Friday, May 31, 2013

Awesome Japanese Candy! Part 1- Kracie Popin Cookin Curry Rice Set

I love Japanese candy, mostly because I find it so different than the American variety.  Some are weird, some tasty, and some a little of both. I had an urge to order a bunch, so I did from this store. The store is owned by a Japanese youtube channel called Marimo Marshmallow, that specializes in candy videos. You can also purchase all the candy you see in their videos in their shop. Most things in the shop are around three dollars, which was cheaper than most of the sites I found, and I like supporting channels I enjoy.  

This candy series will be a seven part series that I do throughout the next week or two. I didn't think of starting it until I got my package, and thought some people would be curious about them.  Some of the candy I got is really weird, this is one of the weirder ones, since it actually is supposed to taste like curry, yeah, weird.  Stay tuned for more in this series! (drinking game: take a drink everytime I say something is "weird" lol)
Doesn't this look appetizing! (answer: no)
 Many of these candy sets have lots of powders and plastic things to mix the powder in!
Mixin' the rice. It kinda smelled like onions which kinda scared me. Rice isn't supposed to smell like onions. But I continued the mixing fighting the urge to run away.  But the scent grew on me. 
 More Mixing! This is the powder for the croquettes. This smelled like onions too, but was a little different.  I was used to the odor by now. 
 I am so creative with the shapes I turned the croquettes into aren't I. Yep just a triangle and a circle.  Can't you see the screen bursting because of an overflow of creativity? I know I can. 
 You were instructed to crush these little bead-like things and then coat the croquettes with the powder. I think this was supposed to add texture.  
 The croquettes all coated up.
 The infamous curry that actually tastes like curry. Not indian curry like most people would think, but Japanese. So this curry doesn't have much spice. You might be able to see that there are little vegetables in the liquid. Yes this was one of the packets.  The curry didn't smell bad though, so I wasn't dreading eating it. 
Doesn't this look tasty?

The Taste Test
Croquettes- These didn't have much flavor, but they weren't bad. I would describe them as onion play-dough. Poppin Cookin is known for having "interesting" textures. I can't decide if I like them or not though!

The rice- This also had a weird texture. Not like rice, but again, it wasn't bad.  Like onion fluff or something.  

Curry- I actually liked the taste of this!  It had a nice zing, per say, to it. I would like curry that actually tasted like this in large quantities!

All together- The curry flavor dominated everything when you had them all together, so I guess it was good.

Overall, this kit was really fun to make, especially with a group of friends (which I did). I would say that the prep is more fun than the eating, maybe, but neither part is bad. It tasted OK, and I wasn't expecting much, so I guess it exceeded my expectations.  

 Stay tuned for more awesome Japanese candy coming soon!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

May Jungle Stand Review

I am starting to really like The Jungle Stand.  It is a tasting "BAR" that offers a unique tasting experience. Each BAR is priced at $9.92 a month, and I think that price is fair since I have never felt ripped off by them. This is my second box and although I didn't like it as much as last month, it was still fun. This box is really great for having fun with family and/or friends (party hard!).

This month had a game show theme. All the contents in the box were brownie crisps, and they all had a secret flavor to them. You were instructed to pencil in the correct flavor after eating each one.  And let me tell you, a second grader could probably get these right, it was super obvious even by only smelling them.


Toffee Crunch Crisp- My favorite crisp in the box! I am a huge fan of toffee, and you could definitely taste, and see, the little chunks of it in the brownie. Tasty, I wanted more.

Chocolate Chip Crisp- This one was pretty good. Chocolate chips go well with more chocolate, but wasn't too spectacular.

Mint Crisp- Meh, I don't like mint that much, but I'm sure someone would love this if they loved the combo.

Cinnamon Cappuccino Crisp- Probably my second favorite. I usually drink coffee black, so it was a bit to sweet for me. But it was still enjoyable.

Orange Crisp- This may be tied with the toffee for me. I remember getting chocolate oranges all the time at holidays, and I always loved the combo of chocolate and orange ever since. Some people don't dig the combo, and I don't see how they don't.

