Two Months of Love with Food

Look at me, behind on reviews. Well, I say better late than never :)

Let's begin.

For those of you who may not already know, the Love With Food box is a monthly subscription similar to Ipsy and Birchbox. Except where those services send subscribers makeup and lifestyle products, Love With Food sends out gourmet food samples. In addition to receiving interesting food, each subscriber gets the additional happy feeling of knowing that for every box purchased, a meal is donated. The regular box costs $10/month, plus $2 shipping, and each month's box has a special theme!

March's theme was Flavors of the World.

I received:

Cassava Chips by Wai Lana: I don't like sea salt & vinegar flavored chips, so I didn't taste these. There's just something about the vinegary tartness that I find off-putting when it comes to chips. My coworkers seemed to enjoy them though, and I do like that they have 30% less fat than regular potato chips;

Shortbread Fingers by Walkers: Always a great snack, and a great brand;

Earl Grey Tea by Taylors of Harrogate: I can't stand Earl Grey Tea, so this is sitting in the cupboard until Hubby eventually drinks it or it gets thrown away;

Ginger Chews by Chimes: I adore Ginger Chews, and while these aren't as good as the selection from The Ginger People, they were pretty tasty. I will definitely buy more, especially of the mango flavor. Delicious;

Lollipops by Pierrot Gourmand: I gave this to my coworker, B. It was milky banana flavor, and he was not impressed;

Taco & Burrito Seasoning by Desert Gardens: To be held for my next taco dinner night;

Pasta Chips by Vintage Italia: These were insanely flavorful and tasted like pasta and marinara sauce. It was a bit weird, but the chips were tasty. They left me with a less than desirable aftertaste in my mouth though; and

Chai Spice Macaroons by Emmy's Organics: My coworkers and I found these to be so greasy and disgusting, we couldn't even swallow the bites we took. I hope to never receive these again. Yuck!

This month's theme is Flower Power (Yea, Spring!). I had high hopes for a better overall selection of goodies and, for the most part I was pleasantly surprised.

I received:

Orchard Blend by Sensible Foods: I hate apricots, but this blend of crunch-dried apricots, apples and peaches was so good! I would definitely purchase more of this to keep on hand as a healthier snack;

Heart-tee by Wild Hibiscus Flower Co.: Hibiscus, huh? I'm interested to try this, but I'm saving it for a rainy, perfect-for-a-cuppa-tea kind of day;

Creamed Honey with Chocolate Mint by Vintage Bee: Honey is packed with natural energy (so the insert card says :), and my coworker, B, and I needed a 2:30 pick-me-up yesterday, so we tried this out. It started out ok, but we were quickly put off by the grittiness of the honey. And the aftertaste! Oh my, the aftertaste almost made me sick. First and last time with this product;

Almonds with Cranberries, Honey + Sea Salt by Shale Snacks: This sweet, salty, crunchy nut and berry mix was amazingly delicious! I wanted to save some for Hubby, but it was gone before I knew it. Yes, I will be purchasing more of this goodness;

Popcorn by Crave Canyon: I didn't care for the taste, but Hubby loved this. He liked that the flavors were present but still subtle enough to be enjoyable. I believe I received the aged white cheddar and green chili flavor, but it was eaten and the bag was tossed before I could be sure. Lol;

Honey Waffle by Meli: This was too sweet for Hubby, which means it was perfect for me. I wish they had sent two, so I could have prolonged my enjoyment. I can easily imagine how yummy these would be dunked in a hot beverage. Unlike the creamed honey from above, this creamy honey filed waffle sandwich cookie was delightful;

Fiordifrutta Organic Fruit Spread by Rigoni Di Asiago, and an Organic Energy Bar by BumbleBar: I haven't tried either of these yet, but I'm more excited about the door spread than the energy bar. Honey has been a wild card with me this box. Hopefully it's more waffle cookie good than creamed honey bad. We'll see.

How did all you other Love with Food subscribers out there like your boxes? What were your favorite and least favorite products?

For anyone who has been thinking of subscribing, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link and shared the point wealth. Each referral that leads to a paid subscription earns the referring subscriber a cool 500 points! Just click on this link: http://bit.ly/1dS0r3X. Thanks in advance.

