Are you fascinated by Japanese culture and long to explore the endless variety of snacks, ramen, and unique stationery that the Land of the Rising Sun has to offer?

In our in-depth ZenPop review, our family of four once again dives into the world of Japanese subscription boxes, including the tantalizing ZenPop snack box, flavorsome ramen box, and the creative stationary box.

Our ZenPop review: Is ZenPop worth it?

ZenPop has one of the biggest, if not the biggest, selection of boxes available, which include Japanese subscription boxes for snacks, ramen, stationary, anime, and more!

Keep reading to uncover our hands-on experiences, detailed insights, and find out how you can embark on a delightful Japanese journey right from your doorstep!

In this Zenpop review our family of four shares our hands-on:

• Zenpop Japanese snack box review
• ZenPop stationary box review
• ZenPop ramen box review

Plus we look at the other subscription boxes ZenPop offers, including the ZenPop anime box and limited edition box.

In a hurry? See ZenPop’s boxes here.

ZenPop Snack Box review

There are at least 20 or more new snacks to try in every box, making ZenPop one of the larger subscription boxes we tried.

ZenPop Japanese snack boxes are filled with colorful, high quality treats with a combo of savory and sweet items, bringing Japan’s fascinating food culture straight to your doorstep.

ZenPop snack boxes include candy, beverages, noodles, snacks and drinks, dagashi, chocolate, and seasonal treats. Each box also has a big bowl of ramen and a drink.

Each month’s box is themed differently, with themes like summertime snacks, Kyoto spring, Matsuri munchies, and more.

They offer four subscription plans:

• 12 month plan for $42/month
• 6 month plan for $43.42/month
• 3 month plan for $44.85/month
• a monthly plan for $46.27/month

Can I order just one box from ZenPop

To order just one box, choose the one month subscription plan and turn off automatic renewal immediately. Of all the snack boxes we tried, we found that ZenPop makes it the easiest just to order one box!

There’s also a non-recurring gift box option for the snack boxes, however, it unfortunately only comes in the three, six, or 12 months subscription packages. You can’t select a one month gift option.

Unless you turn off automatic renewal, all non-gift subscription plans (including the one month plan) automatically renew on the 2nd of the month following the receipt of your last pack.

ZenPop discount code!

We reached out to ZenPop, and they gave us a coupon code to give you an 800 Japanese Yen discount on your first order (that’s approximately $5.50 USD). The discount is automatically applied when you use our link below.

Get the discount automatically here.

Is the ZenPop snack box good for vegetarians, vegans or food allergies?

Is ZenPop suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Vegetarians and vegans are on their own with this box. Their website says that “Most Japanese food products are not vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Most of the instant noodles in our Ramen Box contain meat or fish products. Occasionally, some of the snacks in our Snack Box may contain animal products.”

With three vegetarians in our family, we decided to use our handheld translator to scan the ingredients list on the snacks, which worked well for us. We just passed the snacks containing meat to the omnivores nearby.

You can find information on allergens for items in the box on the ZenPop website, and they even come translated into English, French, Traditional and Simplified Chinese. The information booklet in your box has a QR code that leads to the website.

ZenPop Japanese stationery subscription box review

Every month, the ZenPop Stationery Box subscription brings a new and fun theme right to your door. Each month offers a new theme, from glimpses of traditional Japan to whimsical cute puppies, with plenty of variety.

Inside each box, you’ll find:

• High quality pens, pencils, or highlighters
• Unique, fun stickers
• Washi (Japanese paper) tape, which is lightweight and beautifully stylized, great for crafts and decorations
• Sticky notes, memo pads, or letter sets
• Plus new and novel items

This isn’t a huge box, physically, but there are plenty of fun items in here.

Overall, I thought ZenPop Stationery Pack provides a good value, with themed stationery that’s often hard to find elsewhere.

Our daughter, who’s 14, loved the box. She spent about an hour going through the box’s contents, and trying out the erasable highlighter marker (which was very cool!)

Though not everything in the box is perfect for me, the excitement of discovering new items kept me looking forward to the next month’s surprises!

The ZenPop Japanese subscription box has four subscription options:

• $42.42/month – monthly subscription
• $41.00/month – 3 months subscription
• $39.59/month – 6 month subscription
• $38.17/month – 12 month subscription

ZenPop ramen box review

In each ZenPop Ramen pack, you’ll find a minimum of seven full-sized servings of Japanese noodles, shipped straight from Japan, making for a hearty meal experience!

The box includes a selection of the latest and most popular instant noodles, plus some limited edition, regional, or seasonal items. You’ll also find favorites like tonkutsu, shoyu, and shio, plus the opportunity to explore dishes like udon, soba, and yakisoba.

Opening every pack feels a bit like a gastronomic journey to Japan. While some flavors and textures might not be for everyone, it offers a fun way to explore Japanese noodle culture from the comfort of your home!

True to their promise, our ZenPop ramen box had seven unique noodle selections.

We wasted no time trying our first ramen, a Hakata Nagahama Ramen from Marutai. Since the little booklet included in the box doesn’t list a lot of information about the ramen, if you want more detailed information on cooking instructions for the ramen, or on specific allergens, you’ll need to browse to the ZenPop website. There’s a QR code in the booklet that links to the ZenPop website.

The information on the website included cooking instructions for our Hakata Nagahama Ramen from Marutai, as well as information on allergens, and a detailed description of the ramen itself.

Using these instructions, we had a tasty bowl of noodles ready in no time. Since Charles is the only meat eater in our family, and this ramen contained pork, he was the taste tester on this one. It was a definite hit! Just look at all those noodles!

Are ZenPop ramen boxes suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

The short answer is: no. All seven of the ramen bowls in our box contained meat or seafood.

ZenPop ramen box cost

The ZenPop ramen subscription box has four options:

• $45.95/month monthly subscription
• $44.53/month 3 months subscription
• $42.12/month 6 month subscription
• $41.71/month 12 month subscription

ZenPop Limited Edition boxes

In addition to the snack, stationary, and ramen boxes, ZenPop also offers limited edition boxes. Limited edition boxes that have themes like the Asobou Box (Japanese Toy Box).

There are new themes with different limited edition products available on a regular basis, so keep checking back.

Only small runs of each limited edition pack are available, and no two packs are ever the same.

ZenPop anime boxes

Are you an anime fan? ZenPop also has an anime subscription box option.

ZenPop anime packs change monthly. Each month offers new themes, with new products. No two packs are ever the same.

After exploring ZenPop’s offerings, our family had an interesting glimpse into Japanese culture.

Want to try ZenPop? Use our ZenPop promo code!

We reached out to ZenPop, and they passed on a coupon code for a 800 Japanese Yen discount on your first order (that’s approximately $5.50 USD)! The discount is automatically applied when you use our link, below.

Get the discount automatically here.

Have you tried ZenPop? What did you think? Share your ZenPop review in the comments!

Our family of four taste-testers embarked on a culinary journey through these two impressive Japanese snack subscription boxes. Both are significant challengers, offering an array of tantalizing treats, each sporting an attractive price tag, and both with the benefit of free worldwide shipping. Let the flavor battle commence!

We’ve talked before about TokyoTreat snack boxes, and what we enjoyed the most about them. Today we try another TokyoTreat box, and compare it to one of their competitors: Bokksu.

Get Tokyo Treat now.

Get ready globetrotters, foodies, and Japan enthusiasts, as we unpack a savory and sweet showdown between TokyoTreat and Bokksu, two titans of the Japanese snack subscription box world.

The pressing question of the day: which box of Japanese delicacies truly delivers the most authentic and delicious experience?

Sure, they both come with a palatable price point and the allure of free worldwide shipping – a definite nod of approval there!

But each comes with its unique blend of goodies, promising a different yet equally exciting venture into the realm of Japanese snacks.

So, fasten your seat belts and whet your appetites as we dive headfirst into this taste-off to see which box can truly transport your senses to the streets of Japan!

TokyoTreat vs Bokksu

Ever fantasized about a dusk-time ramble through Kyoto’s lantern-lit lanes or a mid-afternoon saunter through Hokkaido’s bustling markets, all while indulging in Japan’s intriguing munchies?

No matter if you’ve already wandered through Japan’s mesmerizing streets, dreamt about a culinary adventure on the island nation, or just have an insatiable curiosity for unique snacks, this review is your one-way ticket to a genuine Japanese taste-venture.

Cozy up and ready your palates, folks, because we’re about to delve into the TokyoTreat and Bokksu subscription boxes – your express ticket to Japan’s edible treasures!

We’ll talk about what both Japanese snack boxes do well, what they have in common, and what they do differently,

Let’s look at TokyoTreat and Bokksu and see which we liked better!

First impressions

Let’s embark on a gastronomic odyssey through Japan’s snack-scape with TokyoTreat and Bokksu!

Both boxes arrived on our doorstep in good condition, and on time.

The most obvious difference here is that TokyoTreat’s box is much larger!

Both boxes came with a helpful, and detailed, booklet describing the snacks, and talking about Japanese culture.

The Bokksu booklet had a section that taught a few Japanese words, which was a lot of fun.

The TokyoTreat booklet was 25 pages long, and packed full of interesting facts about Okinawa, photos and descriptions of each snack, and a contest. The book opened on the left hand side, like Japanese language books do, and I thought that was a neat detail. The theme for this box was Okinawa seaside snacks.

What’s in the Tokyo Treat box?

• 15 to 20 full size Japanese snacks
• 1,300g (2.86 lbs) or more in each Tokyo Treat box
• Tokyo Treat boxes include exclusive Japanese drinks, instant ramen, rare Japanese KitKat flavors, salty and crunchy chips or snacks, fun candy, plus cakes, cookies and breads.
• Each box includes a 24 page culture guide, with photos of the snacks, and a full description.

What’s in the Bokksu box?

Each Bokksu box comes with 22 Japanese snacks, candies, and tea

• Bokksu boxes include treats like mochi, senbei and cakes, with a mix of sweet and savory, a new tea pairing, and Bokksu exclusives made by local makers only for Bokksu
• a 24 page guide

The snacks

Both boxes were packed full of delicious snacks!

The larger TokyoTreat box was full of 20 full size snacks, Japanese drinks, instant ramen, rare Japanese KitKat flavors, salty and crunchy chips or snacks, fun candy, plus cakes, cookies and breads.

This is the third ToyoTreat box we’ve gotten, and all three have been equally full of great snacks.

The Bokksu box comes packed with 21 snacks, including tea, aligning the total count of delicacies in both boxes. However, the composition of these treats varies between the two.

The goodies from both boxes were fantastic and rocked my taste buds!

One of the first snacks we tried from TokyoTreat was the cookies and cream KitKats, and they were delicious, and definitely satisfied our sweet cravings.

Sure, I’ve still got a bunch of snacks to munch through, but let me tell you, both boxes have absolutely smashed it this month. They’re both killin’ the snack game, no doubt about it!

