Hey there, fellow foodies and travel junkies! If you‘re anything like me, you‘re always on the hunt for new flavors to tantalize your taste buds and transport you to far-off places. That‘s why I couldn‘t wait to get my hands on a Try the World subscription box and take my palate on a global adventure.
In case you haven‘t heard the buzz, Try the World is a gourmet food subscription service that delivers a curated selection of artisanal eats from a different country to your doorstep each month. It‘s like having a magic culinary carpet that whisks you away to a new destination with every delicious bite.
I know what you‘re thinking: "Another food box? Is it really worth the hype (and the cash)?" Well, I‘m here to give you the full scoop on my experience with Try the World, from unboxing to nom-nom-nomming. I‘ll also dish on what other globetrotting gourmands have to say, and help you decide if a Try the World subscription belongs on your kitchen shelf. So grab a snack and let‘s dig in!
How It Works: Tasty Travels Delivered to Your Door
First things first: how exactly does Try the World work? The premise is simple:
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Choose your journey. Try the World offers two different subscription options to satisfy your wanderlust cravings:
- The Countries Box takes you on a monthly tour of a new destination, with 7-8 gourmet goodies from places like Japan, Spain, Morocco, and Brazil. It‘s like a mini vacation in a box! Prices start at $39/month.
- The Snacks Box is perfect for globe-trotting grazers, with 5-6 sweet and savory nibbles from around the world every month. Think Thai sriracha popcorn, French lemon sablé cookies, and Turkish pistachio halva. Prices start at $19/month.
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Pick your pace. You can opt for a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual subscription. The longer you commit, the more you save—up to $10 per box on a yearly plan.
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Wait for your worldly goodies. Once you place your order, your box will ship within a few weeks, with free delivery right to your doorstep. Shipping takes about 5-10 business days within the US.
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Feast your way around the globe! The best part: opening your box to discover the international treasures inside. Each box comes with a handy culture guide packed with stories about the featured products, recipes to try, and serving suggestions.
Want to send a taste of wanderlust to a friend? You can also gift a single box or subscription to the foodie in your life, no passport required.
Unboxing the World: My Try the World Review
When a bright purple box emblazoned with "Try the World" showed up on my porch, I couldn‘t wait to peek inside. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, eagerly ripping through the packaging to get to the goodies within.
My box was themed "Discover Thailand" and came with 7 full-sized products, each nestled in a colorful, custom-printed box.
Here‘s what I found inside:
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Coconut Flower Syrup: A richly flavored, subtly sweet syrup made from the nectar of coconut palm blossoms. The dark amber color and complex flavor reminded me of molasses or maple syrup. I couldn‘t wait to drizzle it on my morning yogurt or pancakes for a taste of Thai sweetness.
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Sriracha Sauce: The O.G. hot sauce that‘s launched a thousand copycats. I‘m already a sriracha devotee, but it was cool to see the real deal, straight from the source. The spice level was on point, with that signature garlicky kick.
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Dried Mango Slices: These soft, chewy slices are like grown-up fruit snacks. Made from fresh Thai mangoes dried at peak ripeness, they seriously tasted like sunshine. I appreciated that they weren‘t cloyingly sweet or doused in added sugar like some dried fruit.
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Curry Paste Set: This cute trio of single-serving curry pastes in red, yellow, and green was probably my favorite find in the box. I‘m a Thai curry fiend but don‘t always have time to DIY the paste from scratch. These pre-portioned pouches were clutch for whipping up a quick coconut curry on a busy weeknight. The flavor was fresh and fragrant, just like from my favorite Thai restaurant.
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Coconut Crispy Rolls: These airy wafer rolls filled with creamy coconut were dangerously snackable. I loved the combination of crunch and cream, and the delicate coconut flavor transported me to a beach in Phuket. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea when you need a sweet escape.
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Instant Thai Iced Tea: As a Thai iced tea junkie, I was stoked to see this instant version, which combines black tea with aromatic spices like star anise, cardamom, and tamarind. After steeping in hot water, I poured it over ice and topped it off with a generous glug of sweetened condensed milk. The result? A dead ringer for the kind I‘ve sipped on the streets of Bangkok.
