Got my first NatureBox! (overview)

Nice to see you again, internet. It’s been so long.

Well, today I got my first NatureBox. As always: I was thrilled. 

I knew that NatureBox was going to take a while to show up, being that they ship from California, but they included a tracking number (when they emailed me to tell me it was shipped – so thoughtful) so I could track where my package was at any given time. Did this lead to me obsessively checking the tracking code every day? ….Yes. But was it worth it? Totally! I got my box about a day after I was expecting it (one full week after the shipment notification), but I attribute that to the small town and the campus package room.

If you’re wondering why I wanted NatureBox, and why it’s a great option for me, I’ll just repeat what I said in my last health-food-box overview (feel free to skip ahead):

You see; as a college student on a tiny campus in the middle of nowhere, I’m not exactly spoiled for choice when it comes to healthy snacks. While I may be able to do three square meals a day, the food at the dining hall is lacking in variety and slacking in well-rounded nutrition. Breakfast means eggs, bacon, sausage – even the variety of fruit is severely lacking! And lunch and dinner are so oil-drenched or sodium-packed that I usually just choose one – and, often, it’s lunch.

Okay, so a late lunch - that works - but what happens when dinner rolls around? To be honest, I’m rarely hungry. My hunger usually sets in around 8 or 9pm, when I’m hanging out in my dorm. And what’s right there, beckoning to me with its delicious, non-nutritious goodness? That would be the vending machines, packed full of chips and candy.

I need something that doesn’t make me feel like a fat slob!

And now we have NatureBox.

NatureBox is a $19.95/month ($10 off with this link) subscription box designed to deliver a month’s supply (5 bags) of healthy snack foods right to your door. The company’s goal is to help cut down the crap that most people take in under the guise of “snacking” – apparently, nearly 25% of your total caloric intake.

….Do you see how this applies to me?? This is the exact problem I’m having! I feel you, NatureBox, I really do. But – again – I’m a teensy bit of a picky eater (mixed nuts? nope), so I wanted to make sure I could get stuff I like, and not the things I don’t.

Now, I have already waxed poetic about Graze’s sorting system (trash, try, like, and love). NatureBox, unfortunately, does not offer these same features.

That isn’t to say that you can’t customize your boxes! In fact, you totally can. You’re able to choose the five specific snacks you’d like to receive. You can search the snacks by taste (savory, sweet, or salty) as well as searching for vegan, soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-conscious, non-GMO, and nut-free items – although all products are processed/packaged in a facility that handles all of those things. You cannot, however, get a surprise-filled box that adheres to these dietary restrictions. And in my case, with my distaste for nuts, that means no surprises for me. Not thrilled about that bit.

But, unlike Graze, NatureBox includes descriptions of their snacks on the site, including the taste profile (three previously mentioned, but I’ve also seen tart as an option), and low sodium labels. **However there are snack labels on Graze that I forgot to mention, and I’ll be editing the Graze overview to reflect this. There are not full descriptions, though.

To choose my snacks, I tried searching for just savory and sweet items (I’m not big on spice) and I selected Sourdough Cheddar Pretzels, Honey Mustard Dippin’ Stix, Lemon Tea Biscuits, Santa Fe Corn Stix, and Honey Macadamia Pretzel Pops.

….But then I watched some unboxing videos. And I saw the Lemon Pucker Pistachios. I rationalized that, hey – I was getting this box for $10 instead of $19.95 (find that deal here) – so I figured I could add on one more bag for the additional price of $3. Especially because NatureBox donates both money and snacks to WhyHunger, a charitable organization that aids community growth centered around nutrition, hunger, and poverty.

Oh, and today – I got my box!

First impressions were exactly what I was expecting – better, even! NatureBox is in the midst of redesigning their packaging, so I ended up with some different-looking bags within the same box, but all of them looked perfect – the new bags are actually slightly larger than the old ones, which made me feel like I was getting more bang for my buck. Or more bag, at least. (Sorry; puns.)

The box included an inventoried list of the items inside, and a couple of different cards about the company and the redesign. Fun little tidbit: the NatureBox flyer included notes in the corner about all the resources saved by using recycled fiber, post-consumer waste, and renewable energy certificates. It definitely felt like a positive eco-friendly company.

So, how were the products?

Nearly every one of them was delicious! Some weren't quite what I was expecting, and others I grew to like, but some were delicious on the first bite! Reviews will be showing up as I write them, linked below.

-        -  Sourdough Cheddar Pretzels

-        -  Honey Mustard Dippin’ Stix

-        -  Lemon Tea Biscuits

-        -  Santa Fe Corn Stix

-        -  Honey Macadamia Pretzel Pops

-        -  Add on! Lemon Pucker Pistachios

Final verdict: another solid A. Definitely keeping this subscription going, and I'm excited to try some of their other snacks! 

'Til the next box!

-BoxxyGirl

PS: NatureBox is a $19.95/month snack subscription. Interested in trying it? Use this link to get $10 off your first box!