Hatchery Review: March? April? 2015

The reason I'm not sure which month this box is for is because I signed up for one of those online deals for three months with Hatchery, but it auto-renewed. After two months, I canceled so it wouldn't auto-renew because I didn't want to be worrying about while moving. However, in doing so to avoid being charged, the system also canceled my last box.

I recently realized I hadn't received that third box and contacted Hatchery. They not only replied in an hour, but also had a box in the mail that day. Talk about awesome customer service! I'm actually a fan of this box and think it would make an awesome gift, but the last thing I need right now is to worry about another address change.

Each month, with the Tasting Box, you are sent five small samples of cooking items or food ingredients from artisans around the US. There's always a great variety and Hatchery provides suggested recipes as well.

My first item was a bottle of Michigan Apple Pie shrubs. I've never really used these, but it sounds interesting and I don't mind trying it out. Now that summer's on the way, maybe I can make something yummy and sit out on the porch!

Sumo Ice Cream Scoop Review

I love ice cream. I eat a ton of ice cream. But I always use a spoon to scoop it because I haven't had much luck with ice cream scoops. Usually they are either too weak to really do anything or, more often, the materials they're made with just aren't very long-lasting. So when I had a chance to review the SUMO Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop, I wanted to see if it made a difference. It is described as indestructible, so I figured why not?

GlobeIn Review: April 2015

This month's GlobeIn theme was "Picnic," so the items were useful items for such a picnic! Although they seem to be moving away from artisans (which was originally the name of the box) to fair trade companies, I don't really mind. Although when I think artisan, I do tend to think handmade items. 

Included in the box was the basket, which has become a staple for me. I love them, because they're sturdy and pretty good-sized for organizing things. There was also a pack of dried mango and a set of napkins in a drawstring pouch. I love the pouch, because it would fit in a messenger bag or bigger purse and you could add other items beyond the napkins, saving space rather than relying on a full picnic basket. 

Sunsella Buddy Box Bento Style Lunchbox Review

My two older children and I take a lunch/dinner to school or work nearly every day. Generally, the kids take a sandwich, a fruit, and a snack along with a drink. We put the fruit in a plastic bag and use plastic wrap or tin foil for the sandwich. I was very excited, though, to review Buddy Boxes from Sunsella, which are great for helping to eliminate some of the waste, as well as helping with controlling portion sizes.

Black Bear Market Single Serve Hot Chocolate Review by Crafty Family

All winter long, all I heard from the kids was, "Can we have hot chocolate now?" My typical response was, "Not right now. I don't feel like making it." Black Bear Market Hot Chocolate provides hot chocolate for the kids in single serve cups that they can make all by themselves with the Keurig. This was, therefore, a perfect item for review!

The Candy Buffet Rock Candy Review

I like candy. I think we all know that by now. Sometimes I think I'm still 12 years-old based on my eating habits. So when I was offered a chance to review the new rock candy from The Candy Buffet, I obviously said yes! Candy = good and nostalgic candy = even better!

Hip Humanitarian Review: March 2015

The Hip Humanitarian provides a monthly subscription box of ethically sourced items based on a different theme. This month's theme was the Foodie Box, so everything was based around food.

I liked this box better than the first two months, although I always like food. I'm still not sure I can honestly say the value exists in this box, but I have a subscription for a few more months.

I don't know why all these photos have a blue-green tint...

Try the World Paris Box Review

I have to admit I'm confused. I signed up for Try the World back in December, and the deal was that I would get the Paris Box and gift card, as well as start my subscription with their Venice Box. However, clearly something got lost in transmission, because they didn't send me anything, didn't know I wanted the box, and basically had no idea I even had an account. So after a nightmare with customer service, I got my money back and was done with them. 

Needless to say, I was therefore surprised when I got an email with tracking info on my Paris Box. It's been almost two months, and I never got Venice and ended up canceling. So why were they sending me anything? To confuse matters even more, lately Try the World has been favoriting my posts on Twitter. I thought we had clearly had a breakup, but they don't seem to know we did.

I'm all for second chances, and I might have tried again down the line if it looked like they got things together. However, I witnessed something unacceptable yesterday. Several customers had posted complaints on their Facebook wall. A couple hours later, they were gone. Try the World sends endless messages promoting themselves and talking about how Huffington Post loves them, yet silences paying customers with legitimate concerns. One woman has waited three months for shipment and can't get a reply via email. Another received broken and expired items. It is not ethical or reasonable to present your business so falsely.

Anyway, I did get the box out of the blue, so here's what was in it and what I thought. 

Love with Food Deluxe Box Review: February 2015

Love with Food is one of the most popular snack subscription boxes out there, and there's a reason for that. With the box, you get a sampling of all kinds of snacks and for every box sold, a meal is donated to a hungry family in the US. I love subscription boxes that give back - and I upgraded to Love with Food Deluxe, because now they give out two meals!

Quorn Foods Review

My husband and I have been vegetarians for more than ten years now (I've basically been since childhood, but he came around later) and we're always up for trying new foods that expand our options. We first tried Quorn about eight years ago and he's been a die-hard fan ever since.

Quorn Foods is the premier producer of meat alternative products worldwide. Based in the UK, they have been operating in the US for more than a decade. Quorn's products are made from what they identify as "a naturally occurring protein in the fungi family," which they call "mycoprotein." The protein is harvested in a fermentation process similar to brewing beer or making yogurt.

Because Quorn products are soy-free, they're naturally non-GMO. They also tend to taste very similar to the products for which they substitute. For example, the first time we tried the chicken nuggets, I had to take the box out of the trash to make sure they didn't actually include any parts of a chicken.

Even if you aren't a vegetarian, Quorn has about half the calories and fat of meat and is very high in fiber and protein, so it's a good alternative to try. You can find Quorn at most grocery stores or national chains like Target and Whole Foods. Availability of specific products varies.

Salsa Crazy Habanero Salsa Review

I admit I'm not a big salsa fan, sticking mainly to cheese when I get nachos, but my husband loves salsa. So I was happy to review Salsa Crazy's Habanero Salsa, especially since my husband also likes spicy foods.

Salsa Crazy is a company best known for their dance videos, but they've moved into the food distribution field as well!

Orange Glad Review: February 2015

I really need to learn patience. Orange Glad offered us a box for review, but I saw a coupon code and ended up starting my own subscription so I received two of this box. No problem, though, as my husband and I had absolutely no difficulty enjoying these treats!

Admittedly, I was a bit wary of trying Orange Glad. I had seen unboxings and I just didn't think the price was worth it, since you were only getting samples of each dessert. I felt like the value might not be there, and if the treats were great, you only got a small taste. However, after trying the first box, I will say that I am a convert. My goodness, this box is amazing!

Hatchery Tasting Box Review: January 2015

The Hatchery Tasting Box is a monthly selection of artisan cooking ingredients and recipes. Each box comes with a handful of small size ingredients, as well as a booklet outlining not only the product and a suggested recipe (which you can get through the website), but also info on the company making it.

One thing that stood out to me about the ingredients in this box is that they can all be used easily. Although it's fun to get an exciting ingredient, if it's something that can really only work with one or two recipes, it ends up not being used. Each of these items is something you could use in multiple ways, either following the suggested recipes or just being creative. I like that I can be creative with minimal effort, too, since I'm not much of a cook.