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 box had a price raise 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
Christmas is my favorite holiday and I am one of those people that decorates for Christmas the day after Halloween. With six decorated Christmas trees in my home, lights and glitter make me happy, and the second my decor is up, my mood is instantly brighter. Coinciding with the excitement I hold for this magical holiday, I shriek in delight when the special red Universal Yums box hits my doorstep. Veering from the typical blue box, this particular box includes treats from various countries, and has an extra festive red look. I couldn't wait to see what this year's holiday box held inside. Read below to see what we discovered.
What's Inside the Box
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Every month we receive a fun, illustrated map that shows where our Yums are coming from. Because the contents of this holiday box come from various countries, we received a "Happy Holidays" note featuring a variety of celebrations. The backside hosts the usual Yum Scoreboard and scavenger hunt. Also included in this box is a helpful pamphlet that guides you through a variety of holiday traditions via trivia, recipes, photography, and activities. Delicious AND educational!
Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn - Buy a pack of 2 for $3.80
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Popcorn is a definite staple in our household, being the ultimate movie night treat, but this salted egg yolk version that comes from Taiwan was just a little bit too odd for my liking. Tasting very much like an actual egg yolk, this crunchy popcorn is salty and eggy. The boys thought this treat was decent, but weren't ready to trade it in for their Act II Extra Butter popcorn. What did you think of this flavor combo?
Spicy Mustard Flavored Chips
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Mustard is one of may favorite condiments, so I was thrilled to try these spicy mustard potato chips from the Czech Republic. Crunchy and oily, these chips have a magnificent spicy mustard flavor, and paired great with a ham sandwich. The kids were split on these chips with Hank enjoying them and Charlie spitting them out. What did you think of this flavor?
Strawberry Trifle Flavored Bonbons - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.70
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I love a trifle, and these British bonbons incorporate the flavors of the traditional dessert perfectly. Chewy, with a wonderful balance of sweet and sour, these little niblets are packed with a delicious strawberry flavor. The boys and I agreed, these were the best in the box!
Popcorn Flavored Truffles - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.40
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Going back to the first snack we received, the kids were really excited to give these French popcorn flavored truffles a try. Because they included chocolate rather than egg yolk flavoring, these were much more appeasing to me, and I ended up loving them. Salty, crunchy, and sweet, these dark chocolate truffles had a creamy chocolate flavoring with the perfect amount of saltiness. Dusted in cocoa powder, these little truffles are quite fancy looking and would be lovely on any cookie or candy platter.
Apple Pie Cookies
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Our family is obsessed with apple pie. My mom has passed down her recipe and I have made more apple pies than I could even begin to count with my grandma's "Sweet Sixteen" apples. When Charlie read the "Grandma's Apple Pie" label, he couldn't wait to dig into these little Netherland cookies, and was quite impressed with the cute treats packed inside. With frosted and unfrosted bites, these tasted more like a graham cracker than apple pie, but were delicious!
Mini Raspberry Linzer Cake - Buy a pack of 3 for $4.50
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Based on a 500-year-old recipe, this Swiss treat is made from an ancient recipe. With a raspberry filling, this nutty cookie is soft and chewy with a cinnamon flavoring. Shaped liked a mini biscuit, this cake was quite tasty, but a little small to share with a family of four.
Nutty Yogurt Flavored Nougat Bar
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I have to say I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I opened up this Greek nutty yogurt flavored nougat bar, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was very interesting to find out that in Greece, Christmas caroling involves visiting neighbors' homes to sing songs and spread well-wishes, while receiving small change and treats like this bar. We found this treat to be nutty and creamy, with a sweet taste. Different from the type of Nougat I'm used to from the USA, this was a welcomed changed and we enjoyed this treat.
Cava Flavored Potato Chips - Buy a single pack for $6.10
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So I love wine, especially sparkling versions, but paired with potato chips, I am NOT into it! A very odd combination, I was intrigued by this idea but the flavor was terrible. The chips without the flavoring would have been fine - as they tasted like a typical Lay's original chip, but the sparkling wine flavor truly tasted like champagne, and I just did not like that combo. Hank and Charlie gave these a try and spit them right out, where I was mostly in shock how much like wine these tasted, just not in a good way. Please share what you thought of these chips in the comments!
Julmust & Butterscotch Gummies - Buy a single pack for $7.00
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Gummies are a staple in the Peterson household, and these skull shaped guys were adorable! Made in Sweden, these Julmust and Butterscotch flavored gummies are based on the a unique soft drink that became popular in the 1920s when there was talk of a possible country-wide alcohol ban. We all enjoyed the pink and white flavored gummies, and found them sweet and chewy, but the brown butterscotch versions were left in the bag for dad's lunch pail snacks. Guess we're just not big fans of gummy butterscotch.
Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Bites - Buy a single pack for $4.60
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The last item in this month's box was a very pretty one. Made in Germany, these beautiful chocolate squares feature three layers of cookie, jelly, and persipan. Let me tell you - this is a lot of flavor happening in one small bite, and I'm just not sure my tastebuds were ready for it. The kids were definitely not fans of these bites, but my husband surprisingly liked them. What did you think of these morsels?
The Verdict
Like I mentioned above, Christmas is my favorite holiday, and Universal Yums makes a fantastic gift. Besides having a subscription myself, I have gifted this box to school teachers, my dad, and my nieces and nephews. This particular curation had some very interesting flavor combinations, but overall was well received by my family. Pairing the deliciousness of this box with the educational experience, this box is a fun-filled experience, and we can't wait to see what's in store for January 2023! Where do you think we will be headed first?
Scorecard Picks:
- Favorite: Strawberry Trifle Flavored Bonbons
- Runner-Up: Popcorn Flavored Truffles
- Worst Yum: Cava Flavored Potato Chips
- Most Unusual: Salted Egg Yolk Popcorn
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 Holiday Everywhere, Spain, South Korea, South America, India, or Italy box.
Value Breakdown: This box is $33.00 per month (including shipping). I received 10 individually wrapped snacks which average out to $3.30 per item.
Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try?
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