It’s hard for busy, health-conscious students to find great snacks around campus that aren’t sugary trail mixes or bruised fruit. Yuck. Enter the snack subscription box. Companies like Naturebox, Graze, and several others have completely changed the idea of snacking by creating healthy and delicious creations that are delivered right to your door. Can you say #clutch?
While both services are sure to help get you through any serious snack attack, they are very different from one another. Here, we’ll break down the basics of each of these two popular boxes and help you decide for yourself which one is right for you.
Graze
Photo courtesy of @ffsellen on Instagram
The basics
Graze’s snacks come individually portioned, which makes them extremely portable. With more than 100 snacks to choose from, customers receive either four or eight snacks per box, each hand-picked based on a survey that customers take upon signing up. This custom array can be delivered to your door every week, bi-weekly, or once a month.
The snacks
According to Graze’s website, the company, “get[s] the most out of good ingredients to create exciting combinations that taste amazing. Plus, every snack has a nutritionist-approved badge, so you can feel good about grazing.”
Basically, what that comes down to is combinations of things like nuts, pretzels, and sweet things that remind you of your favorite indulgent treats, all of which are guaranteed to be free of GMOs, artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, and trans fats. Is it all too good to be true? Maybe. Graze makes no promise to people with food allergies, as all of their products are processed in the same facility.
The best part
Graze makes it easy to find snacks with your health goals in mind. If you’re trying to cut carbs but don’t know where to start (seriously, is butter a carb or not?), Graze will send you a box of all low-carb options. Same goes for sugar, calories and protein. Likewise, you can tailor your box to fit your personal snacking needs with boxes dedicated to breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up, and many more options.
The cost
The good news? Your first box is totally free. The not-so-good news? A box of 8 snacks will cost you $11.99. If you’re on a budget, opt for a four-pack for only $6.99 per box.
Naturebox
Photo courtesy of @mrsnufer on Instagram.com
The basics
Unlike Graze, Naturebox snacks come in bigger bags with multiple portions, making them great for sharing with friends. Pick from boxes of five or ten different snacks and shipments every week, every two weeks, or every month.
Subscribers choose for themselves which snacks they’d like to munch on. Not sure which ones to pick? Check out any number of YouTube videos like this one to help make the decision a little easier.
The snacks
Naturebox has more than 100 snacks to choose from, so you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love. Fan favorites include Big Island pineapple, mini Belgian waffles, and guacamole bites, which (no joke) taste exactly like a tortilla chip smothered in guac.
Not only are the snacks to die for, but every one of them is made with high-quality ingredients and zero artificial nonsense, which makes them a better option than, say, those Pringles that have been sitting in your snack drawer since finals week.
The best part
So, you realized that just because some Youtuber likes a certain product doesn’t mean that you will too? Not a problem. If one of your snacks doesn’t float your boat, Naturebox will send you an extra one with your next shipment, 100% on the house.
The cost
Because this service is so customizable, prices will range depending on how many snacks you get and how often you want them. Even though you get 50% off your first box, the cheapest option costs $19.95 for five snacks monthly. Get a 10-pack every week and you’re looking at a monthly cost of well over $100.
The Final Verdict
Either way, there’s really no way to go wrong with these services. Both provide delicious snack options that are healthier than most other packaged snack foods and convenience that can’t be beaten. Overall, Graze is probably more practical for college students. It’s hassle-free, portable, and cheaper than Naturebox.
Try giving each one a shot for a few months and then decide which one to stick with, because no amount of watching YouTube videos of someone else trying them out will make it clear which one works best for you.