Chipotle Crisp- Holy moly, this was terrible. If body odor had a taste, it would taste like this. Seriously, it was that bad. 

I wasn't too impressed with this box because there wasn't much variety, but it was pretty good. I think I'll stick around for more.

Verdict: I'll stick around. 

Monday, May 27, 2013

May Loot Crate Review

Loot crate is a really popular geek/gamer subscription box.  This box has gained a considerable following over the year (almost) it has been out.  Part of the reason for that, I believe, that this box is very unique.  Although there is another box that in the same category of it called booty bin. I predict more to come like Loot Crate.

Well, anyways, this box costs $19.37 a month including shipping. They ship on the 20th of each month, and their boxes usually ship pretty fast to me (priority mail I think).  Each month, one subscriber will win a "Mega Crate," which is filled with over $250 worth of value! I really hope someday I will get a mega-crate to review.  I won't count on it though, since they have way more subscribers, and the number keeps growing, along with my chances *sigh*.This months box was an equipment themed crate aptly titled "equip."  This category is very broad, so I didn't know what to expect.

But some of the items can be too nerdy for me. I don't get a lot of the references they make, nor was I a fan of the stuff they give me.  I am also running out of space to put all the stuff. And most of my friends wouldn't like it. 

Use code EQUIP until the end of May 2013, to get three dollars off your first box!

Don't Panic Towel ($6.50)- I already have a gym towel, so I don't know when this will come in handy. I don't know someone to give it away to either.

1 Year Digital Subscription to Pure Nintendo ($10)- I have never actually heard of Pure Nintendo. I wish it was print, but digital isn't bad.

Ninja Cord Wrap ($2.00)- I wasn't sure how to wrap my headphones around this because it kept falling out. It is supposed to have "amazing grip" according to the card, apparently not. And then I lost if shortly after trying to wrap headphones around it. Sad. 

Super Mario Coin Candies ($4.00)- This was probably my favorite thing in the box. Because I can just display it, and who doesn't like mario?

DC Batman Figure ($4.25)- This is what I was talking about before where some things are too nerdy. I have noo idea what I will ever do with this honestly.
Inanimate Stickers ($1)- These are kinda fun. You are supposed to stick them on to inanimate objects to make them animated! Now I just have to think what to use them on.

8 Bit Bow Tie ($5)- I am pretty sure I will never use this. First of all, I usually don't go with bow ties. Even if I did, I would try to keep it class. This actually isn't unclassy because it isn't obvious at first glance. But not really my style. 

Papercraft Iron Man ($1)- I am too lazy to cut this out now, and I wish it was perforated so I could rip it easy. It'll probably look super messed up after I do this craft. 
Up close.

The total value of this box was $33.75. This is a great value, but I am just kinda getting bored of this box, and I am on the verge of cancelling. My subscription renews in July, so I guess we'll see then. 

Verdict: On the fence. 

Friday, May 24, 2013

May Goodies Co. Review

Goodies Co. is a pretty awesome snacky subscription box owned by Walmart. The reason for its excellence and success, in my opinion, is how cheap it is. Every box comes at the very reasonable price of $7 including shipping!  This is a box that comes a bit later in the month, around the 20th.  Goodies hasn't been around for too long, but they already feel like a veteran box, probably since they have marketing geniuses working for them.  You get points for providing feedback about the product that you can use to buy full-size products in their shop.

There are some little downsides to goodies. You have to wait 2-4 weeks to be able to subscribe.  You first sign up for an invite, then play the waiting game.  And the only other negative I can think of is that the website slows down all mobile devices A LOT. Like my text doesn't show up until five seconds after I've typed it. But that isn't something I would unsubscribe for by any means. 
 Full Size in a $7 box: awesome.
Bronco Bobs Cranberry Chipotle Sauce ($1.50)- I love anything involving spice usually, and this was no exception.  Well actually, I didn't love love it, but it was pleasant.  It tastes great on crackers.  

Beanitos Nacho Cheese ($1.00)- I usually don't like anything related to beans, but these were pretty good. The bean flavor was subtle enough for me to enjoy this.  I'm just not sure how I feel about the flavor. I liked the flavor of the ones I got in a healthy surprise before.  

