Whenever we go to a new country, one of our favorite things to do is go to a market or convenience store to check out and buy some snacks and candy that we don’t have in the U.S. We’ve discovered some delicious treats this way – cheese sponge cakes in Japan, KinderEggs in the UK, stroopwafels in the Netherlands; and ketchup-flavored potato chips in Canada.
But, with all of our trips cancelled in 2020 and plans to stay stateside in 2021, we were excited to get a subscription to MunchPak Snacks to remind our taste buds that there’s more than Oreos, GoGurts and Goldfish in the world (not that there’s anything wrong with either! I would do well to own stock in Nabisco or Pepperidge Farm).
MunchPak, and similar snack subscription services (Universal Yums and Snack Crate are others) send you a box of treats from different countries each month. So far, we’ve received two boxes – the majority of the items have been sweets – cookies or candy, much to my sons’ delight. There’s been a healthy dose of universally loved chocolate items, and we’ve had things from as close by as Canada and Mexico and as far away as South Korea, Israel and Poland.
What’s even cooler about the snacks they curate, is that we have gotten treats from places that we likely won’t visit like Pakistan and Lebanon. I love the idea of my 10- and 13-year old sons eating the same cookies that kids their age in Lebanon love for their after school snack. It might be cheesy, but in some way, it can connect us to others. Kids are kids no matter where they live – they love sugary treats and Cheetos (even ketchup-flavored ones from Israel.)
My 13-year old loves the MunchPak because he likes “the idea that people around world are eating the same food that I’m eating. And I like finding new foods to try.”
The other cool thing is that it provides a simple way for my 10-year old, who is less than adventurous when it comes to sinking his teeth into a new cuisine. “It helps me try different foods. They’re tasty,” he told me after sampling a bite of each snack in our most recent box.
Not only do you get the snacks, but you also get a guide with descriptions and destinations of the items.
MunchPak and Virtual Birthday
The pandemic is certainly making me kick the creativity up, especially when it comes to my kids’ birthdays. Back in April, I successfully planned an Amazing Race for my 10-year old – it was just for him and his brother, but was still a special day and we got to pretend that we were traversing the globe.
My older son’s birthday was in early January, so still no opportunity for an in-person birthday party and since we live in the Midwest, the winter temperatures don’t cooperate with many outdoor activities. He had the great idea to send Mini MunchPaks (5 items in the box) to his friends, set up a ZOOM call, and then they could all try the goodies together. So, that’s exactly what we did.
The kids loved getting the boxes in the mail and unpacking them together on the ZOOM. They actually all had different snacks, so they got to taste test and report back to the group on their items and marvel at where everything came from.
Said one birthday party goer, “This is really cool!” As you know, that’s high praise from a 13-year old boy.
As we close in on a year of staying home, this is another alternative to add to your virtual party idea arsenal that is fun for kids of all ages.
What did we think of MunchPak boxes?
For more details on what was in our boxes this month, check out our YouTube videos. Bottom line: we give it a 10/10. I do recommend only opening one or two items per day, though. Otherwise, you’ll have several half-eaten snacks to store. Candy stores much better than the chips, cookies and snack cakes. Check out more of our videos at Maps Memories and Motherhood’s YouTube page.
MunchPak is a great way to get a taste of another country, and itt will give us a list of treats to fill our suitcases with once we’re able to travel abroad again.
DISCLOSURE: MunchPak is an affiliate of Maps Memories and Motherhood. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, I’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers, at no cost to you.
