As someone obsessed with testing software and snacking healthy, I was intrigued when I first heard of NatureBox. I‘ve now tried their service first-hand. Keep reading for my fully transparent review after 3 months as a subscriber.
My Background Testing Apps and NatureBox Overview
With over 10 years of experience testing mobile apps, browsers, and devices, I know a quality product when I see one. I‘m Dan – nice to meet you!
I currently have a database of performance data across 3,500+ device and browser combinations. When it comes to analyzing a new product or service, I leave no stone left unturned.
NatureBox is a subscription snack company founded in 2012 that delivers healthy treats to your door each month. Their mission is to help people "snack happier via better snacks and less stress."
Here are the key NatureBox basics:
- $30/year membership gets you discounted pricing
- 100+ snack options across sweet, salty, crunchy, gluten-free, etc.
- Customizable boxes shipped every month
- Free shipping over $25 in contiguous US
- No artificial ingredients or corn syrup
But do these better-for-you snacks justify the premium pricing? After 3 months of personal testing, here‘s what I discovered…
Breaking Down Each NatureBox Snack Box
NatureBox offers a few different snack box types targeting specific needs. I tried the following boxes first-hand:
1. The Delightful Box
The Delightful Box contains approximately 20 snacks per shipment focused on taming sweet and salty cravings. Here were a few standouts for me:
- Honey Dijon Pretzels: Delicious crunch without going overboard on salt. These disappeared fast!
- Chocolate Granola Bars: Not too sweet and very satisfying post-lunch.
- Sweet & Salty Nut Medley: Fresh, bold flavors in each handful. The perfect 3pm pickup.
I‘d normally blow $10+ per week on office vending machine snacks. So at $50 total, the Delightful Box helped me save money and eat healthier at work.
2. The Pantry Essentials Box + Coffee
As a self-proclaimed coffee addict, I also gave the Pantry Essentials Box a shot. It came with the following:
- A bag of Equal Exchange breakfast blend coffee (very smooth!)
- Beef jerky and turkey jerky packs
- Roasted salted nuts
- Oatmeal packets in various flavors
While tasty, a lot of these are items I might pick up for less at my local grocery store. At $60 for the box, it felt a bit steep in comparison.
The coffee alone was valued at $12 based on retail pricing. So that definitely sweetened the deal. But ultimately this box was just okay – not my favorite NatureBox offering after testing.
Comparing NatureBox‘s Adaptogen & CBD Snacks
In addition to traditional snacks, NatureBox infuses certain products with trendy supplements:
Adaptogens like maca and turmeric help the body resist stress.
CBD (cannabidiol) offers benefits without the high feeling caused by THC.
Here‘s how they stacked up in my experience:
Adaptogen Snacks
I‘m a generally healthy guy, but still deal with occasional energy crashes. I tried NatureBox‘s Peanut Butter Maca Cookies, Turmeric Popcorn, and Matcha Energy Bites.
While they tasted great, I can‘t conclusively say the adaptogens provided a tangible boost. For $4 per pack, I likely won‘t continue buying them.
In my past testing, adaptogens like ashwagandha worked better for energy in isolate powder form. While beneficial over time, the functional doses here seemed low.
CBD Snacks
The Passion Fruit CBD Gummies were a nice treat, with solid tropical flavor. At 25mg of CBD per pack, they offered a decent bang for buck at $35 for a 30-pack.
For joint health and relaxation, broader spectrum CBD works well for me. So getting it through tasty NatureBox gummies was a nice value-add.
However, those very sensitive to dosage may prefer buying pure CBD oil drops with exact concentrations.
Details of NatureBox‘s Corporate & Office Snacking Program
Beyond individual homes, NatureBox offers a turnkey corporate snack box solution for offices big and small.
As someone who‘s spent years testing software integrations, I appreciated how seamless and flexible their business platform was:
- Group ordering made it easy to distribute snacks across our whole department
- Custom boxes ensured our team favorites were well-stocked
- Automatic delivery meant no more snack supply shortages!
- At $25 per box, it cost us less than our old chaotic approach
Our company breakroom used to be a free-for-all with people‘s half-eaten personal stashes crowding every shelf.
Implementing NatureBox helped streamline snacking for all employee preferences. It was a win-win for productivity and health.
And compared to other corporate catering we‘d coordinated for meetings and events, the $25 NatureBox price point was super reasonable.
NatureBox Membership Perks & Payment Breakdown
As a member, I took advantage of a few nice perks:
NatureBox Membership Perks
| Perk | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subscribe & Save | Save 5% per box |
| Customization | Ban unwanted snacks |
| Replacements | Don‘t like something? File a report to replace it |
| Flexibility | Cancel, pause or tweak anytime |
| New Arrivals | Try latest creations each month |
With the $30 annual fee, you‘re basically trying the service for free outside of your first shipment.