Zico Coconut Water ($4.34)- I love coconut water so much! I find it just the perfect refreshment. I was ecstatic when I found this in the box.  
Free Wholly Guacamole Product up to $6.50 ($3.00)- I am only counting this for three dollars because these products were on sale when I used this coupon for three dollars, so that is what I got out of  this coupons.  But this brand is pretty good, for store bought guacamole. I like that they offer single serving snack packs.

Sour Power Straws in Strawberry ($1.00)- I loved these! These had a huge nostalgia factor for me, because I loved sour punch straws as a kid. I also liked that these actually tasted like strawberry, not artificial. 

Sour Power Straws with a bunch of flavors ($1.00)- Mmmm... So good, same as above, tasted actually like fruit!

(2) California EVOO packets ($1.20)- I really don't know how to judge olive oil properly, since I don't notice flavor differences when I change olive oil brands. So I can't give a proper review of these. I can tell you that they will be used though. 

(Not Pictured) Moroccan Mint Numi Tea ($0.36)- This was hiding in the bottom of the box, so I didn't get it pictured.  Anyways, I just gave away a gift box of a bunch of  my teas including this one. The person was happy, so that's good I guess.

The total value of this box is $14.35. This is a great value considering it is double what I payed! I don't know why one wouldn't subscribe.

Verdict: Goodies Co. is a great box, even for people with a strict-ish budget. 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

May Bulu Box Review- Feel Good Discovery

Bulu Box, is a supplement and health subscription box.  It contains 4-5 premium samples of supplements, vitamins, and other workout shtuffs.  I honestly do not know how Bulu Box got its name, but it sounds cool at least.  This box costs $10 a box, and you can save money by purchasing longer subscriptions like annual ones.

The customer service for this company is super awesome. If anything, even minor, is wrong with your box, they will send you a bunch of goodies for free! They also include a handwritten note. I can't find a coupon for this box at the moment, but I am sure there will be one soon, as there usually is.

If Bulu Box sounds like the box for you, please consider using my referral link here


I might start making up themes for all my monthly boxes that don't have themes.  I'm naming this month "The stuff that tastes good."


 This box felt a little empty this time, but bigger doesn't always mean better right?
Fit 'n Crisp by Promax Vanilla Marshmallow flavor ($1.63)- This tasted like an ultra-healthy version of a rice krispie treat.  It was lighter, in a good way, but a little dry.  I liked that you could actually taste the vanilla in it. 

Two Neocell Beauty Burst Chews ($0.53)- First of all, I want to say that these tasted delicious! Like candy almost.  They are supposed to have many collagen types and improve your skin and hair quality. I couldn't tell, but maybe they did something.

Artisana Blue Algae Superfood Nut Butter ($1.75)- I got this in another box, and it is pretty good. Not like peanut butter, but similar.  Personally, I like to put it on rolls.

Fitmixer Amino ($1.50?)- This also tasted delicious! Way more pleasant than Eboost. And it has a lot of muscle stuffs, so I might actually buy more!

AllerDx ($1.46)- I am currently having terrible allergies! So these will come in handy when they get a little unbearable.

The total value of this box was about $6.83.  Ouch, this is a pretty crummy value. I'll contact the customer support and see what they say. UPDATE: They just basically said that they don't but a money amount to their boxes and the point of the box is to try stuff to see if you like it.  I don't think this is a good excuse, but I'll stick around. 

Verdict- Value=blerg Products=cool!

Monday, May 20, 2013

May Yumvelope Review

Yumvelope is a food subscription with a really awesome name, one of the best in my opinion, just so clever! It costs $21 a month for a month to month subscription, but you can sign up for a six month subscription for $126 which includes some special bonus still kind of unclear to me.  They also donate a meal with every envelope sold, and that is always awesome. It is never a bad thing when anyone does that.

I have really liked my past Yumvelopes because they always send super awesome products that you don't see very much anywhere else!  Every month, usually contains one big ticket/full size item and a bunch of smaller ones in a box.