Later gators,
M

Four months of foodie love... yep four

These last few food box review months have gotten away from me a bit.

Ok, more than a bit.

A lot.

Work has been insanely busy, and blogging had to take a backseat. I'll try to be better in the coming months. Try :)

I received some winners and some duds from Love With Food over that last few months. I liked so few of the products, that I didn't really have much to say about them. That all changed with this month's box though. Hopefully, the boxes continue to get better.

November

November's theme was Flavors of Fall with Chef Ryan Scott. 

November's box had a Thanksgiving theme, and some hearty treats.

I received:

Tuxedo Flavored Popcorn from Kukuruza: I have been on Kukuruza for a few years now. I absolutely love the majority of their gourmet popcorn flavors (especially the Hawaiian Caramel with Sea Salt), and their customer service is amazing. Tuxedo is one of their sweet offerings, mixing caramel popcorn with milk chocolate and white chocolate drizzles. I was happy to see this in the box as it means that more people are realizing how great this Company is;

Sweet Corn Crunch from Sensible Foods: These sweet and crunchy dry corn kernels were such an unexpected bit of delicious, that they ended up being my second favorite received item. I'll definitely purchase more; 

Green & Black's Organic, Dark 70% Chocolate: I don't care for dark chocolate and, even though this is a mix of cocoa liquor and cocoa butter, it was still too bitter for me; 

Maple Fudge from Laura Secord: This was simply too sweet for me and my hubby;

Ginger Twist Tea from Mighty Leaf: I have yet to taste this. For now it's in the cupboard with all our other teas; 

Almond, Apricot, and Yoghurt Bar from Eat Natural: Apricots = a big no thanks for me. My hubby tried it though, and found it to be a too sweet with a weird consistency;

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread from Dancing Deer Baking Co.: I generally love shortbread cookies, but these were not a favorite. I found the rosemary flavor to be too strong; 

Authentic Indian spice blend from Arora Creations: The person I have this to loved it; and

Sweet Potato popchips from popchips: I like sweet potatoes, and I like popchips, but I didn't like these. Go figure. 

December

This month's theme was Winter Wonderland. 

I received:

Angell Candy Bar from Betty Lou's: This was delicious. I wish they had sent two instead of some of the other items in the box;

Excellence 70% Chocolate Diamond from Linda & Spriingli: More dark chocolate. Boo;

Allergen-Free Peppermints from St. Claire's Organics: Unfortunately, we didn't like the strange texture of these at all;

All-Natural Marshmallow Topper, MaddyMelts, from Madyson's Marshmallows and All-Natural Powdered Drinking Chocolate from Les Confitures a l'Ancienne: I have both of these to my friend, P, though I think she had yet to taste them;

Chocolate Dipped Madeleine by Donsuemor: This was the most delicious treat in the box. Hands down;

Natural Crispbread Cracker from 34 degrees: These were nice, if a bit flavorless. I can see that they would be great with dips;

Molasses Spice Cookies from Grey Ghost Bakery: These have a not-so-subtle kick. Half a cookie was enough for me, but hubby loved them;

Spinach Dip Mix from Desert Gardens: I gave this to my friend, P, as well; and she thought it was tasty and easy to make; and

the box also contained a Love with Food tote bag. I love a good tote bag :)

January

January's theme was Wake Up to the New Year!

The box contained:

Banana Split Baby Mama Drama from Mama's Magic Mix: My hubby and I had fun picking out the individual components that we liked (freeze-dried strawberries and mini milk chocolate covered graham crackers for me, and salted roasted peanuts for him), but didn't care for the mix as a whole;

Pretzo Change-O and Original Milk Chocolate Squares from Jer's Chocolates: I thought I would love these, but the texture was too grainy;

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Home Free: The fact that these cookies are gluten, peanut, tree nut, egg and dairy free is kind of unbelievable. They are delicious;

Superfood Chews from Lovely Candies: I passed them along to my friend, B, who will easy anything, and even he didn't like them. The fruit pieces in the candy were apparently a major turnoff;

Columbia Supremo from Caffè Borsa: I don't drink coffee, and hubby drinks it so rarely that this is still waiting in the cupboard;

Orange Fruit Bar from Oskri: Another consistency and taste issue. We won't be purchasing more of this;

Organic Berry Berry Granola Bar from Annie's Homegrown: This was tasty, but I'll stick with my regular granola bars;

Lightly Salted Almonds from Blue Diamond Almonds: I like Blue Diamond almonds, so it was nice to get this. They didn't taste any less salted than their regularly salted nuts though; and

Multi - Grain Sea Salt Skinny Sticks from Hi I'm Skinny: This was a nice crunchy snack. I don't know that I'd pay more them than I would for a regular bag of chips; but if I saw them in the supermarket, I might pick up a bag.