Get Tokyo Treat now.

See our full Tokyo Treat review here.

Bokksu snack boxes are geared to display Japanese culture and support small family-run businesses in Japan. They say they directly source their artisanal snacks from local snack makers in Japan, rather than using commercial snacks.

Bokksu’s boxes change each month, and focus on a theme that’s curated around Japanese holidays, festivals, and prefectures

Shipping is free on all subscriptions, and they ship to a long list of countries.

While the Bokksu snacks were delicious and unique, there are a couple of places where the Bokksu box doesn’t quite measure up.

First, the Bokksu box doesn’t include a Japanese drink, while TokyoTreat does.

Secondly, if you’re a fan of ramen, you’re out of luck with the Bokksu box, as our box didn’t include a ramen offering, but TokyoTreat did.

There’s even a recipe in the TokyoTreat box, outlining how to serve it with summer toppings like cucumber, ham, egg and special furikake on top.

TokyoTreat vs Bokksu – which is more affordable?

Bokksu lets you choose a 12 month, 6 month, 3 month, or monthly subscription.

• 12 months for $39.99/month
• 6 months for $43.99/month
• 3 months for $45.99/month
• 1 month for $49.99/month

TokyoTreat offers four subscription plans:

• 12 month plan for $32.50/month
• 6 month plan for $33.50/month
• 3 month plan for $35.50/month
• a monthly plan for $37.50/month

TokyoTreat definitely wins out for cost. They’re cheaper for all four subscriptions.

If you want the best value, TokyoTreat’s 12 month plan is only $32.50, while Bokksu will set you back $39.99 per month. If you just want to try a month-to-month subscription, ToyoTreat’s is just $37.50 for a month, while Bokksu is $49.99.

TokyoTreat vs Bokksu for vegetarians, food allergies, and dietary restrictions

What I really like about TokyoTreat is that there’s complete information on allergens in the box.

Since three of the four members of our family are vegetarian, I really appreciated that each snack item was marked as safe for vegetarians (or not) in the culture guide.

Bokksu also hits the mark here, with allergens and vegetarian friendly snacks clearly marked in the booklet.

Which is better – TokyoTreat or Bokksu?

TokyoTreat and Bokksu both offer high quality Japanese snack boxes, and I think most people would love either one. For me, the winner lies in the details, price, and size.

TokyoTreat is the clear winner in box size and price as well. On top of that, the TokyoTreat boxes are always fun, colorful and full of great snacks, and come with ramen and a drink, which Bokksu doesn’t offer.

From the moment the TokyoTreat box comes in the mail, to the moment each snack is done, I feel like we’ve been transported to Japan without ever leaving our home.

Get Tokyo Treat now.

Gather ’round, folks, because our family is taking a deep dive into the Japan Candy Box. We’re asking the big question today: is this sweet deal really worth it?

Sure, it’s got a pretty neat price tag and the worldwide shipping is free – that’s a massive thumbs up! But it’s also one of the smaller treasure chests we’ve opened up, with just 10 goodies tucked inside. So, let’s buckle up and see if this petite package truly packs a punch!

Ever fancied a late-night stroll down Tokyo’s glowing streets, or a surprise find in an Osaka back-alley shop, all while savoring Japan’s oh-so-sweet goodies? Well, pull up a chair and grab your chopsticks, because we’re about to unbox the Japan Candy Box – your express delivery of Japan’s yummiest treasures!

Whether you’ve navigated Japan’s labyrinth-like lanes, daydream about the land of the rising sun, or just love trying out outlandish flavors, this review’s got you covered. So, let’s take a wild ride through Japan’s candy wonderland.

Curious? See Japan Candy Box’s prices now.

Japan Candy Box Review

And here’s the cherry on top – we’ve got a contest where one lucky reader can score their very own Japan Candy Box! So, let’s take a wild ride through Japan’s candy wonderland. Keep scrolling to the end, because a sugar rush – and possibly a whole box of sweetness – could be just a scroll away!

Alright, buckle up folks, we’re diving in! First things first, the Japan Candy Box may not be the largest kid on the Japanese snack block, but it sure is one of the most affordable. And it offers free worldwide shipping – yep, FREE! So no matter where on the globe you’re indulging your sweet tooth, this box has got you covered.

Here’s how it works: you pick a plan that suits your snacking style, place an order, and voila! Your first box of delicious Japanese goodies ships out.

Japan Candy Box cost

You’ve got three options – a monthly plan, a 6-month plan, or a whole year of candy!

Pricing’s pretty sweet (in US dollars):

• monthly plan is $29.90/month
• 6-month plan is $27.90/month
• 12-month plan is $24.90/month

Get Japan Candy Box now.

What to expect in each box

No matter which plan you pick, you’re in for a treat – literally. Each box comes packed with 10 exclusive Japanese munchies. We’re talking popular brands like Pocky, Hi-Chew, Pretz, Jagabee – the list goes on! Each box is a surprise mix of traditional flavors like matcha and wasabi, Japanese Kit Kat, chewy candy, sour candy, character snacks, and DIY candy kits.

Charles couldn’t resist the Mentos DUO muscat and soda candy – he polished it off before I could snap a pic, so I had do do a little questionable Photoshop magic to show you! These Mentos are one of his new favorite snacks!

I love spicy food, so I went straight for the super spicy mania red and green peppers corn snacks. They definitely delivered on the spicy part! I’d put the spicy level right up there with the spiciest chips you’ll find in a Doritos Roulette bag.

The Japanese snacks here are definitely something that I’ve never seen in North America. One of the first ones I tried was the LOOK Japanese Tea House tea flavored chocolate. These are tiny milk chocolate squares flavored with Hojicha roasted green tea and Genmai Che brown rice tea. Our family was mixed on this – our son and I liked them, but Charles and our daughter weren’t as convinced.

Our son and daughter split the coveted Kit Kat Matcha Latte Chocolate bar, and reported back to me that it was every bit as tasty as they expected.

There are plenty of other interesting flavors in the box, including the Umaibo Yakitori Corn Stick Snack. This is a popular dagashi – a crunchy corn snack that tastes like yakitori, a beloved street snack of grilled chicken skewers with a sweet soy glaze.

Each box ships with a cute, helpful information booklet. The booklet describes each snack that you’ll receive, with an accompanying picture to help you identify it. It also talks a bit about the theme of the box – our theme was Time Travel Treats, with both traditional and modern snacks.

The booklet was incredibly helpful for us, as writing on the snacks is almost exclusively Japanese, and none of us can read the language. Even with a photo translation app, it was helpful to be able to just look at the photo in the booklet, and know a bit about the snack.

Is Japan Candy box good for vegans or gluten free?

Now, if you’re a vegan or on a gluten-free diet, be aware that Japanese manufacturers usually don’t specify if their snacks fit the bill. Some larger snacks do have ingredients listed on the label (in Japanese, of course), so you can whip out your handheld translator device and check for yourself.

Can I order only one box?

Fancy just a one-time candy spree? No problem! Pick the 1-month plan and cancel it after your first box is shipped, and before your renewal date, or you’ll be charged for the next month.

Can I cancel my subscription?

Do remember that 6-month and 12-month plans can’t be canceled or refunded after the first box has shipped. If you do need to cancel, simply log into your account. Just be sure to do this before your subscription renewal’s first box has shipped.

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Japan Candy Box’s refer-a-friend program

Japan Candy Box has a refer-a-friend program.

The program lets you invite friends to enjoy their own Japan Candy Box and you get $5 USD credit to your account for every friend who successfully subscribes! This isn’t cash in hand – the $5 goes onto your account as a credit for future purchases. If you have a subscription, it’s automatically applied to your next renewal.

Japan Candy Store

But hey, let’s say you’ve fallen head over heels for a particular treat. Or maybe you want to skip the surprise factor and pick out your favorites straight away. Japan Candy Store’s got you!

With a mammoth selection of Japanese candy and snacks, this online store’s got all your cravings covered, from candy and cookies to chocolates and even grocery items. They’ve got Japanese Kit Kats, Pocky, DIY candy kits, Hi-Chew, matcha treats, and even mouthwatering ramen.

Charles’ favorite Mentos DUO Candy – Muscat & Soda? Yeah, they’ve got that too! I’m sneaking some into his next Christmas stocking – but let’s keep that between us, alright?

Just like the Japan Candy Box, the store offers online order tracking once you get your shipping email. So you’re never left wondering where your sweet haul is! So, what are you waiting for? Hop on the Japanese candy express and let the snacking adventure begin!

Check out Japan Candy Store now.

It’s contest time!

Looking to score yourself a sweet, sweet Japan Candy Box for yourself. Look no further – just enter our contest below*!

*Contest is run by Japan Candy Box. The Barefoot Nomad is not responsible for prize fulfilment.

Looking for the best Japanese snack subscription boxes? Our family of four gives the most popular snack boxes a try, and we name our favorites in our personal, hands-on review.

Japan’s unique snacks are an unforgettable part of any trip to Japan.

Have you dreamt of exploring the rich and diverse flavors of Japan from the comfort of your home?

Whether you’re a first-time traveler eager to pre-taste the vibrant and unique culture, or a seasoned Japan traveler missing those special treats, there’s a subscription box just for you.

In a hurry? Our top picks

• Best for families or big snackers: Tokyo Treat
• Best for high quality regional snacks: Sakuraco
• Cheapest Japanese snack subscription box: Japan Candy Box
• Strongest focus on Japanese culture and supporting small Japanese businesses: Bokksu
• Biggest selection of boxes – snacks, ramen, stationary, anime, and more ZenPop

We got our first Japanese subscription box a couple of years ago, and fell in love with the (to our Canadian tastes) unusual, fun, and tasty snacks inside. Since then, we’ve had a chance to try many different snack subscription boxes from Japan, and now we can share the pros and cons of each.

Why get a Japanese subscription box?

First off, the convenience is unreal! Picture this: you’re relaxing, maybe binge-watching your favorite anime, and BAM! A box filled with unique Japanese snacks lands at your doorstep. No more scavenger hunts in the international food aisle trying to dig up those rare treats. Pretty cool, right?

And let’s chat about the range of snacks you get. These boxes are like a fun foodie tour around Japan! You get everything from Kyoto’s lush matcha goodies (green tea heaven, anyone?) to Hokkaido’s sweet red bean yummies to Okinawa’s tasty seaweed crunchies.

Oh, did I mention surprises? Because every month is surprise time! Just when you think you’ve tasted it all, you’ll find another trove of snack treasures waiting for you. It’s like getting a birthday present every month (only this one’s full of snacks and not another pair of socks from Aunt Bertha).

And it’s not just about the snacks. These boxes give you a real taste of Japanese culture (quite literally!) You’ll often find little nuggets about where the snacks come from, their history, and how the locals enjoy them.

If you have specific dietary needs, don’t worry, you’re not left out. Many of the better snack boxes have you covered with vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free snack options, so everyone can join the Japanese snack party.