 Every month is shipped in a Priority Mail Envelope. 
Cristoforo Organic Sprouted Spelt Sourdough Crackers ($3.75)- These are a little plain, but then again, crackers aren't usually the most flavor packed things in the world.  I am sure they would taste a lot better with some sort of spread on top. It would've been awesome if Yumvelope sent something to go with it.  Maybe I'll try it with the chipotle jam I got in this month's Goodies.co (review coming soon).

Cristoforo Hazelnut Biscotti ($2.31)- Meh, this OK biscottii.  The best biscotti came in a Yumvelope, February I think? But all biscotti tastes good with my morning chai, tasty.


Cristoforo Almond Biscotti ($2.25)- Same as above

Lush Nuts Coconut Lavender ($4.50- These are interesting. I can't taste the lavender much, which may be a good thing.  It is just kind of a weird flavor combo. But I'm not the biggest fan of almonds.  

Urban Raccoons Gluten Free Granola Bar in Cranberry Maple Almond ($2.00)- This was a bit dry, but had an interesting texture altogether. There were granules of these perfect spheres that I couldn't identify. Some of it was a little bland, but the parts with cranberries were yummy.

Halfpops in Sea Salt & Butter ($1.49)- These were interesting. I always pick at the half-popped kernels at the bottom of the popcorn bag. This is essentially a bag full of them! At first I hated it, then I just couldn't stop eating them!  Weird, but good. 

The total value of this box is about $16.30. Meh, this is a pretty low value for Yumvelope  But they do donate, and these products you wouldn't usually find in stores (except the halfpops).  Well it is still a bit under par in my book.
Verdict: This box was a bit under par, but I still like the subscription. 


May Fancy Box Review (Original)

The Fancy Box is one of the many subscriptions owned by the Fancy right now.  But this is the original subscription, and it works a little different than all the other ones.  First of all, it is a universal box in the sense that essentially anyone can subscribe. This is because when you first subscribe, they give you a list of categories to check off.  You can check off as many categories as you please, some include: men's, kids, home, gadgets, and media.  Then there is an option to add any special notes. And then you have your own customized subscription

If anyone is wondering, for this box, I choose Men's, Gadgets, and Home for my categories. 

Like all fancy boxes, this costs $39 a month plus shipping.  I am not sure if the coupon 20OFF16 is working, so someone please tell me in the comments!

 This box came in a darker green than usual.
F@#K the Time Watch ($95)- Holy moly, this watch was like double the cost of the box! That always makes me happy. As for the watch, it is OK. I think it is kind of ironic to say eff the time on a watch, but that is probably the humor in it. It isn't to explicit because you can't really read it from far away which is nice.

Milo Micro-Suction Smartphone Stand ($18)- This seems like a pretty high quality stand.  I haven't bought one of these yet, so that is awesome! I think this would be perfect when cooking while reading off a recipe!

Mizu Fancy Water Bottle ($18)- I was relieved when I read that this was dishwasher safe, because I HATE washing bottles by hand. This also seems really high quality. It sure will get a lot of use, since I am in need of water bottles since mine are constantly breaking.

Selection Decanting Pourer ($13)- This little gadget aerates your wine. I gave this to my father and he loves it! So I am happy this didn't go to waste.

The total value of this box is about $144! Holy value gods! This is one of the highest values I've ever received in a box. And most of the items will be used. When I choose the men's category, I was scared of getting just pocket squares and ultra-bright socks and stuff. This stuff is perfect and I can see how it would fit into all the three categories I choose!  And it seems that I received a completely different box from everyone else this month, even the people that choose the same categories. So when I opened the box, I was pleasantly surprised to see a bunch of things I'd never seen before! 

Verdict: Awesome box! All fancy subscriptions are seemingly getting more awesome. 

Friday, May 17, 2013

A Very Sad May Dumplingbox Review

*Sigh* This is the last dumplingbox that I will receive. I was quite surprised when I found out that they will no longer have this subscription because business was going really well for the owner. The most likely case is that she got too overwhelmed with all her subscribers and didn't want this box business to take up her whole life. But you can still buy this month's box on their website.

