Review: GoPicnic with Sunbutter and Crackers

Let me start off this review by saying that as a kid, I was never allowed to have Lunchables. The only time I ever had this much-coveted childhood staple was at my grandmother’s house, and even then I had to be pretty secretive about it so as not to tick off my mom.

Blame it on years of not getting Lunchables, but I was drawn to these gopicnic portable lunches as soon as I saw them. A whole meal in a box that looked like it would be satisfying was tempting, unlike certain frozen dinners I’ve tried (I’m looking at you, Lean Cuisines).

This meal is one of two by gopicnic that is vegan and dairy-free. It is also gluten-free, peanut-free, and egg-free, so almost anyone with a major allergen can rejoice! (Extreme soy allergy sufferers beware, as the sunbutter is processed on equipment that also processes soy).

Here’s a breakdown of the box piece-by-piece:

• Sunbutter: A delicious alternative to peanut butter, sunbutter was a lot better than I expected. If you’re the kind of person who likes almond butter or peanut butter, you’ll like this.
• Crackers: Not exactly the kind I like because they’re gluten-free, but eat them with the sunbutter, and you won’t even miss that wheaty classic cracker flavor. It took me more than once to eat a gopicnic meal with these crackers before I really grew to like them.
• Seed and fruit mix: A peanut-free trail mix with dairy-free chocolate chips and dried fruit. I have yet to meet a seed and fruit mix I didn’t like, and this is no exception.
• Double chocolate cookie: This is by Enjoy Life, one of my favorite allergen-free brands. They make a lot of soft cookies so it was nice to eat one that was crispy.
• Peel-A-Part Fruit – Think the healthier version of fruit snacks or the less tough version of fruit leather and this falls in the middle of those two. A fun way to get in a serving!

Sunbutter with crackers is sort of a callback to a kid’s school lunch, but one that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating.. When you’re done, you even get to do a sudoku (it’s on the inside of the box!)

Gopicnic’s slogan is “Don’t go hangry.” So, did I go hangry? A little sooner than with other lunches I take, so I wouldn’t take this with me on one of my hungrier days. Generally, if I follow up this meal with a banana in the afternoon, I feel satisfied. All in all a great quick fix for those days you can’t get out the door fast enough.