"As both a man and a Mantry recipient,
I can attest to the fact that it simply exudes virility." - Hubby
Sometimes it is difficult to find the right gift for the guys in your life.
Girls? No problem. I am a girl, so I am already of the female mindset. I can think, "I'm a girl. What would I enjoy opening on my birthday or Christmas?" After tweaking the answer to fit the interests of said girl gift recipient, I usually have no problem finding a unique and thoughtful gift.
Guys are a different story.
I'm not a guy. Clearly. So I have to work harder to get into the male mindset. It's more difficult to think, "I'm pretending I'm a dude. What would I enjoy opening on my birthday or Christmas?" I hit a lot of road blocks (some of an inappropriate nature), and I usually have to try again later.
After many years of successful gift giving, I've come to narrow down one commonality between most men: they dig food. Have you met a guy who doesn't? I dare say such a thing doesn't exist! I've also noticed that boys are upping their standards. Gone are the days of noshing on generic potato chips and cheap, watery beer. Instead, they seek craft beer and artisan food. Men are taking an interest in how there food is made, why their food is made and where their food is made.
That's right, folks.
Men are going Foodie.
So last year when I was flipping through Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine
and I see a little blurb on something called Mantry, I was intrigued.So I went over to the Mantry website and took a look around.
And friends?
I was impressed.
Mantry is a food subscription service. For dudes. Foodie dudes, to be exact. Their tagline is The Modern Man's Pantry. Each month, for however long one has subscribed for, a rustic wooden crate arrives upon your doorstep filled with 5 or 6 "premium" food items that fit within that month's theme ("Bourbon Breakfast" and "Awards Night" being recent examples). These items are curated and researched by the Mantry team, which they scour the country for. You won't find regular grocery items in the Mantry box. Heck no. You will find, though, handcrafted products from artisans ranging from small business start-ups to award-winning chefs.
I love this for so many reasons. I love food and discovering "new" vendors. I love supporting small business. And the wooden crate that comes each month is rather handsome.
We actually got my husband and my father-in-law each a 1 month subscription for Father's Day this past May. That month's theme was Breakfast with Pops, and offered an array of fun breakfast items including Skillet Bacon Spread, Noble maple syrup, Smith Tea and Drunken Monkey Jam. The guys were floored and couldn't wait to try each of the items.
I was recently asked to review the September Mantry Box, whose theme was Beer and Bacon. When I relayed this to Hubby, his eyes grew wide and he wondered aloud, "Has there ever been a better combination?"
It was glorious. Here is what came in the box:
 |
| Unearthing the spoils |
 |
| Staged for all the world to see |
Item #1
 |
| Anarchy in a Jar Spiced Beer Jelly |
Item #2
 |
| P&H Soda Co. Sarsaparilla Syrup |
Item #3
 |
| SlantShack Jerky Bronx Pale Ale Beef Jerky |
Item #4
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| Beer Flats Pilsner Crackers |
Item #5
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| Broadbents Dry Cured Peppered Bacon |
Item #6
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| Liddabit Sweets beer & Pretzel Caramels |
If all of the yummy food is overwhelming you, don't worry: each month, Mantry sends a brochure to guide you through your culinary adventure. Inside, you'll find a little write up on each vendor and product. It's a nice way to get to know new brands and businesses!
So if I got the September box, why did I wait until NOW to write about it? Well, friends, I wanted this to be FRESH in your mind as the holidays arrived.
Because Mantry?
Mantry could be the Gift Win you've been searching for.
You can order subscriptions in 1-month/1-time, 3-month or 6-month increments. For a 1-time/1-month gift (such as for Christmas or a birthday), the cost is $75 (this is the total cost for the products and shipping).
I know your next question: "Is it worth the $75?"
I am already one step ahead of you. Here is the breakdown of the Beer and Bacon September Box:
BeerFlats Pilsner Crackers: $7.99
Liddabit Sweets Caramels: $8.00P&HSoda CO Sarsaparilla Syrup - $11.95
Anarchyin a Jar Spiced Beer Jelly - $8.75
SlantShackJerky Bronx Pale Ale Beef Jerky - $13.50
Broadbents Dry Cured Peppered Bacon $11.99
Total value of all the products: $62.18
When you take into account how much you would be paying to buy each of these and have them shipped individually, you are looking at over $75, so the Mantry box comes in right around budget (which includes the handsome crate and the brochure guide, might I add). The value of items vary each month (some months the value far exceeds the subscription price not including shipping), and I appreciate that Mantry seems to work hard to make sure that the $75 subscription cost is made up in value and shipping.
How cool would the Mantry crate look under the tree, right? It's unique, thoughtful and best of all DELECTABLE. (And if you play your cards right, you might just get a few samples too.)
So now I want to know:
Whose holiday are you going to make
a Mantry Holiday?
PS - Feel free to leave any questions you might have about the service. We've tried two boxes now, and all I can say is that I wish there was a cool foodie service like this for women.
Disclosure: I was given a one-month subscription free of charge for the purposes of conducting this review. But please note, I have paid for a one-month subscription as well, and my opinion hasn't changed: Mantry rocks.