Anyways, I really like this box. It is a box of Asian snacks that just started four months ago.  It cost(ed) ten dollars per box including shipping.
 I really like the dumplinbox logo
Golden Fuji Vegetable Flavor Cracker (Hong Kong)- These had a really subtle flavor. I didn't think they tasted like vegetables, something more like pizza sauce.  The texture of these crackers were nice also.

Mimilo Lemon Cream Wafer- This was my favorite thing in the box. Inside this package were two white wafer cookie things that had some sort of lemon cream filling. Really refreshing in a sense. I usually find lemon candy too sweet to be lemony, but this had the perfect amount of sweetness.

Orion Choco Pie (Vietnam)- There is an American variant of this, but I forgot the name. Side note  I thought Lotte (a Korean brand) made these. The labels look the same. Anyways, I used to have these all the time! Some people would say they are like a chocolate marshmallow burger, but I would say they are like s'mores in cookie form. s
Milkita (Indonesia)- These were kinda like a hard candy version of laffy taffy. Not bad, but not amazing.

Kasugai Maccha Ame (Japan)- This was tasty. I would describe it as a green tea flavored hard candy. I do have one weird complaint, it lasted way too long! Like, I had to spit it out because I got tired of the flavor. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Almond Candy (China)- Whoa, this had a super strong almond flavor. I wasn't a huge fan, but someone who loves almonds might be.

Some snack thing without a label and doesn't look like a sesame cracker- Apparently I received this instead of a sesame cracker, or this is a sesame cracker (don't think so).  But it was way too hard for me to eat without breaking a teeth so into the chute it went. 

Flower Kiss Candy (Japan)- This had a great flavor. I was a bit wary at first, because I thought it would taste like flowers. It turned out that it tasted like fruit. It was also kinda creamy. And it didn't last too long, just as much time as I wanted it to.  Overall, pretty awesome.

I really liked this box, and this subscription overall. I am just super sad it got cancelled. I am even more saddened by the fact that there aren't any other Asian snack boxes yet.  Someone start one now! 

Verdict: Sad-face :(

Thursday, May 16, 2013

April/May Runnerbox Review

Runnerbox is a pretty new subscription box geared towards runners and other athletes.  I love to run, and I try to run at least fifteen miles per week, so I thought this box would be awesome for me to at least try. I saw reviews of it, and all of them were positive so I caved in and bought this bi-monthly subscription.

This is what they say about themselves:

"RunnerBox is a subscription based box for runners, triathletes and other active people. It is a mini shoebox filled with running products, mailed to your front door. It has everything from energy products, gels, chews, protein shakes/supplements, nutrition bars, skincare, and other accessories! Some products will be brand new (but personally tested) on the market, and some will be tried and true favorites. With so many products coming out on the market, leave the trials and testing to us, we’ll search out the best and send them to you!"


This company actually offers many different options for your subscription. For a monthly "compact" subscription, it costs ten dollars plus shipping (about four dollars).  Then you can get the normal bi-monthly one for twenty dollars and shipping (the one I have). One can also purchase a one-time gift box and even a one-time gluten free box. But the choices don't stop there.  They also offer a Tribox! This is a box especially for triathletes.  This also has an array of options to go with. Anyways, this is the normal bi-monthly runnerbox, and I thought it was pretty awesome!
Like many subscription boxes, this one was PACKED.  
 It wouldn't be a fitness box without an inspirational quote!
Skin Strong Slik and Slather ($5.05)- I was also supposed to get a sample of their slik dust, but I just received two slathers, but whatever. This is supposed to be used to prevent blisters and chafing during physical activity. I get blisters all the time, so this will definitely help!

Injinji Lightweight Performance Socks ($12)- Toe socks were always a weird concept to me.  But when I put these on, after a while, I forgot they were even on! They felt like nothing. These might come in handy for running then. 
CLIF Shot Bloks Energy Chews ($2)- These are pretty awesome. There are six little 33 calorie blogs of energy shtuffs that are super easy to break apart. This allows for full customization when deciding when, and how long you want your energy.

#9 Chocolate Agave Slo-Burn Energy ($1.75)- I was surprised how good this tastes. Not only, that but it gave me long-lasting energy without a complete crash. As a bonus, it is dairy free and sweetened with only agave so you won't get cancer.