So, follow along with us as we personally compare the best Japanese snack boxes in our independent review.

How do Japanese snack subscription boxes work?

A Japanese snack subscription box, like Tokyo Treat or Sakuraco, is like getting a surprise present every month, filled with yummy snacks from Japan!

These boxes have different treats inside, like candies, chips, and cookies, all from Japan. They often have interesting flavors and cute packaging that you might not find in your local stores.

When you sign up, the company sends you a new box each month, so you get to try lots of different snacks and have a fun taste adventure without even leaving your house! It’s like having a tiny bit of Japan delivered right to your doorstep.

What to look for in a good Japanese candy or snack subscription box

When choosing a Japanese snack subscription box, be mindful of a few things to avoid. Ensure the box offers a good mix of sweet, savory, and unique snacks, as limited variety might get boring over time.

If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, look for a subscription box that clearly marks allergens. Not all of them do!

Be cautious of hidden fees, high shipping costs, or extra charges for customization. Choose subscriptions that offer different plans, like monthly, bi-monthly, or one-time purchase options and then purchase accordingly.

Lastly, find a subscription box that includes a guide or booklet with information about the snacks, their ingredients, and their origins in your native language, so you can appreciate and enjoy the treats even more.

By considering these factors, you can find a Japanese snack subscription box that offers delicious treats, caters to your preferences, and provides a delightful experience.

Best Japanese Snack Subscription Boxes

We’ve tried most of these boxes first hand, and give you our honest opinion of what’s good and what isn’t. We share which one offers the best selection, caters to specific dietary requirements, or provides the most value for the cost.

All prices are in USD, unless we note otherwise.

Tokyo Treat

Tokyo Treat is one of the biggest, and best, Japanese snack boxes out there.

We’re big fans, as the boxes we get are always packed full of tasty treats, drinks, and a wonderful guide with helpful cultural information and a description each snack.

We’ve gotten the Tokyo Treat box a few times, and we’re always impressed. The boxes are big, and the treats inside are full size.

The ramen is a standard portion – it’s big enough that our two teenagers wanted to share it!

What’s in the Tokyo Treat box?

• 15 to 20 full size Japanese snacks
• 1,300 g (2.86 lbs) or more in each box
• Tokyo Treat boxes include exclusive Japanese drinks, instant ramen, rare Japanese KitKat flavors, salty and crunchy chips or snacks, fun candy, plus cakes, cookies and breads.
• Each box includes a 24 page culture guide, with photos of the snacks, and a full description.

What I really like is that there’s complete information on allergens in the box.

Since three of the four members of our family are vegetarian, I really appreciated that each snack item was marked as safe for vegetarians (or not) in the culture guide.

They offer four subscription plans:

• 12 month plan for $32.50/month
• 6 month plan for $33.50/month
• 3 month plan for $35.50/month
• a monthly plan for $37.50/month

Get Tokyo Treat now.

See our full Tokyo Treat review here.

Sakurako

Sakurako is always a hit in our house.

While the boxes are smaller than Tokyo Treat, there’s a real emphasis on quality snacks made by smaller, local Japanese businesses.

Each Sakuraco box includes 20 authentic Japanese snacks and candy.

That includes traditional Japanese treats (wagashi), and afternoon tea pairing (like matcha or hojicha), snacks like senbei or konpeito. It also includes authentic home goods like ceramics or chopsticks. Every box includes a 24 page snack and culture guide.

There’s a new theme each month.

Sakuraco works with many Japanese family-owned businesses to source and deliver Japanese tea, sweets and snacks from local makers.

There’s a full guide inside each Sakuraco box, with nutritional information and allergy information.

The guide also includes detailed information on the snacks and snack makers, with an emphasis on Japanese culture.

They offer four subscription plans:

• 12 month plan for $32.50/month
• 6 month plan for $33.50/month
• 3 month plan for $35.50/month
• a monthly plan for $37.50/month

See prices at Sakuraco.

Read our full Sakurako review.

ZenPop Japanese Snack Box

ZenPop Japanese snack boxes are cute, high quality treats with a combo of savory and sweet items, bringing Japan’s fascinating food culture brought straight to your doorstep.

There are at least 20 or more new things to try in every box, making ZenPop one of the larger subscription boxes we tried.

ZenPop snack boxes include candy, beverages, noodles, snacks and drinks, dagashi, chocolate, and seasonal treats. Each box has a big bowl of ramen and a drink.

Each month’s box is themed differently, with themes like summertime snacks, Kyoto spring, Matsuri munchies, and more.

They offer four subscription plans:

• 12 month plan for $42/month
• 6 month plan for $43.42/month
• 3 month plan for $44.85/month
• a monthly plan for $46.27/month

To order just one box, choose the one month subscription plan and turn off automatic renewal immediately. Of all the snack boxes we tried, we found that ZenPop makes it the easiest just to order one box!

Unless you turn off automatic renewal, all subscription plans (including the one month plan) automatically renew on the 2nd of the month following the receipt of your last pack.

You can find information on allergens for items in the box on the ZenPop website translated into English, French, Traditional and Simplified Chinese. The information booklet in your box has a QR code that leads to the website.

Is ZenPop suitable for vegetarians and vegans? Vegetarians and vegans are on their own with this box. Their website says that “Most Japanese food products are not vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Most of the instant noodles in our Ramen Box contain meat or fish products. Occasionally, some of the snacks in our Snack Box may contain animal products.”

With three vegetarians in our family, we decided to use our handheld translator to scan the ingredients list on the snacks, which worked well for us. This was fine since we just passed the snacks containing meat to the carnivores.

If you’re looking for other Japanese goods, ZenPop has different types of subscription boxes, including food, ramen, stationary, anime and occasional limited edition boxes that have themes like the Asobou Box (Japanese Toy Box).

Read our dedicated ZenPop review here.

We reached out to ZenPop, and they gave us a code to give you an 800 Japanese Yen discount on your first order (that’s approximately $5.50 USD). The discount is automatically applied when you use our link, below.

Get the discount automatically here.

Bokksu

Bokksu snack boxes are geared to display Japanese culture and support small family-run businesses in Japan. They say they directly source their artisanal snacks from local snack makers in Japan, rather than using commercial snacks.

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A post shared by Bokksu (@bokksu)

Each Bokksu box comes with 22 Japanese snacks, candies, and tea. The box includes treats like mochi, senbei and cakes, with a mix of sweet and savory, a new tea pairing, a 24 page guide, and Bokksu exclusives made by local makers only for Bokksu.

Bokksu’s boxes change each month, and focus on a theme that’s curated around Japanese holidays, festivals, and prefectures

Shipping is free on all subscriptions.

They ship to a long list of countries.

You can choose a 12 month, 6 month, 3 month, or monthly subscription.

• 12 months for $39.99/month
• 6 months for $43.99/month
• 3 months for $45.99/month
• 1 month for $49.99/month

Visit the Bokksu website.

Japan Candy Box

The Japan Candy Box subscription contains popular snacks, DIY candy kits, traditional treats, chocolate, exclusives, potato chips, ramen noodle snacks, and dagashi. You’ll find popular brands like Pocky, Hi-Chew, Pretz, Jagabee.

This is one of the smaller boxes in our list, with 10 exclusive Japanese treats each month, but it comes in at a lower price point than the larger boxes.

Subscription boxes with Japan Candy box aren’t generally themed.

Shipping is free on all subscriptions. You’ll get your first box 2-4 weeks after you place your order.

Subscriptions cost:

• 12 months for $24.90/month
• 6 months for $27.90/month
• 1 month for $29.90/month

Those prices make Japan Candy Box the cheapest Japanese snack subscription box in our review.

With every plan, you prepay the entire amount of the subscription up front. For example, if you choose the 12 month plan, you’d pay 298.80 in advance (12 * $24.90/month).

Your subscription renews automatically. You can cancel your subscription, but if you have already paid for the next box and it has been assigned a tracking code, you won’t get a refund.

Important: The six and 12 month plans can’t be canceled or refunded after the first box has been shipped.

To get only one box, choose the one month subscription and cancel it after it’s shipped.

Japan Candy Box isn’t vegan or gluten free. They say they can’t guarantee snacks don’t include animal based products or gluten, since Japanese manufacturers usually don’t specify if the snacks are gluten-free or vegan.

Want to learn more? See our dedicated Japan Candy box review here.

See Japan Candy Box subscriptions here.

Japan Crate

Japan Crate‘s boxes include 18 to 20 snacks and candies, including sweet, crunchy and chewy treats, plus an exclusive drink from Japan.

They’re a fun crate to open, with bright colored branding, plus fun box themes, like a bullet train themed box.

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There area even chances to win fun prizes like a round trip ticket on a Japanese bullet train.

The Japan Crate subscription costs:

• 12 month plan for $45.79/month
• 6 month plan for $46.95/month
• 3 month plan for $47.95/month
• 1 month for $49.95/month

There’s free shipping from Japan.

Visit Japan Crate here.

Umai Crate

Japan Crate also has an Umai Crate, which is a their Japanese ramen subscription box.

The Umai Crate includes 8 to 10 of Japan’s easy and quick instant noodles, a bonus culinary item, an exclusive recipe card using items inside the crate, plus an easy-to-follow booklet with translations and instructions.

• 12 months $45.79/month
• 6 months for $46.95/month
• 3 months for $47.95/month
• 1 month for $49.95/month

See the Umai crate.

MunchPak

MunchPak is a subscription box for snacks from around the world.

Their boxes aren’t exclusively made of Japanese snacks, but boxes often include Japanese snacks, along with snacks from other countries.

Each box is filled with new and popular snacks from around the world.

You can even add soda to your MunchPak for a $6 fee.

There’s a guide inside each box with interesting facts and information on the snacks you receive.

Shipping to the USA is free, but there are varying charges for international shipping, depending on which country you’re shipping to.

Like most of the other subscription boxes, MunchPak charges for your entire 3, 6, or 12 month subscription up front.

Your subscription renews automatically. You can cancel or pause your subscription anytime before you’ve been charged for your subscription.

MunchPaks are shipped within 72 hours after your order is processed and payment is received. 

Subscriptions cost:

• 12 month plan for 22.95/month
• 6 month plan for 24.95/month
• 3 month plan for 25.95/month
• 1 month for $26.95

If you really love something in your box, MunchPak also has an online store where you can buy individual items.

See MunchPak’s boxes.

Manga Spice Cafe

Love Manga? Manga Spice Café is a monthly manga maid café in a box!

Because it’s all about manga, it’s not necessarily Japanese only.

Each box has:

• 3 brand new manga
• 5-6 Asian snacks (including a drink)
• an info sheet
• a unique, themed anime maid mascot

Snacks include sweet and savory items, and can include classic Pocky, Korean BBQ chips, mochi cakes, a special cafe drink, sangria juices and herbal dessert teas.

