Do you often roam the aisles of your local supermarket looking for snacks that are healthy and tasty?
Do you feel like you're always stuck reaching for not-so-healthy options when snack attacks hit at work or home?
There's actually a way to improve your snack game without wandering any aisles.
I'm talking about Graze.
The company sends out subscription boxes containing eight separate and unique snacks.
I'm here to go on the record as saying that each box is a low-key treasure chest spilling over with sweet, salty, crunchy and chewy snack foods.
You've probably come across commercials for Graze while watching television or listening to podcasts.
I probably glazed over advertisements for Graze hundreds of times.
What finally got my attention?
My love affair with Graze started when I reached for a handful of what looked like ordinary granola bits drizzled in chocolate that a friend had placed on the table during a casual card night.
It turns out these granola chunks were actually little clumps of healthy heaven that had been delivered as part of a monthly Graze snack box.
The rest is snack history!
Why Graze Works for My Lifestyle
You might be wondering if trying out a Graze subscription is really worth your while.
It can be hard to justify paying for a snack delivery service if you live in a city that's full of grocery stores that carry all kinds of snacks.
My problem is that I live in an area that mostly has big-box stores and mainstream grocery chains.
I can find snacks in my city all day long.
The problem is that I can't find snacks that are made by smaller companies using healthy, organic ingredients.
I find it really hard to return to processed, salt-loaded and overly sugary snacks now that I'm hooked on the good stuff.
I have a particular weakness for the bars that Graze ships out.
Are Graze bars healthy?
All of the ones I've tried so far have been packed with things like pumpkin seeds, raw nuts, honey, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
I've actually used Graze's option to purchase single items directly from the company's website to get some of the bars that I consider to be pleasantly addictive.
Did I mention that Graze allows you to do that? You can buy as much as you like whenever you want to stock up on an item that you've fallen in love.
My Experience of Becoming a Graze Subscriber
The first thing that happened when I signed up was that Graze gave me some questions regarding my tastes and dietary preferences.
My answers are what ultimately helped Graze to tailor my boxes to be yummy to me.
Your Graze box will contain specific snacks that you find yummy.
Don't panic if you don't think you've answered your questions totally accurately.
Graze gives you the option to go back to change your preferences as often as you want.
In addition, the company uses a constant rating system to ensure that you're only getting snacks you actually want.
The Pros of Getting a Graze Subscription
I had one big concern going into my Graze experience.
In fact, this concern is what's kept me from signing up for other food-oriented subscription services in the past.
My lifestyle means that I'm gone for work for most of the daylight hours.
You already know how tough it can be to collect packages on your stoop if you work away from your home during the day.
I was having visions of huge boxes of food spoiling out in the sun each time my Graze box was delivered.
However, it turns out I didn't have to worry about that.
Graze never puts frozen or perishable items in its boxes.
You don't have to worry about meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables or other fresh foods that can go bad.
In addition, Graze smartly sized its boxes to fit inside standard mailboxes.
There's no need to worry that a hungry, nosy neighbor is going to spot your unattended Graze box sitting on your front porch.
Another thing about Graze that I really like is the fact that all of the snacks that come in your box are portable.
Snacks come in separate containers that are sealed tightly.
You can easily designate some of the items for your desk drawer at work.
I was under the impression that Graze was only a monthly service.
However, I learned when I went to sign up that you can actually choose to receive boxes weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks.
I'll admit I was relieved because I sort of wondered how one box of snacks was supposed to last me for an entire month.
There was one more concern I had about having boxes delivered to my place.
How was I supposed to keep up with my graze boxes during the months that I had to travel for work?
It's almost like Graze was made for busy people because this company actually allows you to skip deliveries or put the service on hold without any penalties.
I suppose I shouldn't have waited this long to get to the health angle.
Graze is probably most famous for being a healthy snack company.
My experience has been that Graze delivers on its promises to only deliver high-quality ingredients.
We both know that you can still overindulge on healthy snacks.
Graze gives you a way to work around a tendency to overindulge by providing correct portions of snacks.
I've actually found that snacks inside my Graze boxes are so satisfying on a nutritional level that I don't actually have the urge to keep reaching for more like I often do with typical snack foods.
I like the variety that Graze offers.
I've had a lot of fun trying out dried fruits, flavored nuts and artisan popcorn.
I'm not kidding when I say that this company really knows how to satisfy that snacking urge with really flavorful, healthy foods.
The Cons of Getting a Graze Subscription
I've got some bad news for anyone with food allergies.
Graze doesn't recommend its boxes if you suffer from food allergies.
The company does give you the option to rule out some options based on your taste preferences.
However, you shouldn't confuse that option with a promise for allergen-free snacks.
The good news is that vegans and people who avoid gluten actually have a lot to work with when it comes to Graze's boxes.
Of course, the variety of available snacks greatly diminishes once you rule out some ingredients and genres.
Another thing I will say is that picky eaters may not like the idea of having snacks picked out for them by other people.
What happens if Graze totally misses the mark one month? You can't return a Graze box.
However, Graze is one of the rare subscription companies that will allow you to cancel your membership whenever you want.
Graze does fold shipping costs into the price of your subscription.
However, shipping isn't automatically free if you decide to use Graze's website to order individual items that you like.
You will need to spend at least $20 on snacks to get free shipping for non-subscription orders.
My Final Thoughts on Graze
I want to clear up one popular misconception about Graze.
Most people think that you automatically get your first Graze box for free.
The truth is that you will get your first box for half the price of a regular box when you sign up for a regular subscription.
Graze may run free-box specials for new customers every now and then.
However, there was no special like that going on when I signed up.
My first box was $7.49 instead of the usual $14.99.
I think that the price for Graze is pretty fair when you consider that you're getting high-quality products that typically come from small, independent companies.
Your happiness with Graze will probably be decided by how much you like discovering new snacks that happen to be incredibly tasty and healthy.
I'll run through my pros and cons for you one more time.
What's The Verdict
I feel like Graze offers a way to celebrate your love of snacking without giving you permission to go crazy with junk food.
The portability of each snack compartment is what really makes Graze work for my lifestyle.
I also have to admit that opening up my boxes to try things that I've never tried before brings a little bit of joy to my life.
Satisfy your snack curiosity by trying Graze for yourself.