Vegan Cuts Snack Box - January 2014

I love getting monthly curated foodie boxes. It's like Christmas in my mailbox! Vegan Cuts is one of my favorites, since it's always dairy-free by nature, and everything is almost always gluten-free as well, by design. Plus, of course, no artificial ingredients. So we can eat pretty much everything without anyone getting sick. And the occasional gluten item either goes to Hubby or else I save stuff up to make a healthy snack gift basket for the ladies in the office at the Elementary school!

[Disclaimer - I received a Vegan Cuts Snack Box to review in December, but totally blew it since I already subscribe anyway - when I got two December boxes, assumed I'd found a coupon code and ordered a second subscription. Because I totally would have! So I ate half the stuff before I realized I was supposed to do a review. Doh! Also, I am a Vegan Cuts Affiliate, so if you happen to subscribe via my link, I get referral credit. Yay!]

This month's box contained a treasure trove of yummy treats. And this time I managed to take photos before inhaling most of it...

Yummy Time!

Mary's Gone Crackers Super Seed crackers - I'm afraid to try these. I had some "pretzels" of theirs once, and they were the only gluten-free item I've ever had that actually tasted like cardboard. I'll get to them eventually though...

The Good Bean roasted chickpeas - nom! I keep several flavors of these on-hand... and I hear there are some new flavors, including chooooocolate! For the plain salted ones, I like to mix them with other stuff to add different flavors and textures. Roasted chickpeas are yummy, but tend to start tasting chalky after a while.

Bumble Bar sesame chewy bar - I have several flavors of these after trying one in a previous foodie box. E went through a phase where she'd plow through 2-3 a day!

Drink Chia! Lemon Blueberry nutrient drink - I put this in the fridge right away, and drank it after dinner. Once the girls saw me with it, they had to try it too. Z was thrown by the seeds in there, even though I'd warned her. My toddler though, she loved it. I never got it back! I happen to like the weird sensation of the gel-ly seeds sliding down my throat, so I'm a fan too.

Manitoba Harvest shelled hemp seeds packet - I keep hemp hearts stocked all the time. In fact, this is the brand I normally buy, as it's available in a big bag at Costco!

The 3 Nuts Salted Caramel Peanut Butter sample - Nom. That is all.

Mario Foods snackable on-the-go olive pouch - I've never been a fan of olives, but both my girls are!

Skratch Labs daily drink mix packet - Haven't tried this yet. It's an exercise hydration drink. And Mama doesn't get in much exercise! Haha! Plus it's lemon-lime. I'm allergic to citrus, and can only handle a little at a time without reacting. I used up my quota with the chia drink! Plus Z loooooooves citrus flavors. I'll save it to add to a bottled water at the movie theater or Disney on Ice or something.

Mighty Leaf Tea assortment - "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." They sent some other fun flavors too - a tropical green tea (green tea plus "tropical flavors" and pineapple) plus African Nectar (a rooibos with some hibiscus and marigold flowers.)

Organic spinach and strawberry salad with raisins, chia and
sunflower seeds, and Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts.
Masa Crisps, Cocoa Almonds, and vegan brown rice crispy treat

The Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts went straight into a salad. They're full of nutrients, including omegas and protein!

The Good Bean roasted chickpeas with almonds,
macaroon, roasted green cauliflower, organic salad

The Good Bean roasted chickpeas make a nice crunchy addition to lunch, in a home-made snack mix, or even on their own!

Hey, Beautiful! Vegan Cuts also curates a monthly Beauty Box, filled with skin and hair care and cosmetics. I'm not exactly a fashion plate, but I subscribe to this box too, because it's fun to try new products. And unlike many other boxes with a $20 price tag, I feel like I'm getting my money's worth!

While my family isn't vegan (or even vegetarian, although I am, most of the time,) ethically, I can't justify animal testing for beauty products. For drugs to help people stay healthy, yes. But beauty is optional, and so I don't choose to buy products that exploit animals. (But don't worry. I'm not going to judge or preach to anyone else about it!)

 

Aubrey Organics Detangler - If you've ever seen the backs of my girls' hair, you know how much we need this! I love that I can recognize all the ingredients too. I've worked hard to get rid of mystery chemicals in our beauty products.

Vermont Soap moisturizing shower gel - I take showers! And I love the smell of lavender. But I use this for the girls at bathtime. Lavender is calming, and perfect for winding down in the evening. Mama needs something zestier to wake up in the morning! Although it would be nice for a midnight shower... 

Primal Pit Paste - Very excited about this stuff! I switched to aluminum-free deodorant last Summer, which was pretty much the worst time ever to stop using anti-perspirant! Especially when you come from a stinky family! But I love love love this deodorant paste! It doesn't feel all cakey like the white powder stuff, and no white stains on my clothes! Plus I don't have to worry about any chemicals or petroleum-derived fragrances when my kids want to try it too, when they happen to be in the bathroom with me after my shower (which is always - no warm steamy room for Mama!)  

Ofra Cosmetics liquid lipstick - (full size! These babies alone retail for $20! That's like getting everything else in the box for free!) Sadly for us, these contain artificial petroleum-derived dyes, so we won't be using it. The dyes give Z neurological reactions. Plus I refuse to have anything (other than my vitamins and medicines) that I won't let my kids use too. I'll find it a good home!

Dew Puff cleansing sponge - ($7 retail!) I don't use soap much, so rely mostly on exfoliation and food-based products to clean my skin. This is nice and gentle, and made from plant fiber!

Better Botanicals cleanser and scrub samples - I don't use a lot of products in the shower, but facial cleansers and scrubs are the two I do!

[Disclaimer: I paid for my own Vegan Cuts Beauty Box subscription, same as anyone else. This review is purely because I already had the camera out to take pics of the food stuff. Plus I felt bad for forgetting to review December's Snack Box!]

Vegan Cuts Snack and Beauty Boxes ship on the 17th of each month, so you'll want to be sure to order in plenty of time to get in on next month's! (Tip: People who subscribe to both often get bonuses tossed in since they ship together in a larger box! Woop!)