Try The World is the first gourmet food tour around the world, no plane ticket needed. This snack subscription service is meant for well-traveled foodies and adventurous eaters alike. Read on to discover what’s inside a Try The World subscription box, read about our experience, and decide for yourself if it’s worth the money or not.
WHAT IS TRY THE WORLD?
Try The World merges food with travel and conveniently delivers it right to your doorstep. With this box, you will receive gourmet food products from different countries like France, Japan, or Argentina every month. You’ll be able to take a food journey around the world and discover a dozen of the best gourmet and cultural finds in each box.
It’s a great gift for any foodie you know who also enjoys traveling, or it can be an equally awesome gift to yourself if you want to go on a tastebud adventure while remaining right in your living room!
Unlike other services that deal with just snacks, Try The World has two different monthly options to choose from:
- A Countries box option: You can get a curated box of gourmet foods from various countries—including ingredients to cook with, drinks, and snacks. The Countries box contains 7 to 8 foods handpicked from around the globe. Each month’s box will feature a variety of countries, and subscribers are currently unable to choose which countries their boxes will feature.
- A Snacks box option: As the name suggests, you will get snacks from countries all over the world with this option. The Snacks box contains 6 different snacks from 6 different countries, with a mixture of both sweet and savory options.
Frequency: Monthly
Cost: $19/month for the Snack Box, $39/month for the Signature Box; additional savings when you prepay for 3, 6, or 12 months
Ships to: Free shipping, only ships within United States. Extra shipping charges apply if you live in certain areas such as Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and other areas. After you place your order, it will ship in the next 30-45 days.
Skip a month feature: Yes.
Click here to subscribe.
DEAL ALERT: Use this link and coupon code TAKE10 for $10 off the signature box.
DEAL ALERT: Use this link and coupon code SNACKBOX10 for $10 off the snack box.
Pros
- Each box includes various full-size products (not just samplers).
- There’s variety in the types of food you get.
- You can either order the monthly subscription box or buy individual items online.
Cons
- Boxes are expensive.
- No customization options are available.
- There’s a decent chance you might not like what you get.
- May not be ideal for those with dietary restrictions.
WHAT’S INSIDE A TRY THE WORLD SUBSCRIPTION BOX?
So what can you expect to get in your box every month? Well, the exact contents of each month’s box are unpredictable, as there’s an ever-rotating series of products included. One month, I received pantry items, coffee, and jarred simmer sauces from South American countries and Southeast Asian countries, while another month, I received capers, fruit spread, ghee, and hot sauces from various countries of origin.
The unpredictability of the box’s contents is what makes Try The World such a fun subscription box option! Despite our inability to tell you what’s inside exactly, one thing is for sure–you will be getting full-size items (not just snacks or trial-sized foods).
OVERALL REVIEW OF TRY THE WORLD COUNTRIES BOX
I recently signed up for a 3-month subscription to Try The World’s Countries Box, and though I wasn’t too impressed with my first Try The World box, I was still excited to receive my second month’s box to better understand if this subscription box was for me or not. I love traveling and trying new foods while traveling, the idea of this box really appealed to me. The angle of allowing subscribers to try foods from all over the world is surely unique, especially when compared to other snack subscription boxes out there.
So how was my overall Try The World experience? Let’s get into it.
Upon opening the box, I first noticed that everything inside was neatly wrapped up to protect it from accidental spillage or shattered glass. This was good because it shows attention to detail, which is a good thing. The last thing a subscriber would want is to find crushed-up food delivered to their doorstep!
Just like last month, I found no pamphlet or booklet of any kind included for me to learn more about the products within the box. This was a letdown because I was hoping the box would provide me with a more immersive tasting experience.
Inside the box were just the food products. Here’s a list of what was included in my box this month:
- Kassumay Hibiscus Sabdariffa Strawberry Fruit Spread – This is not something I’d ever seen before, and the flavors sounded so magical. The rich color of the spread isn’t from additives or coloring but is from the natural concentration of the hibiscus- amazing, right?
- 4th & Heart Ghee – I’ve always wanted to try this ghee, but never pulled the trigger due to cost. Glad I received this so I can finally try cooking with it!
- Melinda’s XXXXtra Reserve Habanero Pepper Sauce – We were certainly in the market for a new hot sauce, and though very spicy, this was absolutely delicious tasting! We’re definitely going to add this to our list of stocking stuffers/gifts to our friends. This hot sauce is all natural and made with fresh ingredients.
- Monin Golden Turmeric Syrup – This little bottle of Monin syrup was one of the sample sized items in the box. I love the flavor of turmeric, so I was hoping it would add a bit of sweetness/flavor to coffee, and it does! Expect warm, spicy notes that make for a tasty cup in the morning.
