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degustabox

Degustabox August Review #2

I think this has to have been my favourite Degustabox* I've had as there are so many good products included. This box has been designed to be the Back to School box as it contains a number of handy products that will be ideal for those packed lunches. If you want to see what other kind of products are included in past boxes, you can see them in my previous Degustabox posts.

Meal Items

This box has only got a few meal items within it as it's more focused on the snacks items with it being the Back to School box. The first product that can be used with many meals is the Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise (£1.69). It's made using 100% free range eggs and sustainable sourced oils which helps to deliver that creamy taste which is perfect for anything from everyday meals to those summer BBQ's. For a quick meal option, the Maggi Fusian Noodles (2 x £1.39) are ideal as they only take four minutes to cook. The Sticky Hoisin Duck ones have a rich sweet soy sauce, oriental spice and hints of roasted duck with infused oil and vegetables. An alternative option is the Fiery Sweet Chilli pack, which contains spicy chilli and ginger with onion oil and veggies. I love having packs of noodles in the cupboard for those days when I fancy a quick and easy meal. The last meal item is the Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce (£1.89), providing a tangy flavour to any meal you add it to, and is a staple item to be used in Mexican food.

Snacks

Crinkle cut crisps have been around for a while now, and the Seabrook Crips (£1.00) are the original, and the ones that I remember eating when I was younger. This multipack combines three classic flavours: Sea Salted, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion which are perfect to have as a snack. If you wanted something similar that's a little healthier then the Light Bites Popped Chips (2 x £0.99) might be for you. They come in at under 100 calories, are gluten free and packed with fibre and protein. Something on the sweeter side are the Bahlsen PiCK UP! Black 'N White (£1.69), a delicious white chocolate bar sandwiched in to crisp chocolate flavoured biscuits. I found these really tasty and something different to the standard chocolate bars out there. An item perfect for a packed lunch are the JellySqueeze (2 x £0.69), refreshing and re-sealable pouches that are gluten and lactose free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

If you are more of a sweets kind of person, then the Refreshers Softies (£1.00) are a good option. These are a new take on the retro sweets as they are soft, fruity and chewy while maintaining their fizz. For the chocolate lovers out there, the Cadbury Dairy Milk Big Taste Toffee Whole Nut (£0.65) is the convenient on-the-go size version of their big bar and was really nice. One last snack item in this Degustabox was the pack of Cadbury Curlywurly Squirlies (£1.99). They are bitesize pieces of the classic bar that has been selling for many years.

Drinks

The first drink included was the Twisted Halo - Coconut Water, Ginger & Vodka (£1.50). It contains only natural flavours and no added sugar or sweeteners. With only 90 calories per 275ml bottle, it's a light and refreshing drink that would be at home poured over ice with a slice of lime. Rounding off this box are the Orangina Limited Edition Summer Bottles (2 x £1.20). They have an unmistakable orange flavour with a soft sparkle and citrus pulp to make it a very refreshing drink which can be enjoyed on its own or as a mixer in cocktails. Overall, I really liked this months box as it had a great variety of products. If you fancy picking up your own Degustabox, then don't forget to use the code 0GAWD at the checkout to save yourself £7.00.

*Post contains press samples.

Degustabox July Review #2

I was quite happy when I opened up this Degustabox* to see a number of exciting items included in this months box. This one is branded as the 'Summer Box' and contains quite a few light bites and snack options that would be perfect for a picnic. If you fancy checking out what other boxes have included you can see them in my previous posts.

Meal Items

Eating a good breakfast can help you have a good start to the day, so something nutritious like the Weetabix Additions Coconut & Raisin (£2.99) cereal would be ideal. They have delicious fruit baked into each piece for an enjoyable breakfast. Frying food can be made healthier by this Frylight Cooking Spray with Avocado Oil (£2.99) and is a great alternative to using other oils and comes in at only 1 calorie per spray. I use this kind of spray a lot of the time and I love how easy it is to use when cooking. An ingredient that can be used in multiple meals is the Maille Dijon Original Mustard (£1.99) which can be used to enhance the flavour of the food. I use this when making homemade meatballs and it works really well. The last meal item was the Merchant Gourmet Simply Cooked Red & White Quinoa (£1.99) which is ready to use and could be perfect as a base to salads or instead of having rice/couscous.