February

As I said above, this box was the best one out of the past 4. We didn't love evening, but 5/8 isn't bad. This month's theme is A Kiss to Build a Dream On.

I received:

Snack Olives by Mario Camacho: My hubby and I don't eat olives, so I passed this on to a friend. He loved them;

Dark Chocolate Crepe Dentelle by Gavottes: I received 2 of these crispy treats; and they were delicious. I have to admit that I'm surprised I liked them as much as I did since they are made with dark chocolate. The crispness, and the fact that they were a small two bite bit of chocolate goodness, won me over;

Restaurant Style White Bean Chip by Beanitos: My hubby did not like these at all, but I found them crunchy and enjoyable. I ate them plain, but I'd love to have them with some salsa or refried bean dip;

Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries by Emily's Chocolate: I love chocolate covered fruit, so I loved these. Even though they were covered in dark chocolate, the tartness of the blueberry made for a delicious combination. I'm happy that my hubby isn't a blueberry fan, since that meant more of these for me;

Honey Graham Sticks by Back to Nature: Crunchy and tasty with a hint of sweetness. These were a yummy snack;

Pure Notes Dark "Chocolatey" and "Mokaccino" Serious Milk Chocolate + Blue Bottle Coffee by TCHO: I gave both of these to friends, and they loved them;

Chocolate Chip Biscotti by Biscotti di Suzy: This didn't taste any different from other good biscotti I've had, but I enjoyed it; and

Subscribers also received a cute heart shaped Love With Food chip clip. Adorable, and it's already been put to use.

Phew! This has been a lot of food reviewing for one post :) How have all you other Love with Food subscribers out there been liking your boxes over the last few months?

For anyone who has been thinking of subscribing, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link and shared the point wealth. Each referral that leads to a paid subscription earns the referring subscriber a cool 500 points! Just click on this link: http://bit.ly/1dS0r3X. Thanks in advance.

Later gators,
M

Dazzleybox is, once again, underwhelming

Dazzleybox...

I, seriously, cannot even with this subscription.

While the Company managed to package this month's products much nicer this time, and the jewelry they sent was improved, I still don't think that the box is worth the subscription price.

The current price breakdown is as follows:

One month: $24.99;

Three months (buy two, get one free): $49.98;

Six months: $137.94 one time payment (breaks down to $22.99/mo); and

One year: $239.88 (breaks down to $19.99/mo).

Per the insert, this month's box includes great stocking stuffer picks.

I received a bag of all natural Mint Chocolate Chip Snack Factory Pretzel Chips, a Softlips duo pack (in the flavors/scents Praline Brownie and Vanilla), Strawberry Remix and Spearmint Orbitz gum, and 2 pairs of earrings.

The green drop earrings are very pretty,and feel sturdy. The snowflake earrings (that's what I'm calling them) are also pretty, but the sturdiness isn't there.

I didn't care for the pretzel chips. They had a cloying aftertaste to me; but my friend, P, loved them.

All in all, in my opinion this month's Dazzley Box, once again, wasn't worth the subscription price. It's just not the box for me. Next month will be my last box with this subscription, and unless December's box is magical, I won't be sorry to see it go.

Any other Dazzley Box subscribers out there? If so, what do you think of the service and products?

Later gators,
M

It's a scary delicious Love with Food box...sort of

My box of treats came...

and I was happy to see that one of my subscription boxes actually celebrated Halloween a bit!

Spooooky! Lol!

I received 8 different treats this month; some more trick than treat.

First up, are Chocolate Pizzelle Crisps from Silk City Snacks, and Pixo Pearls from Vinaigerie Gingras.