- 1888 Coffee Signature Estate Single-Origin Ground Coffee – Not only did this coffee taste delicious and nutty, but after doing some research on the company, I am all for what they stand for. This signature blend is sourced from local farmers who deliver their Arabica beans to their mill. From there, they take the time to cure the beans before drying them–a process lost in the blending practices of large companies.
- Jovial Penne Rigate Gluten-Free Pasta – This was an interesting sample-sized product. We definitely eat gluten in our household, but really liked that this pasta sample was included (because it means we get to try new pantry staples we’re not used to eating).
- Snapdragon Vietnamese Vegetable Pho Instant Noodle Bowls – I absolutely love pho, and to be able to make it at home is really a dream come true. However, despite the noodles being filling and yummy, the broth flavor was simply lacking. Being able to try it was a good experience though!
I was actually a lot more impressed with the contents of this month’s box compared to my first Try The World box. Though this month I received an equally random mix of products compared to last month, I’ve already learned that there doesn’t seem to be a binding principle or food theme behind Try The World’s boxes, so this didn’t bother me as much as before. For those of you who are expecting a box of 7-8 products from one country of origin, that’s not how this subscription box works.
This month, there seemed to be an equal mix of full-size products and trial-size products. Last month, it seemed that all the products were full-size. Just an observation. My favorite products included the 1888 Coffee Signature Estate Single-Origin Ground Coffee and the 4th & Heart Ghee. Why? Because these are household staples that I’m used to using!
Though I struggled to find daily uses for some of the other products (like the turmeric syrup, gluten-free pasta, and the hibiscus strawberry fruit spread), having the opportunity to think outside the box and forcing myself to use new products I’m less comfortable with was actually sort of fun. This month, I made a new coffee drink using turmeric syrup and tried new ways of indulging in ice cream for dessert (using the fruit spread).
Okay, so now that you’ve seen what’s inside the box, let’s break it down even further by category.
Assortment/Rarity Of Products
With Try The World, I was really hoping for a carefully curated collection of unique products that were from another country and not easily accessible in the USA. However, many of the products I received this month were easily available online and even available at my local health food store.
Diving into each product one by one to prove this out, I found that the Indian simmer sauce was distributed in NY, the pickled garlic from Turkey was distributed in NY, and the ginger chews were from CA. It definitely made the products less exciting knowing that I could have easily gotten them at local supermarkets if I tried hard enough.
Still, these brands were high quality and the assortment of stuff was nice. I liked that I received a fruit spread, some coffee, some hot sauce, a cooking oil, and some carbs. These are all very different pantry staples, and none of them fall in the same category as the other.
Quality Of Products
One thing to really do like about Try The World is the fact that they make an effort to source their foods from small-scale producers. Try The World is very intentional about getting products from producers who actually care about what they make. This translates into the taste of the food. The Try The World team also pays close attention to the ingredients, ensuring that you’re eating real foods without filler or chemicals you can’t pronounce.
For example, the Kassumay Hibiscus Sabdariffa Fruit Spead I received was something I’d never have discovered if it were not for Try The World, and now I’m a huge fan of this West African-inspired flavor. (I learned that this superfood spread is a great alternative to jam and complements glazed meats, cheeses, and desserts perfectly!)
Retail Value
This Try The World box was certainly not cheap by any means. The price per item aligns with how much these products probably would have cost at the supermarket individually. Given the good assortment of products in this month’s box, I’m pretty happy with the overall value breakdown.
Value Breakdown: The monthly cost of this box is $39, including shipping. I received 7 products in this month’s box, which averages out to a value of $5.57 per item.
Customization
The biggest downside about Try The World is that there aren’t really any customization options. You basically sign up for a subscription and get what you’re sent each month. During the signup process, there is no quiz or questionnaire that asks you what your dietary preferences are, or what foods you’d like to avoid.
For example, I’m not a fan of pickled things or extremely salty things, and I noticed that over the course of my 3 boxes so far (none in this box), I’ve gotten capers and pickled mangos. Not a fan, don’t like it, probably won’t eat these.
This could prove to be a barrier for those with dietary restrictions, allergies, or more picky eaters. Luckily, I have a ton of foodie friends who like to try new things, so I plan to give them the products that I am less interested in trying.
Packaging
Overall, the packaging was great. The turquoise box that all the food contents came in was sturdy. I had a good amount of glass bottles in my box and these arrived bubble-wrapped and undamaged which was a plus.
I would have loved a bit more supporting content about why I was receiving the products that I got this month, or even a spotlight on a brand/company that’s featured in the box. There was nothing of that sort. In an effort to save paper even, they could have just added this product description content to my dashboard, but this has yet to exist.
I certainly think including more information about each product (the origins of the products or the missions of each of the producers) would make the unboxing experience more enriching for the majority of Try The World subscribers.
