Universal Yums Review: This Snack Subscription Takes Your Taste Buds Around the World
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
We traveled all the way to Belgium for this Universal Yums review (well, our taste buds did!), and we're so impressed with the sweet and savory selections from the subscription service.
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It’s been five years since my first trip abroad. Although I traveled to Europe for two weeks as part of journalism schooling, for me, the overseas stint was just as much a lesson in culinary greatness.
I can tell you with pinpoint accuracy my favorite meals and snacks from the foreign foray: the prickly pear juice from La Boqueria in Barcelona and the pesto gnocchi from a hole-in-the-wall Roman eatery. And readily claiming the third spot was the loaded waffle I enjoyed on the streets of Brussels.
The short of it: Trying international delicacies is fun. It’s just as much a part of the experience as sightseeing or conversing with locals. And I’ll never forget those mind-blowing, mouth-watering memories I made as a first-timer abroad.
Because of this, I was so excited to learn about Universal Yums, a subscription service for foodies that brings tried-and-true international treats straight to you. And I was even more excited when I found out the Universal Yums review box I’d be receiving was from the homeland of my beloved liege waffle: Belgium.
What is Universal Yums?
Universal Yums is an ultra-giftable subscription service that takes its customers globetrotting by way of their taste buds. Each monthly box is dedicated to a country (some past examples include Brazil, India, Italy and Thailand). And the package is crammed with not only snacks but also interactive, kid-friendly educational materials about the country in question.
VIA MERCHANT
We Tried It
Universal Yums Snack Box
Universal Yums is an affordable global snack box brimming with memorable flavors and activities for the family.
Universal Yums Features
Universal Yums boxes are available in three sizes that grant you between 5 and 18 snacks and varying amounts of educational materials. You can choose to pay for the subscription boxes month to month or purchase a whole year’s worth in advance. (The latter option earns you a slightly lower price point per box.)
There isn’t the option to customize—all snackers receive munchies (and games and trivia) from the same country each month. But isn’t that surprise element half the fun? So, in April 2023, when I performed my Universal Yums review, the snack box was brimming with novel noms from Belgium.
In terms of the literature, each box and size option includes something different. But, generally, there is an illustrated map, a pamphlet with fun facts and instructions for simple equipment-free games, a worksheet for tasting notes and stickers. The pamphlet also contains nutrition facts, allergy labels and background info on each of the included snacks.
And as an online-only bonus, there’s the Yum Shop. On this webpage, you’ll find items from each of the previous foodie boxes sold separately and the current month’s box available as a one-off purchase.
How We Tested It
I received the Yum Yum Belgium Box with 10 snacks. Once it arrived, I got straight to snacking! The subscription box was stuffed to the top with treats—I didn’t feel skimped at all. And the munchies were packaged in mostly individual-size bags or boxes. The literature was laid over top.
Snacks
The breakdown of my goodies, which included seven sweet and three savory, is as follows:
- Creme Brulee Bonbons (2 servings)
- Cranberry Rye Cake (1 serving)
- Violet Gummies (1 serving)
- Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar (2 servings)
- Speculoos Cookies (4 servings)
- Melon Hard Candies (7 servings)
- Buttercream Truffles (5 servings)
- Ham & Gouda Biscuits (1 serving)
- Andalouse Sauce Potato Chips (1 serving)
- Cheddar Biscuits (1 serving)
I sampled all the snacks one by one and took a sip of water between each so I could clear my palate and get the full force of flavors. It was interesting to follow along with the information provided in the pamphlet. Before I dug into each giftable goodie, I made sure to read up on its history and background.
Activities
As prompted by the provided scoreboard, I ranked all the snacks from favorite to least favorite, starting with 1 and ending with 10. My favorite? The Andalouse Sauce Potato Chips. But I also loved the Melon Hard Candies (this one shocked me!) and the Cheddar Biscuits.
I was fascinated to learn from the pamphlet that Gicopa, the company that produces the hard candies as well as the Violet Gummies, started as a family business in 1895 and still only has 10 employees. It’s tidbits such as this one that make Universal Yums so worthwhile!
I also got a kick out of learning about traditional Belgian festivals and celebrations, reading about the different regions of the small northwestern European nation and guessing the answers to the multiple-choice trivia questions.
There was so much more to do and explore, though, like a playlist of Belgian music, a game called koekhappen, a crossword puzzle and a meatball recipe.
The best part, perhaps, was sampling the box’s munchies alongside my boyfriend, a serial snacker. I enjoyed hearing his takes on some of the more out-there items, and I knew, just like me, he’d love the potato chips. In my opinion, that’s what Universal Yums is all about: Sharing food with your neighbors—the ones next door and the ones on the other side of the world.
