idea on the bottle of spreading it on bread with goat cheese is a great idea, and would make the heat more tolerable for me.
TS Skin Rose Water & Coconut Milk Bar Soap (4 oz) – Retail Value $5.00
I am a total sucker for rose water scented soap – and this one smells as lovely as it looks. With a two-tone look, this bar soap contains six natural oils that are all known to benefit the skin! It’s made with just rose water, rose buds, coconut milk, coconut oil, shea butter, organic olive oil, jojoba oil, pink mica, and canola oil. My skin was soft and smelled amazing after bathing with this product!
The Verdict: I really like the concept of The Explore Local Box, but I do wish there were a few more standout items. Most of what was sent were easily found online, and some of it didn't feel very "local" to me (for instance, the Architec brand is sold as big-box national retailers). From my calculations, I received an estimated $24.13 in products, which is well below the $39.99 cost of the box. This is the second month that I've received this box, and the second month that I received less than $30.00 worth of products. One note on the value: ordering from all these small companies would likely require shipping fees, so although I’m unable to quantify it I think you need to consider that when assessing the total value of the box. However, I feel that the items should be at least, if not greater than, the cost of the box and I think that more local or small brands should be featured. All of these products were easily found online using their companies’ websites – I would really like to see some really local goodies that were more difficult to source online. That said, I really liked most of the products and was especially excited to learn about the Minute Mixology concept and sample the fantastic TS Skin soap!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, June will be your first box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
Value Breakdown: This box costs $39.99 + free shipping, which means that each of the 5 items in the box has an average cost of $8.00.
Check out all of our The Explore Local Box reviews and more artisan subscription boxes and the best food subscription boxes of 2019!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of The Explore Local Box?
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.