THE VERDICT: IS TRY THE WORLD WORTH IT?
All in all, I’d say this box certainly has a unique angle and is a great way to discover new foods, but maybe not as gift-worthy as I had originally thought. I had bought this box for myself as a way to test out Try The World and see if it was a gift worth giving to my foodie friends/family members in the future, and while they did deliver on foods from across the world, the experience from unboxing could have been better.
For one, the lack of information included about each product’s origin as well as the fact that the items didn’t all come from the same country contributed to a few points being dinged from my overall experience. Many of the items are certainly categorized as ‘cultural foods’, but I wish each month had a cohesive theme.
Overall, I think the Try The World box is a good investment for people who love food, adventure, and travel, but I wouldn’t say that everyone needs to try this subscription box for themselves. The monthly boxes are on the pricier side, so if you’re looking for a subscription that will get you a great deal on gourmet foods, this is not that box.
Also, given that there is no ability to customize or set your dietary/food preferences, unless you or your gift recipient is someone who really loves trying every type of food out there, you may not like every single thing you receive in the box.
Currently, Try The World does not accommodate all dietary restrictions. What you get is what you get, for now. In this growing world of dietary preferences and food sensitivities, it’s important for brands to serve additional markets out there. This might be on the horizon, but it’s not here quite yet. Having said that, Try The World might not be the best box on the market for those who have special dietary needs.
If none of the above is of any concern to you, then Try The World could be a great fit for you. The element of surprise you get with each box certainly adds a sense of adventure and discovery to your meal prepping. You’ll get to learn more about global flavors as well as sample some of it for yourself. And the best thing about it is you’re not spending a dime on a plane ticket!
TRY THE WORLD IS FOR YOU IF…
- You love the element of surprise
- Your favorite thing about traveling is trying new foods and flavors
- You enjoy all types of food, even ones you’ve never tried or heard of
- You have no dietary restrictions
- You love trying new things, cooking with new ingredients, etc.
WANT TO GET TRY THE WORLD FOR YOURSELF OR AS A GIFT?
Signing up for Try The World is simple. Just choose your box and subscription plan, place your order, and wait for it to arrive in the mail.
DEAL ALERT: Use this link and coupon code TAKE10 for $10 off the signature box.
DEAL ALERT: Use this link and coupon code SNACKBOX10 for $10 off the snack box.
ALTERNATIVES TO TRY THE WORLD
Universal Yums
Universal Yums is another travel-themed snack subscription box company. Each month, they’ll send a box filled with sweet and savory snacks/candies from a different country. They directly source unique snacks from the featured country and provide a comprehensive, interactive guidebook inside every box. There are three box sizes to choose from and the included 12+ page booklet guides your monthly adventure with trivia, recipes, and other surprises. Previous countries featured include Italy, Egypt, Thailand, Russia, Colombia, and more. Unboxing and trying the snacks within Universal Yums boxes are a great excuse to get together with family, groups of friends, or co-workers!
Frequency: Monthly
Cost: Plans ranging from $15-39 per month, depending on the size of the box.
Ships to: Flat rate shipping to the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries.
Skip a month feature: Yes
Click here to subscribe.
Explore Local Box
This snack subscription box is so creative and fun, especially for people who are cooped up at home but have a travel bug that never really goes away. With Explore Local Box, you can explore a new US city every month through premium, locally made food products! Boxes include food items as well as non-food items that are locally produced by small businesses and local artisans from the featured month’s city. You’ll also get a watercolor map as well as fun facts about the featured city.
Previous cities include Albuquerque, NM, Chicago, IL, Brooklyn, NY, Portland, OR, and way more. They also have separate gift subscriptions, perfect for all the travelers and adventure seekers you know!
Frequency: Monthly
Cost: $39.99/month, additional savings if you prepay for 3, 6, or 12 months.
Ships to: Free shipping across the United States
Click here to subscribe.
Atlas Coffee Club
Atlas Coffee Club is a travel-themed subscription service that delivers high-quality, single-origin coffee from various countries around the globe. Because their mission is to share the world of coffee, each month features a different region or country, such as Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Congo, Rwanda, and beyond. Each month’s box includes your bag of freshly roasted coffee, a postcard from the featured country each month, as well as tasting notes & brewing tips for each batch.
Frequency: Every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 weeks
Amount per shipment: Your choice of 1 6 oz bag or 1-2 12 oz bags of whole bean or ground coffee
Single Origin: Yes, exclusively.
Cost: Subscriptions starting at $14 per month for the 12 oz subscription.
Ships To: US and Canada, additional shipping cost.
Click here to subscribe to Atlas Coffee Club.
Looking for more snack subscription boxes? Check out a few of our favorite snack subscription boxes here!