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Manga Spice Cafe has two subscription options:

• USA month-to-month subscription
• International subscription, available for Canada, the UK, or the rest of the world

Cost and shipping details:

• Cost: USA $29.50/month, Canada $39.50/month, UK $39.50 GBP/month, international $39.50/month
• Shipping: USA $5.95 shipping, Canada (a pretty eye-watering) $18.25 shipping fee, UK 13.81 GBP shipping fee, international $18.25 shipping fee

All subscriptions renew automatically, and you can cancel anytime.

See more here.

Japanese candy box with no subscription

Not sure if you want Japanese snacks every month? We have you covered.

If you’re in the mood for a one time Japanese snack box, we have a few choices for you as well.

Goldbelly

Goldbelly offers boxes of unique Japanese sweets from the renowned Patisserie Tomoko in Paris.

Honestly, these look absolutely amazing.

Goldbelly’s The Best of Tomoko Sweets box by Patisserie Tomoko is a one time box.

The box costs $89.95 USD with free shipping to the USA.

The package contains six boxes of Japanese-inspired pastry specialties.

IMPORTANT: Put the items in the fridge immediately on arrival.

Treats come in a beautiful gift box, and include:

• 3 pieces of assorted mochi
• 5 assorted macarons
• 1 box of yuzu cookies
• 1 box of caramel nut sandwiches
• 1 box of Patisserie Tomoko’s crunch

They ship to the USA only.

You can see the full ingredients on the Goldbelly website to check for allergens, or to see if the box is suitable for your vegetarian, vegan or gluten free diet.

See the Goldbelly’s Tomoko sweets box here.

Sign up with this link to get $25 off your first order on Goldbelly (we get $25 too).

Japanese Snack box on Amazon

There are only a handful of quality one-time Japanese snack boxes available on Amazon.

Kawaii Treat (one time box)

The Kawaii Sweet Japanese snack box comes with 15 items, and weighs in at 1.2 kg. It includes snacks, ramen, noodles, KitKats, drinks and more.

There’s even a booklet with allergy and vegetarian information and information about the sweets.

It’s delivered directly from Japan.

See Kawaii treat box on Amazon here.

Sanrio Hello Kitty Snack Box

The Sanrio Hello Kitty Snack Box has an assortment of unique Japanese snacks, candy, and drinks.

The total weight is 65.6 ounces.

There’s no information on vegan, vegetarian or gluten free options, but each box might contain wheat, soy, dairy, peanuts, and/or tree nuts.

See the Sanrio Hello Kitty Snack Box on Amazon here.

The Best Japanese Snack Packs

No matter which Japanese snack pack you get, whether it’s a year long subscription or just a one time purchase, you’re sure to receive something new to you, even if you’ve lived in Japan for years.

We love the variety and especially love the full color English booklets most come with. Not only do they give some background information but they also translate what you’re eating.

Looking to find out a bit more on each snack you’ve received? Make sure to grab the Google Translate app on your phone or tablet and use the Google Lens camera auto translate feature. The translations are often quite humorous however that’s half the fun. We’ve also opened many without reading anything about them first and had the opportunity to taste some very interesting flavors and textures we might never have experienced otherwise.

Do you have a favorite Japanese snack? Let us know in the comments below! We’d love to learn more!

Our family of four has made Kelowna, British Columbia, our home town for the past eight years. Giving us plenty of time to check out the local breakfast and brunch scene.

From farm-to-table spots to cozy cafes and trendy downtown diners, there is something for everyone in this vibrant city.

Imagine indulging in locally-sourced ingredients, expertly prepared and plated with care, all while enjoying breathtaking views of the Okanagan Valley. Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty breakfast or a leisurely brunch, Kelowna has it all.

Of course, one person’s list of the best breakfast places in Kelowna is going to be different than another person’s.

For the most part, we focus on places to eat that are open early for breakfast, but we do have a section at the end of the article that goes into the best brunch in Kelowna. Generally, we think of brunch and breakfast as the same thing, but brunch usually starts later, at around 10 or so, and is often an little more fancy (though not always).

We’ll go back and add to this list as we try new brunch and breakfast restaurants that open, and remove ones that close.

Best Breakfast in Kelowna

Breakfast is one of the many fun things to do in Kelowna with the family! Grab your friends, family, significant other, or enjoy a solo break, and head out to explore the many breakfast spots in Kelowna. From classic Canadian fare to international cuisine, you’re sure to find your new favorite spot.

Best Breakfast Places in Kelowna

Do I need breakfast reservations in Kelowna? Yes, you’ll sometimes need to make a reservation, depending on the restaurant, the time of year and whether it’s a Saturday or Sunday (with weekends usually much busier than weekdays). Many of the more popular brunch and breakfast places are also quite busy during the summer tourist season, with July to August especially so.

I use OpenTable Kelowna to make my reservations, as it’s the biggest restaurant reservation booking service in the city. I’ve tried it before to get reservations at busy Vancouver restaurants, and booking was smooth and easy in Kelowna as well.

Porter’s Kelowna

Porter’s is a fairly new, and welcome, addition to Kelowna’s breakfast scene. It’s located next to the Landmark District, in the old MTL building.

There’s a solid breakfast and brunch menu here, packed with classics like fried chicken and waffles, eggs benny, and more. There are also some more adventurous items, like the Japanese style soufflé pancakes, and several vegetarian options.

Charles tried the soufflé pancakes. They’re Japanese style soufflé pancakes, served with vanilla sweet cream, seasonal fruit compote, streusel, and your choice of maple, nut brown syrup or black currant sour syrup.

Charles couldn’t quite decide, so our helpful server brought us four syrups to try which also included a salted maple syrup. Three of those syrups are made in house at the next door Copper Brewing Company however the Black Currant Sour syrup won out as his favorite in the end!

I tried the yogurt bowl, which was delicious with creamy Greek yogurt, house made granola, seeds, seasonal fruit compote (made in house as well), and fresh fruit.

My latte was perfect, made from coffee beans from fair trade local roaster, Craft 42 Roasters.

The Jammery Kelowna

The original The Jammery location was featured on The Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here! The original location is in Lake Country, and just over 20 minutes from Kelowna’s downtown.

They’ve opened a new location in Kelowna proper. While the new Kelowna location (at 2463 Highway 97), has the same great food as the original, the atmosphere couldn’t be more different.

The rambling original Jammery location has a quaint, rustic farmhouse feel, with a large giftshop. The giftshop is overseen by a large, stuffed bear (which children adore!), and has an abundance of jams (made in house), and local foods and gifts.

The new location in Kelowna is modern, with a tiny gift area, so it just doesn’t have that kitschy charm of the Lake Country location however the food’s as good as the original Jammery. That said, for me, it’s worth a few more minutes drive to get to the Lake Country location.

My favorite dish at the Jammery is the All You Can Eat waffles, with their house made topping made from Okanagan fruit. They have six kinds of eggs benedict on the menu, omelets, plus French toast, crepes, a breakfast paella, and traditional breakfasts. There’s even a vegan breakfast hash.

Cora

While Cora is technically a Canada-wide franchise, it has enough personality and originality in the décor and menu that it feels a lot more like a local spot. Cora started in Quebec in 1987, and has since expanded to 125 franchises across Canada.

If you like fruit, Cora is your place.

While there are plenty of traditional omelets, skillets, and egg dishes, there are also crepes, pancakes, and French toast absolutely smothered in fresh fruit.

There’s even a fresh fruit section of the menu (which I order from every time). The Samira wake up is a huge plate of beautifully cut fresh fruit, served with toast, and there’s also a tasty kale-mango smoothie bowl, and a fruit yogurt harvest crunch.

My favorite is The Ode to Oatmeal, with fresh fruit, harvest crunch granola, English cream, maple syrup, and fresh fruit.

The kids always go with a fruit crepe, which is a single gigantic crepe stuffed with your choice for fruit, and either custard or a cocoa-hazelnut spread.

Charles goes for the classic French toast, which comes with your choice of bacon, sausages, turkey sausages, ham, or fresh fruit.

I’ve tried to get a photo of one of the kids’ fruit smoothies on our last three visits to Cora, but it’s inevitably half guzzled down before I can bring out my camera.

The Train Station Pub

Charles and I often end up at the Train Station Pub if we’re looking for something that’s just a little bit more upscale, with good food, but still casual and fun.

True to its name, the Train Station Pub is built inside a historic (now defunct) train station in Kelowna’s Downtown.

The brunch menu has everything from traditional chicken and waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and strawberry French toast, to more adventurous items like the Pakora benny (with curry spice), breakfast poutine, or Boom Toast (with avocado, pear, and butternut squash).

Brunch at the Train Station Pub is served until 2 pm every day.

My Neighbourhood Restaurant

We stop by My Neighbourhood Restaurant at least once a year. It’s the kind of place that delivers solid portions, reasonable prices, and good food. It’s not necessarily the most upscale place on our list, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s reliable and good.

Every time we’ve visited, service has been friendly, casual, quick, and helpful.

We come here when we’re craving breakfast later in the day, since it’s an all day breakfast place. There’s a nice selection of benedicts, if that’s your thing, including a crab cake benny, veggie delight benny, pulled pork benny, and a traditional benny, among others.

There’s a tasty sounding banana stuffed French toast, an apple crisp stuffed French toast, as well as huevos rancheros, and a slow cooked pulled pork burrito.

Charles’ to-go here is the French toast, which is dipped in a vanilla and egg batter and finished with icing sugar. Hash browns here are good, crispy and hot, but they’re the cubed style that feels like a chopped up steak fry. Don’t get me wrong, they’re delicious, but both Charles and I prefer shredded or finely chopped hash browns.

They also serve lunch. I’m a huge fan of the portabello burger (no meat, only the portabello mushroom), which comes stacked to the ceiling with marinated and grilled portabello mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and a tasty Dijon mustard.

OEB Kelowna

If Coras is the place for fruit lovers, then OEB is the place for those who love eggs. Like Coras, OEB is a franchise, with locations in Arizona, California, and a few Canadian cities.

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As expected, the menu leans toward farm fresh eggs, omelets, and eggs benedict. There are also sweet treats, like banana cream pie French toast, Belgian waffles and crepes, as well as nine different breakfast poutines.

There are vegetarian and vegan options as well.

We haven’t tried it (yet), but the mimosa flight (with four different mimosas) gets great reviews.

Gulfstream

We haven’t had a chance to try this one personally yet, but Gulfstream (in the Four Points by Sheraton by the Kelowna Airport) gets pretty good reviews and was recommended by friends so it’s made our to try soon list.

The breakfast menu is pretty solid and traditional, with classic eggs/bacon/hash brown/toast on offer, as well as omelets, traditional eggs benedict, a bacon hash and a pulled pork breakfast poutine. There’s a vegan bowl with coconut yogurt, banana, and an Okanagan Greek yogurt bowl with Okanagan dried cherries and apricots.

Diner Deluxe – The Shore

We haven’t tried Diner Deluxe – it’s just a little too far of a drive for us, given all the great options that are closer. That said, it gets great buzz, so we’ve included it.