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Thai Chili Tamarind Cashews: Warning: once you pop these babies, you can‘t stop. Whole cashews are tossed in a savory-sweet-spicy coating of tamarind, lemongrass, and Thai chili, resulting in a warm, tangy crunch that‘s completely addictive. I needed to physically remove the bag from my vicinity to keep from downing the whole thing in one sitting.
Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the quality, variety, and authenticity of the products in my Thailand Box. Each one tasted like something I‘d actually eaten in Thailand, rather than a dumbed-down imitation. I also appreciated the included recipe cards, which offered easy ideas for incorporating the ingredients into dishes like Thai-style shrimp cakes and coconut mango sticky rice.
What‘s Inside a Try the World Box?
Half the fun of a Try the World subscription is the element of surprise. You never know exactly what you‘ll find in each month‘s box until you tear into it—but that‘s what makes it feel like an extra special treat.
That being said, there are a few key things you can expect from your global goodies:
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Full-sized, authentic products: Try the World is all about real deal, artisanal eats from the source. Don‘t expect puny sample sizes or knockoff approximations. Each product is hand-picked by Try the World‘s globe-trotting team of foodies to represent the best of a region‘s cuisine.
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Specialty ingredients and pantry staples: In the Countries Box, you‘ll find a mix of items to stock your global pantry, from cooking ingredients like herbs, spices, oils, and sauces to drinks, condiments, and even kitchen tools.
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Plenty of unique snacks: Both the Countries Box and Snacks Box are packed with at least a few fun treats to munch, like small-batch cookies, crackers, nuts, candies, and chocolates. Discovering new chip flavors from around the world (seaweed! salted egg!) is a hilight for me.
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A cultural cheat sheet: Each box comes with a handy booklet filled with cultural tidbits, origin stories behind the products, and easy recipes to try. You‘ll get a quick culinary crash course in your destination of the month.
A few specific products I‘ve swooned over in past Countries Boxes:
Country | Product |
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Japan | Yuzu Matcha Juice |
Spain | Orange Blossom Honey |
Turkey | Pomegranate Molasses |
Greece | Olive Leaf Herbal Tea |
Mexico | Chipotle Peanut Butter |
Morocco | Argan Oil |
And a handful of tasty standouts from the Snacks Boxes:
Origin | Snack |
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France | Butter Sablé Cookies |
Italy | Taralli Olive Oil Crackers |
Fillipines | Calamansi Lime Hard Candies |
Brazil | Guava Jelly Chocolates |
Korea | Honey Butter Almonds |
Thailand | Coconut Tamarind Cashews |
Is a Try the World Subscription Worth It?
So, the million-dollar question: is Try the World worth your hard-earned cash? As with most subscription boxes, it depends on your budget and personal preferences. Here‘s my take:
Try the World might be right for you if…
- You‘re a serious snacker with globe-trotting taste buds
- You love discovering new ingredients and recipes from different cultures
- You have disposable income to spend on gourmet goodies and culinary experiences
- You‘re looking for a unique gift idea for your favorite foodie
- You want to support small-scale, traditional food producers around the world
A Try the World subscription may not be worth it if…
- You have a tight food budget or grocery bill to stick to
- You‘re a picky eater who prefers to stick to familiar snacks and flavors
- You live in an area with lots of international grocery options and can find global goods for cheaper
- You‘re not much of a cook, so you‘re unlikely to use specialty ingredients
- You don‘t like the idea of a surprise assortment (even if it‘s a tasty one)
Personally, I find the quality and curation of Try the World boxes to be top-notch and totally gift-worthy. I‘ve turned several friends on to the subscription who now eagerly await their monthly worldly haul. It‘s a fun (and drool-worthy) way to explore different cuisines, try new flavors, and jazz up your cooking routine.
For me, a Try the World box is an occasional indulgence that I look forward to as a treat—kind of like a trip to a luxe food hall or getting dessert at a fancy restaurant. Is it an essential for survival? No. But it sure does make life a little more delicious.
Price-wise, most of the products are a solid value considering the gourmet quality, generous portions, and novelty factor. You‘d easily spend $30-40 on similar specialty foods at a place like Williams Sonoma or Dean & Deluca, and here you‘re getting a chef-curated selection delivered to your door.
