Vegan Cuts Snack Box Review!

Holy horses! I just received the Vegan Cuts July Snack Box and look out dudes and dudettes, this one is something to get off your horse and write home about! Vegan Cuts? What’s that? Sound familiar? Pull back the reins cowgirls and cowboys, I’ll be your official ranch hand, which includes introductions on this here trail ride into a company that is close to my little vegan heart. Vegan Cuts is a online marketplace for all things vegan. They feature a range of products and promote opportunities to save money while eschewing animal cruelty. What’s not to love about that!?! Their online shop is chock full of animal-free products including snacks, clothing, jewelry, body care, supplements, accessories and so so much more! Perhaps though what they are most known for is their monthly subscription Snack Box. Yes, pardners, for only $19.95 you too can enjoy an array of vegan goodness every single month! Yeehaw!

And now for a full rundown of July’s Snack Box…

 Food Should Taste Good– Multigrain Tortilla Chips ~ These whole grain gluten-free babies are the perfect salty snack made from corn, brown rice, flax, sesame & sunflower seeds as well as quinoa. They are probably the largest chip (which also doubles as a cracker) that I have ever seen which makes them perfect for serving up with a topping like hummus as an appetizer. Yum! Enjoy them in or out of the arena with your favorite cowgirl or cowboy!

Funky Monkey– Freeze Dried Fruit (JiveALime flavor) ~ If your taste buds are anything like mine than you probably cringe at the thought of soft “dried” fruit. Fear no more! These tasty fruit snacks (which contain only 2 ingredients – real freeze-dried pineapple and lime juice) are crunchy, crunchy, crunchy. Did I mention they are crunchy? One package (12 grams) contains 45 calories and are totally gluten-free, nut free, raw, of course vegan, and contain no added sugar, preservatives, colorings or flavors. And, one package equals one serving of fruit – perfect for a long day out on the range!

Nature’s Bakery – Whole Wheat Peach Apricot Fig Bar ~ Move over Fig Newtons! These stone ground whole wheat peach fig bars are like the old Newtons we all remember, plus peach and apricot! What I love most about this bar is that it’s loaded with dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, as well as carotenes, and will sustain you over a long period of time. While not organic, it is made in the good ol’ U. S. of A. and is verified non-GMO which this cowgirl is a huge fan!

Smooze Fruit Ice – Coconut Mango Flavor ~ Can you say 1980’s? These Smooze (frozen) Fruit Ice purees take me right back to my childhood summers, without the high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and the artificial flavors. And because they’re vegan, there’s no cholesterol, no trans fat, and are gluten-free. Pop one of these into your freezer, cut the top off and slurp away the fruity coconut-based goodness. Whether you’re atop your favorite horse or your favorite mountain, these make a yummy summertime treat during the hottest part of the day.

Viana – Mild Jumbo Veggie Snack Sausage ~ I admit that when I opened my Snack Box this month, I was most excited to try one of these! While I am not normally a huge fan of faux meat, I very much enjoyed this traditional German smokehouse sausage stick. This item takes home a blue ribbon in my book simply because it tastes good, it’s packed with protein (13 grams/serving) and it’s both organic and non-GMO verified while being totally cholesterol free! Though you can’t feed your horse one, I guarantee you’ll love the tasty deliciousness that makes for a great on-the-go snack (fits well into your saddlebags too!).

Harvest Snacks – Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps ~ Love savory snacks? Yes peas! For all you savory lovers, Harvest Crisps Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps are your new go-to, can’t-get-enough treat that creates a salty party in your mouth. These baked little goodies are seriously addictive. Made from 70% whole peas, these can’t-just-pop-one crisps are a good source of fiber, have low sodium (compared to potato chips) and you’ll need to buy two bags because you’ll simply polish off a bag in just one sitting (or one trail ride for us horse folks).

