Universal Yums June 2016 Subscription Box Review – USA

This month, Universal Yums is Born in the USA!  Universal Yums is a monthly international snack subscription box.  Every month you’ll take a trip to a new country and munch on brand new snacks.  Yum Yum! There are two sizes of box, the Yum ($13) and the Yum Yum ($25).  This is the Yum Yum box, and it’s a really solid subscription that shines each and every month.

This month we are treated to some great USA made products .  The box always has a tissue paper flag inside and it’s a cool touch that sets the stage for you culinary exploration of culture.

This month’s introductory note tells us we are taking a whirlwind trip around the USA for snacks from all the different regions. We are getting snacks from: Alaska, Washington, Montana, California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, New York, Vermont, and New Jersey.

There is an in-depth description and background on all the items in the box.

It has a handy ingredient/potential allergen breakdown on it, and lots of details on the snacks.

The descriptions are lots of fun and definitely worth a read.  We even got a fun bonus item this month.

There are a lot of goodies in this box. I was really excited as I was pulling everything out and looking at it all.

Grippos Bar-B-Q Potato Chips:  This is a bonus item this month from the founders with a great note that Grippos was started about a block away from where they came up with the idea for Universal Yums in Cincinnati.  They are a regional chip and really flavorful.

Route 11 Chesapeake Crab Chips: Organic potato chips with crab seasoning from Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.  Interesting in that you can take a tour of the factory if you are in the area and watch as they take potatoes and turn them into these great chips in about 12 minutes.  My boys would think that is great so I need to look into this.

GH Cretors Chicago Mix Popcorn: The Cretors family invented the popcorn machine in 1885 and his great-grandaughter still owns the company. This is an interesting mix of caramel and chedder and is a Chicago favorite.  I’m not sure I’ve ever mixed these flavors and while they sound a little odd it was pretty good and something I could see doing again.

Prickly Pear Cactus Candy: These come from Arizona and are made from the prickly pear cactus.

Alaskan Teriyaki Salmon Jerky: I just can’t do this one.  I don’t mind jerky but just reading it and I can’t even think of putting it in my mouth.  I do however have a brother who loves these kinds of things and I’m going to pass it along to him.

Abba Zabba Peanut Butter Taffy: A chewy vanilla taffy with a creamy peanut butter center from California.  I’m not a huge peanut butter fan in that I don’t want it all the time and I never want a sandwhich but I do love just a touch of peanut butter and this hit the spot.  It was the perfect size to get a hint of that flavor without being over the top.

Dee Dee’s Gourmet Jalapeno Cheese Straws: Yay! These are from my home town of Charlotte, NC and are some spicy cheese straws. These are also going to my brother as he will love the spiciness of them.

Lammes Habanero Pecan Praline: Another spicy item this time from Texas.  They have the perfect balance of heat and sweetness with enough kick to make you remember them.

Aplets & Cotlets:  These are like a Turkish Delights with Apples and Apricots and to this day are made by hand in Washington.

Key Lime Coconut Patties: I’m not a fan of coconut but it is my mother-in-law favorite thing so she will be excited to get this one.  It is a fun twist on the key lime pie made with real shredded coconut and shipped from outside Orlando.  Actually while looking at the ingredients coconut is the first one listed so there is a lot of it in there.

Joey’s Black & White Cookie: This is a yummy cookie straight from NYC with a really rich chocolate frosted side to go with the creamy vanilla side all on a lemony cookie.  It was delicious.

Vermont Maple Drops: I had no clue that it took so much sap to make a gallon of syrup but it takes about 43 gallons of sap for just a gallon of syrup so if you are wanting to keep the maple taste for longer these are great and straight from Vermont.

Montana Wild Huckleberry Twists: I put these in my bag and will enjoy them as I’m out and about. I love hard candies and yummy huckleberries.

Fralinger’s Salt Water Taffy: I love Salt Water Taffy and it instantly takes me to the beach and walking around and seeing the taffy being pulled.  Fralinger’s is the original taffy right out of Atlantic City.

Can you guess which country is featured next? Sounds like Taiwan!

We are really enjoying our Universal Yums this month. There is such a variety and so many items that I’m happy to share them with some of my family that I know will love certain items.  I love all the information in the booklet and the little notes about the items and why they were picked. It is so much fun to read while I’m devouring all the yummy goodness.

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