Info Card with all the items and descriptions. 
1 serving Energy Bits ($3.45)- These are interesting, because they aren't pills, but they are tablets of something called spirulina. You are supposed to have about thirty at once, but swallow one at a time.  I wonder if these will work... On their website, they also offer skinny bits, vitality bits, and recover bits! All the bits.

Huma Chia Energy Gel ($2.25)- Chia seeds are everywhere now! I am starting to become a fan of them. It might be a placebo, but I generally feel better and more energetic after I have some of these. Plus this sounds tasty. 

Cytomax ($0.88)- This was one of my favorite things in the box. It re-hydrated me way better than, lets call it Flavorade, and it is healthier. Not too expensive either.
Win Detergent- I'm not going to count this in the value since it says free sample and it doesn't give a weight in Oz. Anyways, sometimes clothes that I had a lot of phisical work done in them, still have a hint of bad odor after washes. This will hopefully solve that problem.

Accel Recover Bar ($2)- Weight gain/recovery bars are always a plus in any box for me. I just hope it doesn't taste too healthy. 

Reflective Laces ($5??)- This doesn't have a brand on it, so I don't know what the value is for certain. But now I won't get hit by a car during night runs. I don't know why I didn't already have these on hand.

The total value of this box is about $34.48. Talk about good value! I am especially surprised because this box is fairly new. The best part is that I will use every single item in here! This may be one of my favorites now.

Verdict: Runnerbox must-have for runners. 

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

May Fancy Food Box Review + $20 Off Coupon

Everyone jump for joy! Subscription box season (the 10th to the end of the month) is starting.  And my season started with one of my favorite boxes of all time, the Fancy Food box. This is one of the many subscriptions that The Fancy offers. Some other Fancy boxes include: the Jennifer Love Hewitt  Coca Rocha, and Ashton Kutcher A+ Box.  So far, the food one is definitely my favorite, probably because I love food so much (but you probably couldn't tell). 

All fancy subscriptions cost $39 a month plus shipping. The food box doesn't ship internationally  but the other ones do, not sure about the Tyler Florence one because that could have food in it.  Use code 20OFF16 to get $20 off any box!
'
 All fancy boxes come in a cubical 10x10x10 box
Sir Kensington Chipotle Mayonnaise ($10)- This is tasty! I am a huge fan of pretty much anything spicy, so this appealed to me a great deal.  It is a great way to add zing to anything normal mayonnaise would taste good on!

Dave's Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce ($9)- I usually find butternut squash too sweet to go with a main course, but this had the perfect amount of sweetness. It not only had squash, but it also had some garlic and marinara flavor also.

(2) Chocolate Mexicano Discs ($9)- I really liked the texture of these. It almost tasted granual-y, but in a good way.  The quality also was great. If you're wondering, they came in a vanilla flavor, and a salted almond flavor.

Field Trip Teriyaki Beef Jerky ($6)- Am I the only one who gets super excited when they see beef jerky in a subscription box? No, OK? Only me? Whatever.  Well, I wish these had a bit more zing, but the quality was awesome, like most items in this box.
(2) 479 popcorn in Black Truffle White Cheddar (big bag) and Salted Caramel (little one) ($5.41)- These are delicious! I have to say that the truffle is better than the carmel in my opinion.  The caramel tasted pretty ordinary, while the truffle tasted truly unique. 

Apron Cooking Guide ($25)- This is actually pretty neat. On the bottom of the apron, there are upside-down instructions like weight conversions and cooking times, so you can read them while you cook! I will actually use this because I often end up looking up conversions online while cooking. This will make the job much easier.

The total value of this box is about $64.41. This is a pretty great value, especially if you used the coupon. Plus, most of these things aren't readily available in stores. This is truly one of my favorite boxes now!