Initially, I was excited to see the Pizzelle Crisps, thinking that they would be reminiscent of that simply divine caramel-filled waffle cookie from a past box. I also liked that each crisp is only 5 calories, with the whole bag totaling only 100 calories. Delicious light snack, right? Wrong. While they had a nice crunch were so bland, that I felt like I was eating handfuls of crunchy paper. My hubby didn't mind the taste and ended up finishing the pack, but these crisps are not something we would ever purchase.

We haven't tried the Pixo Pearls (apple cider vinegar pearls) yet. I'm not actually sure of how to use them. If anyone has any ideas for tasty ways to utilize them, feel free to let me know :)

Up next we have Toasted Coconut Chips from Dang, Happy Squeeze from Happy Family (fruit and veggie twist), and New World Caveman Cookies by Caveman Bakery.

I don't really care for coconut, but I'm seeing rave reviews from others about these chips. I've seen some reviews that say they look a bit like toenail clippings! With that in mind, I'm saving my pack to adorn the tops of some Halloween potluck cupcakes. Hopefully, they'll be a hit. I also haven't tried the Happy Squeeze or the caveman cookie as of yet, but I'm eager to. I like fruit and veggie combos (I just wonder about the consistency), and that cookie? A chewy cookie with maple syrup, honey, dried cranberries...yes please.

Lastly, I received 2 4-count packs of Triple Berry Glee Gum from Verve, Inc., a Nut Delight Kind Bar from Kind Snacks, and 3 Organic Hard Candies from Torie and Howard.

The Nut Delight bar was amazing. I love almonds and this bar was chock-full of whole nutty goodness. I've seen Kind Bars in stores before, and have always wanted to try them. I ate this sample on the way home one day. I was starving and it held me over for a few hours! I will definitely be buying more.

I wasn't a fan of either the gum or the hard candies. The gum's coating is made with brown rice and cane sugar - very cool, but I found it to be too sweet, with a strange aftertaste. The hard candies didn't wow me either. I received two of the blood orange & honey flavor, and one d'anjou pear & cinnamon.

I love pears so I was excited about that flavor, but it was horrid. I kept it in my mouth for only about 30 seconds before I had to spit it out. Sad day. My hubby liked the blood orange, but not enough to buy a pack of them. I gave the second orange candy to my friend, P, and she loved it so much, she's thinking of subscribing to LwF and picking up a few packs. Different strokes for different folks. Lol!

So, for all my fellow Love with Foodies, how did you like the spooooky box? What was your favorite treat? No surprise, the Kind Bar is the clear winner for me. It's so tasty! Man, I wish I had one right now :)

Of course, if you haven't yet subscribed and would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link. Thanks in advance!

I wonder if next month's box will have a Thanksgiving theme. We shall see.

Later gators,
M

Love with Food's September hits and misses

September's Love with Food box is a mixed bag. 

I love that Chef Ming Tsai curated the box. Growing up, my sisters and I watched A LOT of cooking shows, and Ming Tsai was always a favorite - still is. He has an ease to him that makes him fun to watch, and his recipes are great too :)

Enlarge the pic for a better look at this month's treats :)

Back to the box, I liked that everything he chose is gluten-free. When I saw this month's list, I was elated. There was definite variety - I mean roasted garlic hummus, a blueberry fruit bar and cinnamon crunch snacks in one box? Like I said, I was elated. At first. Unfortunately, this month had more misses than hits for my hubby and I.

First up, we have the Bare Fruit crunchy cinnamon apple chips, Organicasaurus cheddar cheese puffs, and roasted red pepper and artichoke bruchetta from Milas Foods.

We, sadly, didn't care for any of these treats :(. I usually love apple chips, and had high expectations for these, but they were simply too make-me-gasp-for-water dry and flavorless. I like the simple ingredients (just apples and cinnamon), but they were a miss. The consistency and texture of both the cheese puffs (a strange mix of airy, yet too hard) and the bruchetta (to oily) didn't appeal to either of our taste buds.

Up next, cinnamon crunch from Cosmos Creations, a cherry berry raw cookie from Licious Organics, fruit snacks from YumEarth Organics, roasted garlic hummus from Wild Garden, and a blueberry fruit bar from Berry Lou's.