Snacks

If you want a quick light snack then the Ryvita Thins Three Cheese (£1.89) are a good option. It's topped with cheddar, regato and emmental cheese and they were super tasty. These were the first thing that I opened and would like to give them another try. Something more on the sweet side are the Rowntree's Randoms 30% Less Sugar (£1.29) which are a well known treat. Having less sugar, no artificial flavours, colour and sweeteners while having the fruity taste is a perfect sharing bag to enjoy. Anyone that enjoys olives would like the OLOVES Healthy Olive Snacks (2 x £0.99) as they are a handy pack of juicy olives seasoned with chilli, garlic and oregano. The last item was a voucher for The Collect Kids Big Tub Yoghurt (£2.00) which is made with whole milk and fruit. It was created with kids palates in mind so it has no bits or pips but is still packed with fruit. Unfortunately I couldn't get hold of one from any shop near me, but I've had other versions of their yoghurts before and really enjoyed them.

Drinks

The first drink was the Crafted (£1.80) fruit juice drink which I received in the Mango and Passion Fruit flavour. The juice blends complimentary and unique combinations of fruit and contains no added sugar or sweeteners in any of the drinks plus being 1 of your 5 a day. Last but not least in this months Degustabox was the Blossom Hill Spritz (£4.99). It's a fresh a fruity twist on wine and is perfect for those summer months and is best to be served chilled to bring out that refreshing taste. That's all for the July Degustabox. I was quite impressed with this months offering and would definitely pick up some of the items again that were included. If you fancy picking up your own box, don't forget to use the discount code 0GAWD at the checkout.

*Post contains press samples

Degustabox June Box #2 | BBQ

I've opened up another Degustabox* and this one revolves around items that would come in handy for a BBQ. Each month's box contains something different which you can check out in my previous Degustabox posts.

Meal Items

The Schwartz Authentic Flavour (2 x £0.85) recipe mixes can help bring a sweet and spicy twist to meals and allow for a quick and easy way to get some flavour in your food. The BBQ Pulled Chicken and Spicy Buffalo Wings mixes were both included in this box to give a couple of different options. If you are wanting something that you can use for a quick meal, then combining the Capsicana Brazillian Chili & Coconut Quick Cook Sauce (£1.99) with some chicken, peppers and onion would make a great dish. The Brazillian sauce can be customised to your own dietary needs. The last meal inclusion was the Spoon Apple + Peanut Granola (£3.70), which is a healthy alternative that includes wholegrain jumbo oats, crispy coconut chips, whole roasted peanuts and baked apple pieces. I'm normally fussy when it comes to breakfast cereals but I'm actually quite intrigued by this one.

Snack Items

The first one that jumped out at me was the Haribo Summer Frenzy (2 x £1.00) packs, with a Starmix Berry flavoured one and the other being Tangfastics Ice Cream & Sorbet. These are great sharing bags and the new flavours gave some very interesting combinations to help mix up what I've tried before. Another sweet item was the Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs (£1.95) which were one of my favourites from the box. I'm always partial to a bit of shortbread and the packaging added a nice touch. If you want something a little more on the healthy side, then the Light Bites - Superfood Fruit Bar (£1.25) might be for you. It's packed with goji berries, quinoa, chia seeds, strawberries, blueberries and pumpkin seeds. The last snack item which I think turned out to be my favourite was the Orignal O's Savoury Cumin and Sesame Nibbles (£2.99). They were very moreish and the cumin seasoning worked really well to give a nice light choice to pick at.