Pros
- High-quality and authentic
- Affordable for a subscription box, especially the Yum Box, which starts at $16
- Fun interactivity makes for experiential snacking
- Option to buy previous snacks or one-off boxes through the Yum Shop
- Free shipping within the U.S.
Cons
- Few servings per snack (some only included 1 serving)
- Some of the games and activities had unclear instructions
- No customization
- Can’t repurchase past boxes
FAQ
How much is Universal Yums per month?
If you pay monthly, each Yum Box, Yum Yum Box and Super Yum Box costs $18, $29 and $45, respectively. If you pay ahead for one year, those prices drop to $16, $26 and $41, respectively. Moreover, if you buy a box through the Yum Shop, the prices jump to $19, $33 and $51, respectively.
Is Universal Yums easy to cancel?
Universal Yums makes cancellation straightforward. The process is one step and entails simply logging into your account, navigating to the subscription tab and clicking the “Cancel Subscription” button. If you’ve paid for a subscription box but have yet to receive it at the time of cancellation, the box will still be sent to you.
Note: There’s also the option to buy the current box on the Yum Shop. This option requires no after-the-fact cancellation as your credit card is not continually charged like it is on a subscription plan.
How long does it take to get Universal Yums?
In my experience, I received the box in just a few days. I ordered the box on a Wednesday and received it by Friday.
After you check out, the ship date of the first box will be displayed on the screen. After the first box, Universal Yums guarantees that each of the subsequent boxes will be sent by the 15th of the month.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
Between the ASMR sounds that come from crunching on snacks, the novelty of the snacks themselves and the kid- and adult-friendly nature of the box, Universal Yums is a very popular TikTok product. Tons of Universal Yums reviews are on the app featuring fare from all corners of the globe.
TikTok user Hannah Judith sampled snacks from South Korea and had so much fun doing it (even if the Shrimp Chips weren’t her scene). She said, “I feel like this would all be really fun to do with kids,” and described the experience as a “super cool way to learn about different cultures.”
@hannahjudithmakes Snacks from around the world! This was a fun experience #universalyums #yumfam #southkorea #snackbox #unboxing ♬ Lo-Fi analog beat – Gloveity
Product Comparison
What sets Universal Yums apart from most other snack subscription services is its international content. That being said, there are a few other global snack boxes on the market, including SnackCrate and MunchPak.
Although SnackCrate is at a slightly lower price point than Universal Yums and has sweet- and savory-specific box options, it mostly includes treats from internationally recognizable brands, such as Lay’s, Kit Kat and Oreo, albeit in regional flavors.
The offerings of Universal Yums, on the other hand, come from smaller companies with an alluring obscurity and local feel. SnackCrate also seems not to include trivia and fun facts in its treat boxes.
Same goes for MunchPak. Although it has more pre-pay options and appears more cost-effective than Universal Yums, MunchPak excludes any educational materials. Additionally, the offerings of MunchPak are comparable to those of SnackCrate in terms of brand recognition.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any comparable boxes, though. Try The World offers a similarly niche assortment of goodies, along with the option to choose which country to try. Bokksu is another option, though they focus primarily on Japanese snacks.
Final Verdict
Unpacking this box made me want to pack my bags and head back to Belgium. The snacks were so authentic—every one of them was made within the country’s borders, excluding the chips, and this fact was very prominently noted. And the novelty is unparalleled. Short of hopping on a plane, where or how else would I try Andalouse Sauce Potato Chips or Violet Gummies?
I would strongly recommend these boxes for those with kids—or any lifelong students—because I perceive Universal Yums as more of a learning experience than a legitimate source of snacks. That’s not to say the boxes aren’t worthwhile; you’ll just want to pick up your go-to chips, crackers and cookies on your weekly grocery run, too.
The interactive games and quizzes will keep kids entertained for hours, and the taste tests serve as an outside-the-box bonding activity for friends, couples and families alike. Snackers of any age will most definitely look forward to the next month’s delivery. I’m sold after this Universal Yums review experience—and also feeling some wanderlust. Coincidence? I think not.
Where to Buy Universal Yums
Feeling peckish after reading this Universal Yums review? Subscribe to the global snack box, starting at $15, on the Universal Yums website. Jet-setters, you’ll get a taste for the international—and maybe even some inspiration for your next trip.
TMB STUDIO
We Tried It
Universal Yums Snack Box
Each Universal Yums delivery introduces the recipient to another part of the world via obscure products straight from the source.
Originally Published: May 15, 2023