Diner Deluxe has three locations in Calgary, and the one location in Kelowna, on Lakeshore Boulevard. It’s open 8am to 3pm.

The menu constantly changes, but it offers a big selection, with standards like avocado toast (with eggs), poached eggs and salmon, and a vegan faux egg wrap, as well as breakfast poutine and a big cinnamon bun.

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There are also several eggs benedict variations on offer, breakfast bowls, omelets and frittatas, pancakes, French toast, and classic breakfast. There’s also a lunch menu, and a kids lunch and breakfast menu.

There are plenty of vegan egg and vegan meat options as well.

Best Affordable Breakfast in Kelowna

Are you a foodie on a budget, looking for delicious and satisfying breakfast options in Kelowna that won’t break the bank? Look no further!

Kelowna has many hidden gems that offer mouth-watering breakfast dishes at affordable prices.

Join us as we explore some of the best cheap eats for breakfast in Kelowna, and discover a whole new world of breakfast delights that are easy on the budget.

Specialty Bakery & Bistro

Specialty Bakery has a few locations in Kelowna, but most are bakery only, and don’t offer breakfast.

To get your breakfast fix, make sure you go to the Specialty Bakery location on Finns Rd, in the industrial section of Kelowna.

We were introduced to Specialty Bakery by Charles’ 80 year old uncle, so that tells you it’s definitely a Kelowna fixture.

The food here is fresh, not fussy, and filling.

On offer are classic breakfasts of bacon and eggs, omelets and eggs benedict, or you can buy something from the attached bakery and eat it in the bistro.

I’m a big fan of the cinnamon buns, and black forest donut.

Don’t come here expecting a cappuccino – the coffee bar has five blends of freshly brewed Van Houtte coffee. There are also soups, sandwiches, and burgers on offer for lunch.

I don’t think there’s anything on the menu that’s specifically designed for vegans, but vegetarians should be able to sort something out.

The Kelowna Farmer’s Market

Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market is a great place to browse, and grab a simple, affordable breakfast.

The summer Market is open April to October, from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturdays and Wednesdays at the corner of Dilworth and Springfield.

There’s a winter market on Saturdays in the Parkinson Rec Center, but food options are a lot more limited.

One of my favorites at the summer Farmer’s Market is the Crepe Bistro, which has a fantastic variety of delicious crepes, including the zesty lemon and sugar, and banana chocolate.

There are always several fresh squeezed lemonade stalls to wash down your crepe.

All four of us are huge fans of the spiral potatoes on a stick – a must try!

There are also several outstanding coffee places in the market, including Anarchy Coffee.

Dosa Crepe Café

Dosa Crepe Café doesn’t open until 11 am, but I’ve included it here in case you’re running a bit late and looking for something really unusual.

They opened just before the pandemic started, but we’re thrilled to say they’re thriving, and have opened a second location downtown. We’ve only been to the original Rutland location, but the menu’s similar at both locations, and the downtown location gets great feedback too.

Dosa Crepe Café offers two kids of crepes: French crepes, or south Indian dosa. An Indian dosa is a thin pancake made of a fermented batter of rice and ground black lentils. The dosa itself is vegan.

The Indian dosas are tasty, with a slight savory tang, and a delicious crispy edges. It’s served with your choice of curries, with vegetable, paneer, chicken or beef curries available.

If their giant savory dosas aren’t your thing, you can try their French crepes, served plain, or with banana chocolate, mixed berry, or mango maple, and topped with a scoop of ice cream.

Our kids always go for the sweet crepes, while Charles and I get a dosa. Both are fantastic – it’s just a matter of choice. The kids also like to load up on a milkshake or lassi.

Dosa Crepe Cafe also offers biriyani (veg, chicken or beef), and kothu roti (veg, chicken or beef), appetizers, and a couple of soup options.

Bliss Bakery

There are plenty of great bakeries in Kelowna, but I included Bliss because 1) it’s fantastic, and 2) it has seating so you can sit down and enjoy your breakfast.

Kelowna’s Bliss Bakery has one location in Kelowna proper, on Ellis Street in the Downtown Arts and Culture District.

The bakery has a funky, industrial feel that somehow manages to be warm and inviting.

In addition to all of the delicious home baked goods, there’s a small all day breakfast menu, with breakfast wraps, a spinach and feta quiche, a Bennywich, and a chipotle sausage biscuit. You can also get lunchtime sandwiches (including a vegan grilled cheese), soups, wraps, and salads.

Every baked item I’ve tried here has been fantastic. There’s a reason that Bliss keeps winning the best bakery in Kelowna award with local publications. My current favorites are the almond croissants, and my son adores their individual-sized lemon merengue pies.

I’d come here just for the food, but it’s an added bonus that their coffee is made from my very favorite organic locally roasted Cherry Hill coffee beans.

The Bread Company

The Bread Company has two downtown locations – one on Pandosy and one on Bernard. I’ve been to both, and I think I slightly favor the Bernard location, if just for the downtown vibe.

It’s a busy place, with a lot of small tables, and I’ve always been able to find seating. They have plenty of pastries on offer, plus traditional breakfasts, frittatas, huevos rancheros, pancakes, plus sandwiches, salads, and soups for breakfast.

My daughter loves their chocolate filled croissant, and I’m a fan of the pesto spinach croissant.

Try the fresh squeezed orange juice!

Best Vegan Breakfast and Best Vegetarian Breakfast in Kelowna

Are you a vegetarian or vegan looking for a delicious and satisfying breakfast in Kelowna? Look no further!

Kelowna is home to a growing number of vegetarian and vegan-friendly breakfast spots, where you can enjoy a range of plant-based dishes. From hearty vegan breakfast burritos to gluten-free avocado toast, these restaurants have something for everyone.

Join us as we explore some of the best vegetarian and vegan breakfast restaurants in Kelowna, and get ready to start your day off on a healthy and tasty note!

Naked Café

The Naked Café is an unfussy place, with café style décor, and wooden benches for some seating.

It’s an affordable vegan breakfast option located downtown on Lawrence Avenue.

There’s a wide selection of vegan breakfasts here, with vegan versions of an English breakfast, a vegan bacon benny, a breakfast sandwich and a couple of vegan Just Egg hash options. The food is colorful, tasty, and comes in good portion sizes.

They’re also open for lunch and early suppers, serving vegan bowls, sandwiches and burgers.

Frankie We Salute You

Well rated Frankie’s offers both vegetarian and vegan options. Menu items are clearly marked as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free.

I asked to go to Frankie’s for my birthday dinner last year, and was impressed with the food.

This is a local restaurant, owned by Chef Brian Skinner and Christina Skinner, located in the Landmark District.

There’s an industrial vibe here, but it still manages to feel comfortable and welcoming.

The menu is fun and inventive, and they have plenty of interesting cocktails and desserts. There’s also a good kids menu, and we had several families, with well-behaved kids, sharing the restaurant.

Weekend brunch is on Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 3. It’s pretty popular, so a reservation is a good idea. The brunch menu offers a fairly small selection, with items like a Florentine benny bowl, cinnamon toast waffles, and a plant based chorizo ranchera bowl. There are also fun brunch cocktails like a rum and fig leaf mimosa, or a Pimm’s punch.

Chain Breakfast Places in Kelowna

I’m not going into too much detail for chain breakfast restaurants here, other than to list a few. For the most part, a Denny’s in Kelowna is going to be the same as a Denny’s anywhere else.

Here are a few serviceable chain options:

• iHOP
• Dennys
• The White Spot

The White Spot

Of all the chain breakfast places in the city (Cora’s not counting), The White Spot is probably our favorite. It’s kid friendly, has a nice relaxed vibe and the food is consistently decent.

Best Brunch in Kelowna

Of course, you can visit any breakfast place from our list above for brunch however, if you’re looking for a fancy, more upscale brunch, try one of these options below.

You’ll need to make the drive over the bridge to visit our first two picks: Old Vines Restaurant and Terrace Restaurant.

Quails Gate Old Vines Sunday Brunch

Located in West Kelowna, Old Vines Restaurant is nestled on the edge of the Quails Gate Winery. The restaurant faces Okanagan Lake, with stunning views over a gently sloping vineyard to the water below.

Quails Gate family owned winery is one of my personal favorites in Kelowna, and regarded as one of Kelowna’s best wineries.

Given the view and the menu, Quails Gate’s Old Vines brunch is fairly well priced. Sure, it’s a pricier choice than many, with higher end appetizers like oysters on the half shell, and mains like croque Madame. Prices change regularly, but in early 2023, the eggs benny was $24, the brioche French toast was $18, and the artisan charcuterie ran $26. Not a fortune, but the bill can go up significantly with wine, as you may want to try the wine pairings suggested by your server.

Make reservations in advance, since it’s a busy place, especially in summer, and brunch hours are short, running every Sunday 11 am to 2:30 pm.

Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Winery

Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill has one of the best restaurant views in Kelowna. It’s definitely a show stopper, and a fantastic place to bring someone you want to impress.

However, since it’s an outdoor restaurant, it’s only open seasonally from May to October.

This is a farm-to-table experience with produce grown in the estate garden, or locally sourced from farming partners.

Prices can be a bit steep, but this is one of Kelowna’s best restaurants, with excellent service and panoramic views to boot.

We’ve only eaten here once, at lunch, and it was a fantastic experience, with wines paired perfectly to the food. Charles still raves over the duck fat fries three years later!

We’ve never had a issue, but we have heard from a few people that they found the atmosphere at Mission Hill to be a bit cold and exclusive. Our personal experience with everyone, including sommeliers, servers and gift shop personnel has been excellent – they’ve been friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Lakeside Dining Room at the el Dorado Hotel

The food is good here, and service is solid, but sometimes slow, however, the real draw is the location. Located directly on the waterfront, it offers a stunning view of the lake. If you go in the summer, try to get a patio seat for an even more amazing view.

The buffet brunch is only available on select Sundays. Breakfast is available Monday to Sunday, early.

The breakfast menu is fairly small, with favorites like a traditional breakfast, fruit salad, eggs benny, avocado toast, waffles, omelets, and oatmeal.

Krafty Kitchen + Bar

I hesitate to call anything hip or cool (my teenagers would immediately cringe and reflexively mock me), but there’s no getting around it: Krafty Kitchen + Bar is a pretty hip place.

I mean, they have a Hip Hop Brunch every Friday to Sunday, with items like benedicts named Tupac, Baller Mushroom, and Easy-E. They also offer a Notorious BLT, and a Drop it Like it’s Hotcake.

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This is a local place, run by Chef Chris Shaften. It’s a fun, funky, casual farm-to-table restaurant located beside the historic firehall in Downtown Kelowna.

Brunch is only on Saturday and Sunday 9 to 2, but regular hours are Monday to Friday noon to late.
There’s also a Fondue Sunday.

The Curious Café and Bar Norcino

The Curious Café is another cool downtown eatery, but with limited hours.