The insert card describes the cinnamon crunch as "heavenly", and it completely is. My hubby liked this a lot, and I loved it. He got about 5 tasty morsels, and the rest went to me. The corn crunch is perfectly covered with cinnamon and caramel - it tastes a bit like a crunchy churro, but soooomuch better. I will definitely purchase more.

The cherry berry cookie was interesting. Unbaked and tasty :) The fruit bar was delicious. I love blueberry, and it was delightful.

I have yet to try the hummus, but the fruit snacks were not our cup of tea. They have an odd smell and texture...my hubby and I didn't even finish the small pack. However, my co-worker finished the rest off, and loved them. To each their own.

Lastly, the box contained these two flavors of Millies Savory Teas sipping broths. I'll likely pass them on to my mom. She loves tea, and will get a kick our of the exotic flavors.

As I said, the box was a mixed bag, but that cinnamon crunch alone made up for all the misses. Keep up the good work, and interesting food choices, Chef Tsai :)

If you subscribe to Love with Food, how did you like this month's box? If you want to subscribe, but haven't yet, I'd appreciate it if you used my link (https://lovewithfood.com/?ref=vqm). Thanks in advance if you do. Oh, and you can get your first box for free (just pay shipping) if you use the promo code FBGIFT.

Later gators, 

M

Summertime with Love with Food

I got my first Love with Food box on Friday :) I had it delivered to work so a couple of my coworkers were with me when I initially opened it. They jokingly said that it looked like something you'd get on an airplane; but as I pulled each item out, I saw each of them struggling not to take something they wanted to try. Sorry, but not this time. First box dibs have to go to my hubby :)

Packaged well and plastic wrapped for shipping.

Each month's box has a theme, and the one for this month is Backyard BBQ. Nice.

This month's box included 8 treats that, per the description card, will "help you chill while you grill" and I can"also wear a big smile since [I] donated a meal to a hungry child in America."

Snapea Crisps from Harvest Snaps: The smooth, mild flavor of fresh peas is simply baked into this natural snack. Hubby and I found these to be...interesting. They are very light, airy and crispy. They are also not too salty, which is appreciated. It was a neat product to try, but this little snack pack was enough for us.

Sea Salt Potato Crisps from Good Boy Organics: Full of crunchy flavor, these baked organic potato snacks [BOPS] are GMO-free. We weren't that thrilled with these either. They are crunchy, but the sunflower oil overshadowed the whole chip, and left us with an overpowering sunflower seed aftertaste in our mouths.

Crunchers from Sahale Snacks: Naturally dried cranberries, rotated sliced almonds, and sesame seeds are lightly glazed with orange blossom honey. This was positively delicious! Hubby only got a small taste before I polished of the bag. It had a perfect blend of sweet, salty and tart; and I will definitely be purchasing more.

Original Creamy Praline from Aunt Sally's: New Orleans' most famous praline is studded with Louisiana pecans smothered in a fudgy coating. I have a huge sweet tooth and thought I would like this more, but it was too sweet even for me. One praline is probably sweet enough for three people to share. Maybe four. Tasty, but holy cavities Batman.

Amsterdam Waffle Cookie from Rip van Wafels: Luscious caramel is sandwiched between thin waffle cookies in this classic Dutch treat. Delicious caramel goodness. I expected a more crunchy cookie, but it was still wonderful. I agree with the packaging - try it dipped in a hot beverage :)

All Natural Salsa from El Pinto: Made in New Mexico with roasted green chiles and jalapenos for a touch of heat. I'm not big on salsa, but hubby will probably enjoy this.

Sugar-Free Fresh Mints from Project7: For each adorable tube enjoyed, Project7 will plant a fruit tree. These taste like almost any other mint, but it's good too know that something environmentally positive comes from their purchase.

All Natural Spice Rub from The Dizzy Pig BBQ Co.: This flavorful rub pairs well with BBQ classics like ribs, burgers, and chicken. Go to DizzyPigBBQ.com to save 15% with code 'Love 15'. To the spice rack this goes. I'll use it one day.

Coupons and referral info.

This was an interesting mix of snacks. Hubby and I are excited to see what next month brings.

If you're interested in trying Love with Food, I'd appreciate it if you used my personalized link to sign up so I can get a few referral points: click here. But, as always you can sign up at the Company's main page as well. For anyone who already subscribes, what did you think of this month's box?

Later gators,
M