When I announced that this was the last box, Caleb (11) and Charlotte (10) both looked a little disappointed. Caleb has loved almost every snack we have ever opened. Charlotte has enjoyed quite a few as well, though she has also politely rejected her fair share. She also sits out anything with nuts because of allergies. We talked about the idea of creating our own international snack boxes going forward. That might be even more fun, since we could take the grandchildren shopping and let them see what international foods are sold right here in local markets.
While it was our final official YUM box, it was Oliver’s very first snack tasting. He started out sitting on Megan’s lap, but that arrangement did not last long. He quickly figured out how to grab snacks straight off her plate before she even had a chance to try them. Eventually Oliver rotated between Grandpa’s lap and his high chair, sampling everything along the way. He seemed to like every single snack, especially the Italian cake he claimed from Megan’s plate. Apparently he decided it was similar enough to his recent birthday smash cake and therefore belonged entirely to him.
It felt fitting that our last box was shared across generations, with older kids reflecting on what they had loved and a baby discovering it all for the first time. The boxes may be done, but the curiosity, the laughter, and the small ritual of sitting together and tasting something new are not going anywhere. Those are the parts worth keeping.