If you’re looking for brunch, it’s closed Sundays and statutory holidays however it’s open Friday and Saturday at 11 am.

The brunch menu includes vegan field mushrooms on toast, chick and waffles, a breakfast sandwich, eggs benny, French toast, and a veggie power bowl.

There’s also a brunch party that serves four, with classic eggs benny, French toast, bacon, fruit, and coffee.

As someone who loves a good breakfast, I can honestly say that Kelowna does not disappoint when it comes to morning dining. Whether you’re in the mood for classic Canadian breakfast fare or something more innovative and international, Kelowna has plenty of options to load up before hitting one of the best hikes in Kelowna or taking off on one of the best road trips in British Columbia.

Do you have a breakfast spot in Kelowna that we missed? Let us know in the comments!

Road tripping can be fun and adventurous however, as a vegan traveler, it pays to be prepared, especially in more rural areas.

Having snacks prepped before you go can make vegan travel so much easier, but it’s also possible to get great vegan food on the go, from both restaurants and convenience stores.

Some of the best vegan food for traveling is simple, healthy and delicious. After all, who doesn’t love a tasty vegan snack on the road!

The Best Vegan Road Trip Snacks

Here are some of our favorite vegan foods on the go.

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is perfect for a road trip, and one of the easiest and healthiest options for vegans on the go. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can cut up bite-size pieces of fruit and store them in a cooler, or just grab a few pieces of whole fruit to go.

Here are a few ideas for fruit to take on a road trip that don’t require being cutting up:

• blueberries
• apples
• oranges
• plums

Some fruits are more delicate and bruise easily, so they may require storing them carefully in a container, or they need to be cut up into bite size pieces. Here are a few ideas:

• watermelon
• peaches
• strawberries

This vegan chocolate almond butter is perfect for dipping your cut up fruit and makes your snacks even tastier.

Granola Bars and Protein Bars

Granola bars, protein bars, and nut bars are perfect for road trips. They come pre-wrapped, and can last a long time in the car.

Veggies

Just like tasty fruit, vegetables make for a great snack on the road. Here are a few of our road trip veggie favorites:

• mini carrots
• snap peas
• sliced green peppers
• radishes
• cherry tomatoes

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are an easy option for road trips. They’re portable, last a long time, and they don’t require refrigeration.

While we always keep various nuts and seeds in our house, on the road we usually like to make mixes of our favorites so they’re easier to enjoy. You can throw them into small containers or even just throw them into a ziploc style bag for easier storage.

Drinks

For drinks, water is always a perfect fit. You can even bring your own bottle, and refill it at stops on the road. If you have kids, juice boxes are always a hit with them and they pack well.

Here are a few of our picks for the best vegan road trip drinks:

• bottles of water
• juice boxes
• carbonated water with splashes of fruit juice
• iced coffee or iced tea in the summer time

Vegan Cheese and Yogurt

You’ll need a cooler if you want to bring vegan cheese or yogurt on the road, but it’s well worth the hassle for a creamy, delicious dairy-free treat. Here are a few ideas:

• vegan cheese sticks
• vegan yogurt

Sandwiches and Wraps

If you have a cooler, then on-the-go sandwiches and wraps are an easy, filling option for on the road.

Big, sloppy burritos are probably not a good choice, but smaller burritos and wraps are great in the car. Sandwiches are also great road trip food, as long as they’re not overstuffed with fillings that easily fall out and the bonus is you can customize them to everyone’s tastes.

Hummus

I love hummus and dippers on the road. If you have the time and inclination, you can prep your own homemade hummus and baby carrots. If you’re short on time, just grab a shelf stable hummus and pretzels pack or some tasty vegan pita chips and you’re good to go.

Candy

We try to eat healthy on a road trip, but we also try to be flexible and have fun as we go.

Here are a few of our kids favorite vegan candies for road trips:

• Twizzlers
• Swedish Fish
• Sour Patch Kids
• Airheads

Salty, Crispy Snacks

I have to confess a true love for salty and crispy snacks. Here are a few of my salty vegan favorite snacks for on the road:

• pretzels
• potato chips
• popcorn

While being vegan often means giving up on certain foods, thankfully some of the most common snacks are still available to you. Just watch your caloric intake (especially salt) with things like potato chips and popcorn while on the road.

Vegan Road Trip Meal Prep

If you have some time before you leave, doing vegan meal trip prep can mean for much healthier and varied choices.

We like to bring a soft sided cooler, which folds down for easier storage when not in use. A cooler also gives you many more food options, including cut up veggies and fruit, sandwiches and wraps, and vegan yogurt and cheese.

Vegan Food On The Go at Restaurants and Convenience Stores

Sometimes it’s just not possible to meal prep for a road trip, which means picking up quick snacks at convenience stores, and often eating at restaurants with vegan options.

Vegan Road Trip Restaurants

Eating vegan is more of a challenge on the road. Meal prep is a great way to ensure you have options, but sometimes you just crave a hot meal, or eating in a sit down restaurant.

One of my must-haves for any road trip is the Happy Cow app. The app will list vegan friendly restaurants around the world.

There’s an App for That

Get it on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Vegan restaurants for road trip

As a start, these vegan-only chain restaurants may be an option on your trip:

• Native Foods
• Next Level Burger
• Slutty Vegan
• PLNT Burger
• Burgerlords
• HipCityVeg
• Flower Burger
• Loving Hut

There are also many non-vegan restaurants that have vegan options. Here are a few to get you started:

• Taco Bell
• Olive Garden
• Burger King
• TGI Fridays
• The Cheesecake Factory
• Del Taco
• Starbucks
• White Castle
• Carl’s Jr
• Subway
• Chipotle
• Qdoba
• Fatburger
• Panera Express
• Panda Express
• McDonalds

Vegan Snacks at the Convenience Store

The average convenience store or gas station is packed with salty, sugary, caffeine-infused concoctions. It can be a challenge to find something to eat in a gas station that isn’t packed with calories and bad fats.

Here are a few ideas for healthier convenience store snacks while you’re in your car while listening to the best audiobooks for road trips.

• Raisins and dried fruit, including apple chips
• Nuts (unsalted, preferably)
• Vegan protein bars
• Vegan SkinnyPop popcorn
• Hummus and pretzels
• Whole fruit (usually limited to apples, oranges, and bananas)
• Applesauce
• Pretzels
• Vegan yogurt
• Vegan cheese
• Vegan Jerky (watch out for high salt content)
• Frozen fruit popsicles (watch out for added sugar)
• Water
• Milk
• No sugar added juice

While eating vegan on the road is sometimes difficult, the good news is that it’s much more common today then it’s ever been in many countries. Luckily there are also healthier options for anyone who’s trying to forgo the usual chips and greasy foods that go hand in hand with classic road trips.

That said, don’t be afraid to travel just because you’re on a certain diet or have to stay away from certain foods. Likely you’ll be able to find something that will get you by until you get to your destination, and if there isn’t, just make sure to pack appropriately before you go and you’ll be fine.

Looking for More Road Trip Tips?

Check out our business trip travel checklist and packing list, our essential summer road trip packing list, and our summer beach vacation checklist, or how to eat healthy while traveling.

Finding authentic Japanese snacks and sweet treats outside of Japan can be really difficult, especially in our area of Canada. That’s a huge shame, since food gives us a unique insight into the culture of a country, and snacks are an easy, fun, and accessible treat.

We tried the Sakuraco Japanese subscription box, and here’s what we thought.

Our Sakuraco Box Review

Our Sakuraco box came securely wrapped in a thick layer of bubble wrap. All the contents inside were in perfect shape.

I really loved the muted earth tone of the box, accented with gold. The elegant packaging really fits with the upscale snacks inside as well.

See Sakuraco box pricing here.

What’s inside the Sukuraco box?

The Sakuraco box is filled with locally sourced Japanese teas, sweets and snacks. There are 20 new, seasonal snack treats in each box and each box often includes treats from different Japanese prefectures.

Each box includes traditional Japanese teas such as matcha, hojicha or other seasonal teas, as well as Japanese home goods like ceramics, chopsticks or furoshiki. You’ll also find traditional Japanese cakes, and sweets like mochi, manju and yokan. There are also seasonal treats like momiji, and sakura, along with senbei and konpeito from local makers.

Each box comes with a gorgeously detailed snack and culture discovery guide. The guide describes each snack in English, along with its origin and often information about the area the snack derived from. Boxes also come with complete allergen information for each item.

We reviewed the December Hokkaido Winter Festival box.

With three vegetarians out of the four of us, we were thrilled to see that Sakuraco notes in the guide whether or not each treat is vegetarian.

While most of the treats in our box were vegetarian friendly, there were a few that weren’t exactly to our tastes however that’s to be expected when given an assortment and why these types of boxes are great for families or groups of people. Being able to share an experience, good or bad, is always a great bonding experience.

That said, there were definitely a few that stood out for each of us.

Our Favorite Sakuraco treats

My daughter’s favorite snack was the Hokkaido milk karinto. It’s a lightly fried wheat batter made with Hokkaido milk, and coated with a sweet, sugary coating.

One of Charles’ top picks was the Yubari melon chocolate sandwich cookie. It’s made with Yubari melon, which is a classic Hokkaido flavor, coupled with white chocolate and two layers of crisp butter cookies.

Our son really liked the banana baumkuchen. It has thin layers of sweet egg batter with a light, banana flavor. It’s meant to be enjoyed with tea or coffee, but we ate them plain.

My two favorites were the Kobukoro mochi and the walnut mochi.

I’m usually not a fan of seaweed, but I absolutely loved the Kobukoro mochi, which are flavored with the umami Hokkaido kobu, which is type of seaweed. Delicious!

The walnut mochi is made with red sweet bean and mochi rice, with chunks of roasted walnut. The guide said it has a hint of soy sauce flavor (which I couldn’t pick up on, honestly). It comes wrapped in a thin layer of edible rice paper.

Just don’t make our initial mistake, and assume the outer white cardboard is the edible rice paper. (Hint: It’s not!)

The edible rice paper is, of course, the thin, translucent wrapping around the sticky walnut mochi and dissolves quickly in your mouth.

How much does Sakuraco cost?

The cost for Sakuraco is $37.50 for a one month box.

That cost drops to $35.50 per month if you get a three month subscription, and drops again to $33.50 for a six month subscription.

The most affordable option is $32.50 per month for a 12 month subscription. You’re charged the full amount of each subscription when you sign up.

Sakuraco delivery

You can get your Sakuraco box delivered worldwide.

Boxes are sent by trackable or express delivery. If your country doesn’t support express shipping, Sakuraco will deliver your box with Japan Post Priority Shipping and Tracking.

Sakuraco vs Tokyo Treat

We tried the Tokyo Treat box earlier this year (see our Tokyo Treat review here).

Overall, the Sakuraco box is smaller than Tokyo Treat however they do include different things in them which will appeal to different groups.