Here‘s a pricing breakdown:
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Annual membership | $30 |
| 20 snack box | $40+ |
| Total first month | ~$70 |
| Per box after | >$40 |
- Assuming 20 snacks per box at $2 avg. snack
So that shakes out to around $3.50 per snack – not bad considering a KIND bar runs $2 at the checkout line!
And thanks to portion control, a snack box lasted me about 2 weeks. So my cost per day was reasonably low, all things considered.
My Experience with NatureBox Customer Service & Reviews
Like testing browser compatibility, gauging real customer experiences is key for me in evaluating a service.
I read through hundreds of NatureBox reviews across trustworthy sites to identify common themes and concerns.
The average rating came out to 4 out of 5 stars in my research.
Here were the most called out pros among happy customers:
- High-quality and unique snacks
- Portion control helps reduce overeating
- Subscription ensures reliable delivery
- Wide variety satisfies cravings
- Nutrition focus fits health goals
And the most prevalent complaints I noticed:
- High price point doesn‘t suit all budgets
- Preference customization could be expanded
- Some quality control and shipping issues
Personally, I had no trouble customizing my monthly order to match my taste and health preferences.
The only hiccup I experienced was a broken bag of pretzels. But NatureBox promptly replaced it along with sending an extra snack. Their customer service is top-notch in my book!
Determining If NatureBox Is Worth the Investment
So when all is said and done, does a NatureBox subscription provide good value?
Here are the main pros and cons I discovered from first-hand testing:
Pros
- Massive snack variety keeps things interesting
- No fake or unhealthy ingredients
- Environmentally-friendly packaging
- Customization caters to preferences
- Portioning prevents overeating impulses
- Reduces waste from forgotten snacks going bad
Cons
- Snack pricing still higher than bulk self-shopping
- Some prefer total calorie control vs. just portions
- Rare quality issues like broken containers
For me, the convenience factor is well worth the premium pricing. Before NatureBox, I‘d waste tons of time debating office vending options plus money on unhealthy processed snacks.
By automating better choices that fit my routine, I eat healthier without added hassle. The nutritional focus suits my performance and health goals as I enter my 40s.
Could I save a few bucks only buying my staple almonds and protein bars in bulk? Sure. But I‘d end up bored, uninspired and wasting money on random gas station runs.
For affordable variety that keeps my snack game interesting, NatureBox is absolutely worth it in my book.
And compared to the $100+ monthly I‘ve spent on app analytics tools, NatureBox provides way more daily value!
Available Discounts, Promotions & Getting a Free Box
As a subscription service, NatureBox focuses more on membership perks than limited promos.
But they do offer some seasonal deals like gifting and referrals:
- Gift boxes around the holidays or for client thank you‘s
- Refer friends to get $20 in credit for you and your buddy
While I couldn‘t find any standalone coupon codes for first-time orders, NatureBox makes it easy to get your first box free.
When you sign-up initially, make sure to choose one of their higher quantity boxes:
| Box | # of Snacks |
|---|---|
| The Delightful Box | ~20 items |
| Pantry Essentials + Coffee | ~15 items |
Spend over $25 and you‘ll qualify for free shipping. Paired with the 5% Subscribe & Save member discount, your first order essentially costs $0 upfront!
How To Sign Up, Skip Months, and Cancel
Here are the quick steps I took to get started:
- Head to NatureBox‘s website and click "See How It Works"
- Browse snacks and select preferences
- Create an account and pay $30 membership fee
- Pick a box and receive first delivery within a week!
To pause deliveries, simply access My Box under your online account and toggle the "Snooze" button. This prevents getting billed or shipped another box until you resume.
Ready to cancel entirely? Contact NatureBox‘s customer service via:
- Email: [email protected]
- Chat: Visit site and look top right
- Phone: 844-624-6325
As long as you cancel 3+ days before your next billing date, you won‘t be charged another cent. Pausing and resuming is easy too if you just need a snack break!
The Final Takeaway: An Excellent Service Overall
I‘ll be blunt – I had high expectations for NatureBox‘s snacks and service to impress my product reviewer standards.
And I‘m happy to say that they delivered on all fronts!
Of course, a snack subscription won‘t solve all dietary concerns. Those strictly monitoring calories or carbs won‘t find NatureBox a perfect fit.
But for convenient variety that promotes mindful snacking habits, NatureBox checks all the boxes.
After closely evaluating their options and reliability after 3 months as a real-world customer, I gladly recommend NatureBox!
The food quality and transparency around sourcing reassured this picky eater. And the customization catered to my preferences beautifully once dialed in.
Considering I easily spent $100+ a month on random vending snacks anyway, paying a premium for healthier, tastier alternatives is a no brainer.
If you have any other questions about getting started or what to expect, feel free to reach out! I‘m happy to provide more insights from my first-hand testing.
And whatever snacking solution works for your lifestyle, remember that staying mindful, hydrated, and energized throughout the workday is what matters most.
Now if you‘ll excuse me, I have a fresh NatureBox delivery calling my name… 😋
Hope this overview helps provide a balanced perspective in making your own decision!
Enjoy those snacks,
Dan
