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 $17.00 per month, the Yum Yum Box for $29.00 per month, or the Super Yum Box for $45.00 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 $29.00 per month.
Author's Note: The cost of this box increased last year, but now has gone back to the original prices!
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
Thanks to Universal Yums, my school now knows me as the "weird snack lady" and I am 100% okay with that! While my family usually dives into this box at home, if we have any leftovers, I'll bring them to school to showcase to my students. This has turned into quite the conversation starter, and I have built relationships with students that I otherwise might not have. Weird snacks and beanbag chairs apparently = awesomeness! Because this box is packed with a perfect mix of sweet and savory snacks, we, meaning my actual kids and I, couldn't wait to dive into this Taiwan box. Was there enough to share with our school friends? Read below to see!
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. This month we received a map of Taiwan packed with fun trivia. The back side hosts the usual Yum Scoreboard and scavenger hunt. Also included in this box is a helpful pamphlet that guides you through a typical day in the Taiwan via trivia, recipes, photography, and activities. Delicious AND educational!
Choco Peanut Mochi - Buy a pack of 2 for $6.40
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Peanut butter is one of our favorite snacks of all time, so we couldn't wait to try these pretty chocolate balls. After first bite we discovered the inside of this treat was filled with pillow-soft glutinous rice and peanut butter! While a little different consistency than I'd normally choose for a dessert, this was actually pretty good and came together nicely for a deliciously sweet treat.
Spicy Beef Noodle Popcorn - Buy a pack of 2 for $5.80
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I love ramen noodles, and beef flavor is my fave. How would that transfer to popcorn, though? I honestly was a little scared! This popcorn was crunchy and had an almost caramel like flavor, except for a large dose of spicy beef noodle seasoning. Was it good? No... it was great!! A little strange at first and hard to wrap my head around, I ended up loving this snack and couldn't stop until it was all gone. Sorry kiddos, this popcorn was weird, but too good to share!
White Pepper Crackers
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Crackers are another staple in our pantry, but we haven't had much experience with pepper flavored ones. These little brown squares have an almost graham cracker sweet taste, with a spicy flavor of white pepper. Unique and crispy, the entire family enjoyed these guys.
Pineapple Cake - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.80
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While the description states this pineapple cake is Taiwan's luckiest dessert, my family sure didn't think so. With a shortbread like consistency in a dry cake form, this wasn't quite as sweet as we would have preferred and just wasn't a win for us. Because it was so small, it wasn't a huge waste, and now we know not to order any from the Yum Shop!
Yogurt Animal Crackers - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.40
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Like I mentioned above, we love crackers, and animal crackers are at the top of our list. This Taiwan version is strangely different, but in a really good way. Crunchy, slightly sweet, and packed with a unique yogurt like flavor, these are really good and perfect for a backpack snack.
Peach Jelly Shot - Buy a pack of 10 for $4.00
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When I read the description for "Yogurt Jelly" I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After squeezing it out on the plate, my husband couldn't even look at it, let alone give it a try. I thought this might be something you would spread on toast, but the consistency wasn't really spreadable. The pamphlet suggests mixing it into bubble tea, using it to top shaved ice, or to slurp it on its own. I had it plain but just couldn't get over the slimy texture. Sorry Taiwan, this snack was rated the worst!
Salty Lemon Pea Crackers - Buy a pack of 2 for $4.80
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As you can see, this box was quite heavy on the savory snacks, and while these pea crackers encompass savory flavors, they have a sweet and citrusy lemon flavor too! These twisty pea crisps are salty, sweet, and zingy all at the same time! While my kids were a little afraid of these guys at first, they quickly decided they were a bit addicting and demolished the entire bag in mere minutes.
Cheesy Potato Fries - Buy a pack of 3 for $5.40
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Upon opening the little bag of these cheesy potato fries, we discovered these literally look like frozen French fries from a grocery store! After overcoming the fact that these are indeed thawed crackers, we discovered that these cheesy fries are crunchy, salty, cheesy, and delicious!
Cherry Blossom Wafer Rolls - Buy a pack of 2 for $4.20
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One of our few sweet treats this month featured cherry blossom flavoring and I'm not sure if I'm here for it. While beautiful, this snack reminded me all too much of the Bath and Body Work's Cherry Blossom soap, and I just didn't enjoy it. Light and cream filled, my kids gave them a try but felt they tasted too much like flowers instead of cookies. Looks like we will have a treat to share at school after all!
Kimchi Soy Crackers - Buy a pack of 4 for $4.80
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I don't have a ton of experience with Taiwanese food, but I love me some kimchi! These sweet and sour flavored wheat crackers were crunchy and delicious. The only problem I had with this treat was that it was so small, we each only received a few crackers.
Jianzi Shuttlecock
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What a fun inclusion! In all of my years of reviewing for Universal Yums, this was the first time we received a non-food item, and the kids were soooo excited! This Jianzi Shuttlecock game is Taiwan's favorite childhood game, and while we are terrible at it, we had a ton of fun giving it a try. My husband even got in on the action! I hope this is a peek into future Universal Yums boxes, because that would be AWESOME!
The Verdict
Universal Yums is one of our favorite subscriptions of all time, and while this box had a couple of treats we didn't particularly care for, overall we loved the savory snacks and the inclusion of the game. While this box was pretty darn tasty, it also created an enjoyable and educational experience for my family (and students!) We already can't wait to see what's in store for June! Where do you think we will be headed next?
Scorecard Picks:
- Favorite: Kimchi Soy Crackers
- Runner-Up: Cheesy Potato Fries
- Worst Yum: Peach Jelly Shot
- Most Unusual: Spicy Beef Noodle 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, as of this review's publication, if you sign up now you can choose to receive the Taiwan or Belgium box.
Value Breakdown: This box is $29.00 per month (including shipping). I received 12 individually wrapped snacks which average out to $2.41 per item.
Which Universal Yums snack would you most like to try?
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