Once you look inside, the Sakuraco snacks are much more adult focused than Tokyo Treat. They’re both fantastic boxes, but I’d say that Sakuraco would be a better box for adults and older children, while Tokyo Treat’s larger box with more brightly colored popular snacks is a great fit for young families, especially those with younger children.

Is Sakuraco Box worth getting?

Both the box, the English guide and the snacks within, while not all to our taste, are well presented and a fun way to explore both the culture and flavor of a distant land for a fraction of what the airfare alone would cost.

Whether you’ve already been to Japan and have a fondness for the snacks or have never been and are curious what kinds of things they call tasty, these subscription boxes offer us a glimpse of travel without ever having to leave our home and for that they get a thumbs up.

We look forward to trying out more of these services in the future.

As any seasoned traveler can tell you, local food and cuisine often plays an integral role in experiencing a new area. While an authentic and delicious full course meal has made us fall in love with a country more often than we’d admit, we find it’s the snacks that often define a people and their culture.

So what happens when the world is a little more shut down and you can’t just jump on a plane and fly somewhere to sample things? Well, sometimes the easiest answer is to just get food shipped to you.

Unfortunately, it can be really hard to find authentic Japanese snacks and candy outside of Japan. That’s where Tokyo Treat come in.

Japanese snacks and candy are thought to be some of the most unusual and fun treats in the world.

Right now, travel’s still a bit expensive and difficult, so a trip to Japan, though solidly on our bucket list, isn’t in our immediate future. As much as I want to visit Japan as a family, and travel Japan by train, we’re going to wait until travel is less complicated for us.

Luckily, trying Japan’s fun snacks is a nice way to experience a bit of the culture, even if we can’t be there in person right now.

So, we were really excited to try the Tokyo Treat box.

What is Tokyo Treat?

Tokyo Treat is a monthly subscription box that’s shipped directly from Japan.

A typical Tokyo Treat box includes:

• a drink exclusive to Japan
• a rare KitKat Party Pack
• assorted Japanese snacks (2.7 plus pounds / 1.2 kg)
• a full sized Japanese crazy candy, crunchy chips, and more
• an illustrated English guide describing each snack in the box
• a special contest or rewards for Tokyo Treat members

Our Tokyo Treat Review

Let’s start with the question that almost everyone asks first: How much does Tokyo Treat cost?

The cost is $35/month for a monthly subscription.

If you get a 12 month subscription, the cost drops to $31.50/month. It’s $32.00/month for a six month subscription, or $33.50/month for a three month subscription.

The cost for Tokyo Treat is in USD, and you can cancel anytime.

What’s inside the Tokyo Treat candy box?

Our October 2021 Tokyo Treat box was Halloween themed. So much fun!

Throughout the year, Tokyo Treat offers several themed boxes, including Halloween and Christmas.

Our Halloween box came with:

• Grape Calpis Soda
• Cinnamon Apple KitKats
• Red and Black Magic Gum
• Pokemon Halloween Choco Corn
• Umaibo cheese
• Tongari Corn Halloween Butter Toast
• Pocky Crushed Strawberry
• Mini Monster Fruit Candy
• Spooky Water DIY Kit
• Halloween New Mochi Taro
• Happy Halloween Fugachi
• Holland Senbai
• Maple Butter Beer Ramune Candy
• Mini Strawberry Milk Coco Balls
• Umaiwa Mentai flavour
• Full Moon Pon
• Halloween Pizza snacks
• A snack guide with photos of each snack, and an English explanation of each snack
• A member only contest for a chance to win Japanese KitKats

I was impressed by the number of snacks in the Tokyo Treat box. There were 17 different treats and snacks for us to try.

Luckily, there was a really helpful snack guide, with photos of each snack, and a short description.

The Umaibo cheese was one of my personal favorites. It’s about a four inch long hollow tube that tastes a lot like a fluffy, sweeter cheese Cheeto. So good!

The Pocky Crushed Strawberry was probably my son’s favorite. It’s a thin, sweet stick that’s a lot like a chocolate wafer, dipped in a sweet strawberry glaze (like a strawberry chocolate flavor).

My husband’s favorite was the mini monster fruit candy. It’s a lot like a fruit rollup, but he loved how each color was a different, distinct flavor.

The Mini Strawberry Milk Coco Balls were a hit with everyone. They had a nice white chocolate and strawberry flavor inside of a crunchy candy coating. Yum!

My daughter was especially excited to try the drink, which was a refreshing Calpis soda with a unique sweet grape fizzy and milky goodness.

The anime style cartoon on the front of the snack guide was really beautifully drawn. It was a custom cartoon designed for this specific box, with details about what was inside the box in the cartoon. Very cool!

Where does Tokyo Treat come from?

The Tokyo Treat box ships worldwide from Tokyo every month.

Want to try some tasty Japanese candy and savory snacks?

Get your own TokyoTreat box and try Japanese snacks at home for yourself!

These days we try our best our best to eat better while on the road however I’ll be the first to admit that our road trip snacks used to look like we let our unsupervised kids loose in a candy store with a $50 bill.

Over our years of travel, those bad eating habits have started to take a toll, so now we’re trying to eat well on our trips.

Eating healthy while on the road can be a real challenge. When you travel, your routine is uprooted, you eat out more, and you have less time to plan healthy meals. There’s also less time to ensure you get proper nutrition, and avoid junk foods.

Of course, eating healthy means something different for everyone. When you’re following these tips, decide what healthy means for you, and focus your eating plan to your individual needs. For you, eating healthy may mean keeping on your keto diet, eating vegan or vegetarian, or simply avoiding overeating or indulging in high calorie or sugary or fatty foods.

How to Eat Healthy on Vacation

Eating healthy on vacation essentially comes down to planning and a little will power. It’s also a heck of a lot easier to stick to a healthy diet when you make food choices, or at least narrow down food options, before you leave.

Planning ahead with healthy travel tips makes it easier to make healthier food choices at restaurants, when you’re at your accommodation, or even during a road trip.

Make a meal plan before you leave

Before you leave on your trip, make an eating plan. Think about where you’ll be staying, what meals and snacks you’ll need, how long you’ll be there, and the types of foods you’ll have available.

Will you have access to a fridge or microwave, or even a full kitchen? Will you have a lot of restaurants nearby, or is the selection really limited? Will you need food for an airplane ride, or perhaps a lengthy road trip?

Your eating plan doesn’t necessarily need to be a minute-by-minute menu (though you could make one), but having a rough idea of the types of food, and where you’ll get them, goes a long way to healthier eating.

How to Eat Healthy While Traveling: At your Accommodation

Your choice of accommodation has a huge impact on your eating habits. For example, you’ll have a hard time eating well if you’re stuck in a small hotel room without a microwave or fridge, or if you’re far from restaurants and food stores with healthy options.

Ideally, we love to get an Airbnb or hotel with a kitchen. Having a kitchen to prepare food lets us control what we eat, and it also saves us a lot of money on eating out.

I like to cook, and I absolutely love to wander through local grocery stores when we travel. It’s a fun way to find local fruits and veggies, and see local ingredients first hand. I choose the healthiest options I can find, and often pick some locally-inspired recipes to cook.

If you’re a little short of time, and don’t want to bother shopping or planning a menu, order a meal delivery service like HelloFresh to your rental condo. It’s a fantastic way to balance convenience, and healthy eating.

Even if you don’t have a full kitchen at your disposal, a microwave and/or fridge can make eating healthier a lot easier. Just stop by a supermarket or well stocked convenience store, and load up your fridge with healthy goodies.

Breakfasts are especially easy, as you can grab fruits, yogurts, and oatmeal almost anywhere in the world. To make life even easier and depending on where you are in the world, you could even order Amazon Fresh or another grocery delivery to your hotel room or condo.

Cooking and preparing meals while on vacation may not be your cup of tea. I get it! In that case, maybe keep a few healthy snacks on hand for late night nibbles, and focus more on how to find healthier food in restaurants rather than just hitting all the fast food chains.

Restaurants

Eating at restaurants can be a real challenge when you’re trying to figure out how to eat healthy on the go. Restaurant portions are usually large, and dishes are often packed with salt, fats, sugar, and calories.

The first step to eating healthier at restaurants is to pre-plan what restaurants you visit, and try to choose restaurants with a range of healthy options.

Once you’ve picked out the restaurants, take a look at the menu (online if possible), and then choose the healthier options ahead of your visit. If you read the menu before you go, and pick out your food ahead of time, you’re less likely to impulsively order a less healthy dish.

If you’re already out and about, lots of restaurants around the world have large placards out front or just in the lobby with their menu. If they don’t, ask to see a menu before they sit you down and see if healthier options exist. If there’s nothing healthy for you there, it’s probably best to keep searching for a restaurant that does.

By pre-selecting what you want to eat, or having a few options pre-selected before you even sit down, it will help avoid those impulse orders which are often the bane of healthy eating.

Tips for eating healthier at a restaurant:

• Having a healthy snack before you dine out can reduce the chance that you’ll impulsively order something unhealthy out of hunger.
• Start your meal with a glass of water to make yourself a bit more full, which may reduce the amount you eat.
• Don’t be afraid to (politely) ask your server for substitutions. Most restaurants will gladly swap out French fries for a salad, or put dressing on the side.
• You can also split dessert to cut calories, avoid supersizing your portions, ask for a half portion, and skip sweet drinks and alcohol.

Road trip snacks

Some healthy foods are better suited to road trips than others. We try to avoid anything overly stinky or messy, and focus on foods that are easy to eat by hand. Unfortunately, that means sloppy burritos are out, unless you can stop and eat them at a picnic table somewhere.

Tip! You can bring a much bigger selection of healthy foods if you take along a cooler filled with ice. We like to use ice packs rather than ice cubes in our cooler, since it cuts down on mess and hassle. Frozen water bottles work well too, but make sure they’re not totally full when you freeze them, or they may burst in the freezer.

A soft sided cooler is easier to fit in the car, and it’s also more comfortable when you’re sitting beside it. It also folds down when empty, so it’s a snap to store out of the way.

Snacks for a road trip generally fall into two categories: snacks you can prepare at home, and snacks that you pick up at convenience stores, or gas stations along the way.

Prep at home road trip snacks

If your road trip is short enough, and you have some time before you leave, preparing snacks, and even meals, ahead of time can mean for much healthier choices. Here are some of our top picks from our summer road trip packing list:

• Bottles of water
• Juice boxes (great for kids!)
• Washed and pre-cut fruit and veggies like snap peas, carrots, celery, watermelon, and blueberries.
• Apples and oranges. We keep these whole and in the cooler.
• Cheese sticks (in the cooler)
• Nuts or trail mix
• Dried fruit or fruit roll ups
• Granola or protein bars
• Pretzels
• Hummus. You can buy fresh hummus in the deli section, or get long shelf-life hummus in the pantry section of the supermarket.