Macro Life Naturals Macro Greens – Chocolate-Cinnamon Nutrient Rich Superfood Bar ~ Organic! Cacao! Superfoods! These Macro Greens bars are really what they say they are – nutrient rich (dense), raw, filled with probiotics (8.5 billion), antioxidants, and fruits & veggies. Though I am generally a lover of all bars these do take some getting used to because of all “hidden” (or not so hidden) superfoods and greens. Macro Greens bars are not your average sugary protein bar, which claims to be good for you. These bars really are good for you, plus they have a low-glycemic index which won’t spike your blood sugar (good for people who have diabetes, cancer or are hypoglycemic). If you haven’t tried one, these bars will become a fast favorite amongst the no wheat or gluten free fans. They are preservative, soy, corn and artificial color free as well. Giddy up and climb on the superfood wagon!

Seaweed Love – Original Roasted Seaweed Snack ~ Get your seaweed on! We all know that seaweed is one of the most vitamin and mineral rich plants on the planet, right? Sea vegetables are filled with iodine which our bodies need but don’t make on their own. That’s why us vegans don’t need to eat fish (or take fish oil for that matter) because we go straight to the plant source to get what we need. These Seaweed Love packs are all natural, low-fat, have no MSG, no sugar, no trans fats and by nature are gluten and cholesterol free. You can add the seaweed strips into your favorite soup, rice or noodles, or eat them on their own (my personal favorite). Get your crunchy, salty, flaky and crispy fix on with a package of these – yeehaw!

Lady Jane – Toasted Hemp Seeds with Sea Salt ~ By far these toasted hemp seeds were like the unsuspecting Crackerjack prize of the entire Vegan Cuts Snack Box. Why? Because these little seedy goodies stopped me in my boots! Not only are these great to top on salads with but they make a perfect snack all on their own (by the handful). Serious deliciousness. And, the major bonus to eating these crunchy non-GMO tidbits is that they are a protein powerhouse, not to mention they are crammed with omegas 3 and 6. If you’re not careful, your horse might just nibble these right outta your hand!

Eat Green Tea.com – 100% Organic Edible Green Tea Whole Leaves ~ Hopefully I sound like a broken record (or someone who’s fallen off her horse waaaay too many times) when I say that green tea has amazing properties mostly due to its antioxidants and flavanoids. Old news, right? And we’ve all heard that drinking several cups a day can improve one’s health and even cure some ailments. But did you know that not all green tea is created equal and that there’s a huge difference in drinking green tea versus eating it? I had no idea, but eating green tea is way more beneficial than drinking the steeped tea leaves. So I tried it for myself. I loved it. Though I won’t claim to have felt the “effects” of this fabulous plant, I did enjoy eating it (why wait for a cup of water to boil when you can top the small dried leaves on to your favorite salad, into your smoothie or your shake?). Mix it up and try some dried leafy tea greens in your next meal!

On thing surprised me about the Snack Box was that more than half of the products were not organic (though I did notice many noted being non-GMO) and a couple of the products used palm oil (click here to learn more about the palm oil debate). I believe as a vegans it’s our responsibility to not only help create a more compassionate world, but to also to do so through education, which includes being smart shoppers. Did you know that every dollar you spend creates the world in which you want to live? We must put our dollars where they count most by supporting organic farming (veganic whenever possible) and by purchasing products that are GMO-free. It’s my hope that Vegan Cuts will create an all organic and GMO-free Snack Box in the near future!

While I am a huge advocate of eating fresh fruits and veggies as much as possible, Vegan Cuts does an awesome job in putting together an array of snack food items for all vegans on the go. The Snack Box was appropriately diverse in the product choices (from vegan sausage sticks to edible green tea leaves), a good number of items (10) were included  and they didn’t skimp like some other vegan subscription snack box companies I know. In addition to all the items included in the box, there were also coupons (a great way to purchase more of the vegan goodies you loved at a later date). All in all, this cowgirl gives one big yippy kai yay to the Vegan Cuts July 2013 Snack Box!

What are you waiting for? Get on your horse and sign up here to get your very own vegan Snack Box TODAY!

Yeehaw, Kayle xo