Verdict: This box is fricken amazing!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Spring Cleaning Cravebox Review

Cravebox works a little differently from other subscriptions because it isn't a subscriptions.  They typically offer about three different themed boxes a month, and you decide if you want them as they come out. If you would like to buy one, you have to fill out a short survey basically asking you about the products that will be in the box. With my experience  the surveys give a pretty good idea on what is going to be in the box. Then about a week later, they tell you if you made it or not. But I can tell you that I have never been rejected from getting a box.  Then they ship the box shortly after the e-mail and then KABAM, you got a Cravebox.

This box was Spring Cleaning themed, and it was $13 including shipping. I am pretty sure everyone was expecting Cravebox to do this for spring since they usually have a cleaning or "spruce up" box for most seasons.  The last spruce up box wasn't up to par, and a lot of people got mad because of that. Due to that reason, I was a little wary at first for buying this box. But then I thought "What the heck, anyone needs some cleaning," and proceeded to fill out the survey. This box shipped super fast, it was in Colorado for like a day, and they next thing I knew it was at my post office! I got this box last Thursday, I have just been super busy with finals, but now they are over! Hooray!

Cravebox has an interesting referral system that I still don't fully understand.  You put someone's username in the about me tab on your profile where it says Referred By. Then for example, if you put my username, I would get a certain chance of getting free boxes.

My username is jarednoetzel for anyone that would like to put me in their referrals.
 This box was quite a bit smaller than the "normal" Craveboxes, but there wasn't any confetti this time. 
Yep, the survey did hint at many of these products pretty explicitly. 
Disposer Care Plus Bleach ($5)- Garbage disposals often get overlooked when people think about things to clean. So it was kinda nice to get this as a nice reminder to clean out my garbage disposal. Am I the only one who thought the packaging/logo for this brand looks SUPER old. I think they need to modernize their shtuffs.

Disposer Care Freshener ($8??)- I can't find this anywhere on Amazon. Even when I click the link on the company's website! So I just looked at similar products and guesstimated on the price. Anyways, I have had similar products like this before and they make the disposal smell so fresh! I never really noticed the bad stench of the disposal until I "refreshed" it with one of these tablet things.
(2) Gain fireworks in-wash scent boosters ($1??)- Well, I had myself a little debacle about the value.  First of all, either I'm incredibly stupid, or the weight in ounces is not on the little packet, so I don't know how to calculate the value.  The other part of my debacle is that it says "free sample" on the packets so I don't know if I should count the value. But these do smell pretty good from outside the packet.

Woolite At-Home Dry Cleaner ($8.24)- Well, I don't use dry cleaning very much, so this isn't a very big use to me. I can give it away though.  I have a gigantic box in my room filled with subscription box things I haven't used yet, and I give away almost everything in it when it gets filled.  So this is another addition.

Sprayaway Glass Cleaner ($3.33)- This stuff works like magic! Too bad it runs out really quick. Fortunately enough for me they sell these in packs of six at Costco, yippee!

Misc. Coupons I won't use- Well sadly this box didn't have any free coupons so I won't be using them. 

The total value of this box is about $25.57. This is a great value considering the box was only $13.  Most of the things will go to use (or donation) also.  

Verdict: This box was pretty good.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

May Love With Food Review

Love with Food is a fairly popular gourmet food monthly subscription service. One of the reasons why it is so popular is most likely the relatively cheap cost. This box costs $12 monthly total and can go as low as $10 with an annual plan. What differentiates this box from other food boxes is that for every box they deliver, they donate a meal to a hungry child in America.

There are a lot of discounts online for LWF. Once I found one for $15 for a 3-month subscription. So if the $12 seems too pricey, just keep your eyes peeled for discounts!  



 This time, the box came in a padded USPS envelope and some cellophane!
 This month's theme was "Mother's Day Breakfast in Bed."
Great Full Cookie from The Cookie Department, Inc. ($3)- Overall, this Cookie was pretty tasty. I liked  that it had sweet potato and cranberries in it, it made it taste very unique. I just wish there was more sweet potato flavor.  The cookie itself was a bit dense also, but I may just buy more.