One thing we never do is take bananas on a road trip. Let’s just say that once you’ve driven 1,000 miles in a hot car that stinks like overripe banana peel, you’ll never, ever, do it again.

Healthy convenience store snacks

The average convenience store or gas station is packed with salty, sugary, caffeine-infused concoctions. It can be a challenge to find something to eat in a gas station that isn’t packed with calories and bad fats.

Here are a few ideas for healthier convenience store snacks while you’re in your car while listening to the best audiobooks for road trips.

• Raisins
• Nuts (unsalted, preferably)
• Protein bars (but watch out for added sugars)
• Pretzels
• Apple chips and other dried fruit
• SkinnyPop popcorn
• Hummus and pretzels
• Whole fruit (usually limited to apples, oranges, and bananas)
• Applesauce
• Greek yogurt
• String cheese
• Turkey Jerky (watch out for high salt content)
• Frozen fruit popsicles (watch out for added sugar)
• Water
• Milk
• No sugar added juice

Healthy airline snack foods

In regards to airline travel, the truth is we often bring our own snacks, and even small meals, on our flights.

With pandemic protocols, on top of cost saving measures, there’s no guarantee your flight will serve snacks, or even offer meal service during the flight, so it’s a good idea to carry some snacks to get you through.

Generally, our airplane snacks are almost identical to our road trip snacks (see the list above). I’m especially careful not to pack anything with a strong smell for airline flights. Tuna sandwiches and airplanes do not mix well, at least if you want to stay on speaking terms with the crew and other passengers.

Here’s one important tip: Gel based or creamy snacks like applesauce count as liquids or gels when you go through airport security. Make sure you pack them in containers under 100 ml (or 3.4 ounces) in size, or leave them at home. They also count towards your 1 quart bag limit. See the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule here. See Canada’s liquid and gel rules here.

You may also want to be careful when traveling with fresh veggies and fruit, as many countries have import restrictions on bringing in outside vegetables, fruit and even dairy.

Eating healthy while traveling is definitely within your power

Eating healthy while you travel for work, business or play doesn’t have to leave you dreading stepping on the scale when you get back home or feeling that you missed out on something amazing to keep to a healthier diet.

The truth is, that while each country has their own take on healthier food, usually the most authentic local cuisine also happens to be the healthiest for you. If you stay away from the overly processed foods you find in fast food joints and don’t overindulge your quantities, eating fresh locally grown meals will not only keep you healthier and give you more energy to explore, but you will also have the opportunity to taste some of the best authentic foods that country has to offer.

In our mind, that’s a win-win situation that anyone should be able to get behind.

So, how do you eat healthy when you travel? Let us know in the comments!

So much of the culture of a country is reflected in its food. Mexican cuisine is considered the second most varied and vast in the world (after Chinese), and just as varied as the culture of Mexico, including the Yucatan, which goes well beyond the famous Maya and Aztecs, to include civilizations that were just as grand – Zapotecos and Teotihuacanos to just name a couple.

Sure, I am Italian and I will have to disagree with any statement that claims Mexican or Chinese food to be more varied than Italian, but I do admit that there are some very interesting dishes and that there is a lot of variety, with each state having its traditional dish.

It is not by chance that Mexican Cuisine is considered Intangible Heritage by UNESCO, and that many cities offer a street food walking tour that will include a stop to a proper Mexican market, where visitors will have the opportunity to see, smell and, most importantly, taste the delicious food.

One curious fact about authentic Mexican cuisine is that there are no such things as burritos and nachos. Tourists may be crushed to find out that those are popular tex-mex dishes nowhere to be found in Mexico. So, give up on your breakfast burrito and opt for huevos rancheros (eggs in a tomato sauce) instead.

You may also worry that Mexican food is very spicy. Guess what? It isn’t really. Well, it can be if you add the sauces that are served with the meal, but since they are served separately, you can really make a dish as spicy as you wish. In fact, most of the food I ate was on the bland side.

You should also be warned that when in Mexico, you are better off sticking to Mexican food. I made the mistake of ordering spaghetti alla bolognese once (Which, by the way, do not exist in Italy! We call those spaghetti al ragù) as I was so homesick, but the pasta was seriously overcooked, and the sauce had the odd green peppers that is never an ingredient in the original recipe.

If you are travelling to Mexico soon, you should make sure to try at least some of the national dishes. I won’t promise you will like all of them, but hey, when in Rome…

Here is a list of some must-try Mexican dishes, divided by category.

The aperitifs

Mani oaxaqueño: Peanuts fried with chillis and garlic. They are usually eaten as an aperitif, while drinking Mezcal.

Chapulines: Fried grasshoppers, typical of Oaxaca, they are considered a snack or they are mixed in the guacamole. Best eaten when drinking Mezcal! Ok, I confess that just the smell made me gag, but it was a local specialty and I had to try it.

The appetizers

Guacamole: Avocado mashed with green tomatoes, chili, onion, garlic, coriander and other seasonings. It is normally served with totopos (known in other countries as tortillas, which in Mexico are just the basic soft ones), which are either corn or flour tortillas, cut in pieces and either fried or toasted. 

The soups

Pozole: My favorite Mexican soup, served all over the country but typical of the Distrito Federal, Guerrero, Jalisco and Morelos. This is a very hearty soup that has lots of corn, lettuce, sliced radish, chopped onion, and is served with dry oregano or chili peppers. It can be white or red and can be served with shredded pork or chicken. The vegetarian option is the one I enjoy the most, and has plenty of zucchini flowers and mushrooms.

The sandwiches

Torta: This sandwich got me confused one too many times. Torta is a word that in Italy means cake. In Mexico, it is a bread roll, filled with meat, cheese, sliced tomato and onion, avocado, or any number of other items and it is usually served warm. Very filling! 

The side dishes

Delicious side dishes are an important part of Mexican cuisine.

Nopales: Cactus leaves, usually served cooked in salads or grilled. I loved this. It is the perfect topping to tacos and very tasty in salads. The Mexican saying is that nopales give you a lot of strength.

The sauces

Mole: This sauce still remains a mystery to me. I am not 100% sure I actually like it; the texture and the taste are very different! This is a truly Mexican sauce composed of ground chilis, many different spices and herbs, and a bit of cocoa. It is usually poured over chicken or turkey. There are two main types: mole poblano (a deep red-black in color), and mole oaxaqueño (which on the other hand is brown).

The main courses

Tamales: Banana tree leaves or corn husks which are filled with corn meal (dough) and sometimes pieces of chicken or pork. Sweet tamales often have sugar and raisins, and are served as dessert.

Tostadas: Toasted corn tortillas covered with shredded chicken or beef, tomatoes, lettuce, cream, and some white queso. Delicious!

Enchiladas: A semi-fried corn tortilla filled usually filled with with chicken and covered with cheese, sauce, and often cream and onion slices. Enchilada suisas are the most popular ones.

Quesadillas: Grilled tortillas filled with cheese and a variety of other items. My favorite enchiladas are filled with mushrooms or flor de calabaza (zucchini flowers).

Chile Relleno: A chili pepper, stuffed with beef, cheese, or another filling, dipped in beaten egg and fried, then served in a thin tomato broth. Don’t think of it as a stuffed pepper – it is prepared with dry ones, so it actually is very bland even in taste.

Tlayudas: Typical of Oaxaca and known as “Oaxacan Pizza”, they are huge corn tortillas, spread with refried beans, guacamole or avocado, cheese and topped with meat (usually grilled pork chops). I enjoyed them at Cenaduria de Lupita, known in town as Tlayudas de San Jacinto, where I took my boyfriend Justin who had just arrived in town and who had to admit that yes, they are delicious. Tlayudas are usually served with sliced radish, cooked and sliced green peppers and they are big, filling and tasty, you must eat them with your hands!  

The sweets

Churros: Tubes of fried dough, sugar is sprinkled on them, and if you want, chocolate sauce too. Needless to say, they are best enjoyed if bought from a little cart in the street and eaten while walking.

My (former) favorite

My favorite dish in Mexico was (and you will soon learn why they are not anymore) tacos. These are usually soft corn tortilla topped with meat – chorizo, beef, pork, chicken, to which you can add tomatoes, chili, nopales, cabbage, guacamole and spicy sauces. Some tacos are rolled and fried, but they lose so much flavor that I never eat them like that. Tacos al pastor are topped with thin slices of marinated pork cooked on spits, much like a doner kebab.

I found the perfect little taco place in Tulum, right next to my hostel. It was no more than a small cart right outside a home, with some plastic tables and chairs placed on the pavement at night. I saw so many people eating outside this place, that I thought it had to be good. And it was. At 12 pesos each (less than a dollar!), I ate four (OK, I do have a big appetite) because they were really delicious. And I can assure you, I have never had tacos as delicious as those again. In fact, after I left I kept thinking about those tacos, and I was looking forward to going back to Tulum to enjoy them again.

And finally… the warning

However, enjoy them again I would not. Indeed, for as much as I did enjoy food in the months I have spent in Mexico, I confess that the thought of some of the dishes does make me sick now. While food is good, and street food excellent, Mexican vendors are not always champions at hygiene, at properly preserving their food (e.g., storing meat in the fridge properly) and cooking pork or chicken through, so that foreigners that are not used to all the germs and bacteria won’t catch an infection.

What leaves me wondering is why, in a country where relaxing and taking your time is a national motto, restaurants rush so much to serve food quickly, to the point that meat is dangerously not cooked through at times. And the poor cooking and preserving applies to all sorts of restaurants – from expensive and exclusive ones, to smaller local places.

My first bad spout of food poisoning was due to a poorly cooked very international chicken on a Caesar salad eaten at the restaurant of a posh hotel in Campeche. If there is something that ought to be cooked through, that is chicken. This one wasn’t, and I ended up spending two full days in bed, with nausea, tremendous pain and high fever that forced me to call a doctor, have an injection to stop the vomiting, and even take antibiotics. I was so sick that I basically did not eat anything for three days.

My second case of food poisoning in a month was, however, due to my favorite tacos al pastor: the pork meat was not cooked through. I took a bite, noticed immediately that once again a meat that shall always be cooked through was not, and knew that the day after I would be in trouble all over again. And indeed, I was. So, the next time around in Tulum, whenever I passed by my beloved tacos cart, I had to turn my head as just the thought of it would make me nauseous.

All in all, I do encourage anybody going to Mexico to try its amazing food. But I also warn them that they look at the food before trying it – check that pork and chicken are cooked through, so that you avoid any bad experience like the ones I had.

Buen probecho!

Claudia Tavani

Claudia is from Cagliari (Sardinia) and is obsessed with travelling. A former human rights lawyer and academic, after devoting her life to the protection of cultural identity, in November 2013 Claudia decided to give in to her biggest passion and started travelling around Latin America, and she has hardly stopped since. Blogging came as a natural consequence, for Claudia wanted to let her family and friends be updated with her adventures. You can find more of Claudia on her blog, My Adventures Across the World, Facebook and Twitter.