That being said, the Snacks Box is a little harder for me to justify on the reg. Paying $15-20 a month for a handful of munchies, even gourmet ones, feels a bit steep compared to grazing the global goodies at my local Trader Joe‘s. But as a one-off gift to myself or a friend? Totally tasty.
Personally, I think the 6-month Countries Box subscription hits the sweet spot for value and variety. It averages out to about $35 per month, and the longer commitment means you‘ll get to "visit" 6 different destinations. You could also split the bounty with a buddy or your S.O. to spread out the cost.
How to Get the Best Deal on a Try the World Subscription
Ready to join the Try the World party? Here‘s how to snag a tasty bargain on your first box:
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Sign up for a longer subscription The single biggest thing you can do to get more bang for your buck is to choose a 6-month or 1-year plan. You‘ll shave up to $10 off per individual Countries Box compared to paying month-to-month. Snacks Boxes don‘t have quite as steep a discount, but you‘ll still save a few dollars per delivery.
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Keep an eye out for coupon codes Before checking out, do a quick search for Try the World discount codes to see if there are any active deals. You can often score a few free bonus items or a percentage off your first box. Hint: you can use code TRYFREE to get an extra box for free with any new subscription!
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Take advantage of referral bonuses Once you‘re signed up, you‘ll get a unique referral link to share with friends. For every person who signs up using your link, you‘ll get $15 in account credit to put towards your next box. It‘s a yummy way to spread the love and save a few bucks.
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Follow Try the World on social media The company often runs flash sales, giveaways, and limited-time promotions announced on their Instagram and Facebook pages. Follow along to stay in the loop on the latest offers.
One thing to note: Try the World subscriptions do auto-renew, so if you‘re not loving your global goods, be sure to cancel before your next billing date to avoid getting charged. You can cancel anytime through your online account, no questions asked.
Try the World FAQs
Still have burning questions? I‘ll take a crack at a few common ones:
What if I have allergies or dietary restrictions?
While Try the World doesn‘t offer customization for allergies or diets, each product description online includes a full list of ingredients. You can always gift or swap any items that don‘t fit your needs.
What if I don‘t like something in my box?
It‘s bound to happen sometime—even the most adventurous eaters aren‘t going to love every single global goodie. Try the World has a generous satisfaction guarantee and will credit you for any items you don‘t enjoy.
Can I skip a month or pause my subscription?
Yep! You can skip a renewal or pause for up to 3 months at a time through your account page.
How do I cancel my Try the World subscription?
Also easy: just log into your account and click "Manage Subscription." You‘ll be able to cancel anytime before your next billing date. You‘ll still receive any boxes you‘ve already paid for.
What countries has Try the World featured?
The Countries Box has taken subscribers to over 30 different destinations so far, including Argentina, Portugal, India, Israel, Sweden, and Russia, just to name a few. With so much diversity, you never know where you‘ll jet off to next!
The Final Verdict
When it comes down to it, my taste buds give Try the World two enthusiastic thumbs up. It‘s a delicious way to explore the globe, sample authentic regional foods, discover new flavors, and spice up your snack game. While it may not be an essential grocery item, it‘s a worldly indulgence that fosters culinary curiosity and cultural connection.
In terms of overall value, Try the World sits solidly in the middle of the gourmet food box pack. You‘ll get a generous haul for what you pay, and I‘ve consistently been impressed by the quality of the products. It‘s pricier than skimming the global aisle at the supermarket, but way cheaper than an actual plane ticket. For me, the Countries Box offers the best balance of unique finds and bang for your buck.
Of course, you‘ll have to decide if a food box fits your budget and lifestyle. But if you‘re a wanderlusting snacker like me, a Try the World subscription just might be your new favorite travel companion—no passport required.
My suggestion? Grab a friend (or special someone) and sign up for a 6-month Countries Box subscription. Consider it a tasty ticket to explore the world from your couch and connect through your shared sense of culinary adventure. Just don‘t be surprised if you find yourself booking a real trip to chase the flavors you fell in love with!
Still on the fence? Try a single Countries Box to get a feel for the Try the World experience commitment-free. But fair warning: one taste is all it takes to catch the travel bug.
Ready to dig in? Use my code TRYFREE to get a bonus box with any new subscription. Here‘s to many happy returns—and happy snacking! Bon voyage and bon appétit!