Tomato Crunch from Snapz Chips ($1.43)- I don't know why but these were just not very good to me. They obviously have a super strong tomato flavor, since they are just tomatoes, it was just so overwhelming that I had to give the rest of it away. I usually like tomato, but these just weren't for me. I'm sure tomato lovers would adore these!
Authentic Almond Biscotti from Biscotti Bari ($1.50- I received these in a past Yumvelope, and it is the flavor is usually nice, but it can be a little hard at times.  Pro tip, if you dip them in a hot drink, they taste delicious!

Caffe Borsa Premium Hand Drip Coffee ($1.13)- This is kinda interesting in the way it is supposed to be prepared. You may be able to see it in the picture, but inside this packet is a little paper cup thing containing the coffee  It has some sort of strapping mechanism that you put on your coffee cup or mug, then your pour hot water into it and boom! Coffee. I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon!

Strawberry Preserves from Bonne Maman ($0.50?)- This came in an awesome little jar to try! By the way, these preserves are also awesome.  They arent overpoweringly sweet like some store brands.
Ms. May's Mini Crunch in Blueberry almond ($1.06)- This was supposed to be the mystery item for this box since it didn't say its exact name on the provided information card.  And these were delicious. They were little cubes of some cereal like stuff combined blueberries and almonds. Great flavor and texture! 

(2) Latte Candy from Bali's Best ($0.78)- Anyone who is a coffee fan would love these. All the flavor of coffee without some of the hassle. Tasty.


2 packets of Slap Ya Mama original Cajun Seasoning- ($0.50?)- I have no idea how this fits with the theme, maybe we are supposed to add these with some eggs.  But that is besides the point, I still have 2 almost full cans of Zatarian Creole Seasoning from the Big Game Cravebox, so it's not like I needed anymore. I will still use these and see how they taste.


The total value of this box is about ten dollars. Surprisingly  this is the highest value that LWF has had in a long time. Ten dollars is a good value since they donate a meal with every box. 


Verdict: This box was good. A lot of new products that other subscription boxes haven't gotten their hands on (except the snapz).

Friday, May 3, 2013

April Bulu Feel Good Discovery Box Review

Bulu Box, is a supplement and health subscription box.  It contains 4-5 premium samples of supplements, vitamins, and other workout shtuffs.  I honestly do not know how Bulu Box got its name, but it sounds cool at least.  This box costs $10 a box, and you can save money by purchasing longer subscriptions like annual ones.

The customer service for this company is super awesome. If anything, even minor, is wrong with your box, they will send you a bunch of goodies for free! They also include a handwritten note. I can't find a coupon for this box at the moment, but I am sure there will be one soon, as there usually is.

If Bulu Box sounds like the box for you, please consider using my referral link here!

 This box is about the same size as a Love With Food one.
2 Neo-Chill Capsules ($1.77)- I don't know if I will use them. Finals week is finally over, so I guess it's too late now, oops. These would also be kinda weird to give to a friend.

Barlean's Omega Swirl Fish Oil  ($0.28)- This tasted yummy. It was key lime flavored, and tasted a lot like actual key lime pie! It had a bit of a fishy aftertaste, but that is to be expected.  Although I am happy with fish oil pills. 

Black Swan Chocolate Berry Barre Bar ($2.50)- I have gotten these bars in other boxes before, but I never really liked them. However, this was actually really good. It tasted really chocolaty with a little bit of berry mixed in. And the best part, it didn't taste very healthy (I think)!
XyloBurst Green Tea Gum ($1.29)- This gum had a very strong similarity to Fruit Stripes gum.  They both taste amazing at first, it is almost too good to be true. Then they run out of flavor and get all nasty. 

A Packet Of Eboost ($1.40)- I actually like this. And thankfully it wasn't in orange flavor! Sometimes this gets to sour for my tastes, but I still drink it anyways. 

CocoaVia variety sample pack ($4.66)- I always seem to forget to use these when I get them in a box though   I usually put the chocolate flavors in drinks, and the fruit ones in yogurt, but I recently started to put cake mix in my vanilla yogurt (which tastes delicious), so I don't know what I will do with those. I am also not sure about the health benefits of it. 

The total value of this box is about $12.  Considering this box is only ten dollars, I am happy with the value and will stay subscribed.

Verdict- This box is perfect for people looking to improve their health.