Drinks

For those who don't tend to drink but still wanted a glass of something tasty, then the Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc Alcohol-Free Wine (£1.49) will be a good choice. The single serving bottle is fresh, aromatic & full of gooseberry flavours and fruit. An option full of organic fruit juice that's blended with mineral water is the Berrywhite Organic Drinks (£1.39). It will count as one of your five a day and contains no added sugar, nothing artificial and no preservatives. The last items in the June Degustabox were the Westons Ciders (2 x £1.99). The Rosie's Pig Flat Tyre is a cloudy sparkling cider with rhubarb and the Rosie's Pig Handbrake is a cloudy sparkling cider with a unique fruity taste and damson. Overall looking at what's included in this box, it had a number of good products but I wouldn't say it was suited to being a BBQ box. If you fancy getting your own Degustabox, then don't forget to use the discount code 0GAWD at the checkout.

*Post contains press samples

Degustabox May Review #2

This months Degustabox* is branded as the 'Picnic Box' as it has a good selection of items that would be perfect to take out on a summers day. Each box tends to contain different items so if you want to see what I've had in previous months then you can check out my past Degustabox posts.

Meal Items

I think the first thing I tried out of this box were the Deli Kitchen Skinni Wraps (£1.25) which contain only 91Kcal per wrap. They come in a unique shape to help fold your wrap easier and it actually worked quite well. They are slightly smaller than normal wraps but this was good as you didn't end with the wrap to filling ratio being too much. The second meal item was the Homepride Strong White Bread Flour (£1.50) which is made from 100% British wheat to help with baking the finest loaves and buns. I don't really think this should have been included in a picnic box as it's not really an item you could just take along as it requires a number of additional ingredients and prep. The MOMA Gluten Free Raspberry & Coconut Bircher Muesli (£3.20) is the speedy answer to overnight oats. The only addition needed is some yoghurt and a bit of apple juice and then you have your breakfast made in 5 minutes.

Snack Items

There are quite a few different snack items included this months box with little grab bags. The Cereal Lovers CrunchTime Nuggets (£1.59) are a healthy new snacking concept to help energise and sustain you throughout your day. They only contain natural ingredients so you know it's a guilt free snack. Hippeas In Herbs We Trust (£1.50) are another healthy alternative that have exciting flavour profiles. They are a new range of organic chickpea puffs that are designed to shake-up the global snacking market. Having a bag of popcorn at a picnic would always go down a treat, with the Portlebay Popcorn (£0.79) being made with 100% natural ingredients such as unrefined raw cane sugar, rapeseed oil and the finest Pyrenees buttery corn.

If you want something a little sweeter then this box has a few items to choose from. Most people will recognise the Cadbury brand so might be excited by the new Milk Peanut Butter Caramel Crisp Bar (£3.49). It has generous peanut pieces and crunchy crispies which are finished off with the peanut halves and a helping of caramel. Candy Kittens (£3.00) have started to pop up in more places now and are designed to champion British style and taste. I got the pineapple flavoured ones which were quite nice and something a little different to what I might normally pick. The last snack item brought back childhood memories as I remember having these years ago. The Millions (2 x £0.50 / £0.60) came in two flavours, chocolate covered strawberry and sour strawberry. These tiny chewy sweets are a great little treat, however, the chocolate coating does seem to come off quite easily so you just get left with the original millions.

Drinks

A couple of drinks were included this month and are both designed to be a refreshing and summery beverage. The Zeo Soft Drinks (£1.19) are a low calorie and all-natural drink that use exotic botanicals, natural fruit juice and spring water to give an enjoyable drink. The last item in this box was the well recognised Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer (£1.89). It's actually suitable for a gluten free diet and contains real Asian ginger and a number of secret ingredients to make it the UK's number one Alcoholic Ginger Beer. I'm glad there were some recognisable bigger brands this month, as well some interesting ones I hadn't tried before such as the Candy Kittens. If you fancy picking up your own Degustabox then don't forget to use the discount code 0GAWD at the checkout to get £7.00 off.

Post contains press samples.

Degustabox April Review #2

It's been that time for testing out the products on offer from this months Degustabox*. This box contained a mix of brands I'd had tried out before and some that I'd never seen at all. If you want to have a look through some other posts to check out what's been in other months boxes you can see them here.

Meal Items

The Garofalo Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (£2.19) was a good cupboard filler as it's always handy to have some pasta as I can use it with a number of different meals. It's made with unprocessed whole organic durum wheat which means that its natural bran, germ, fibre, vitamins and minerals remain intact which give it health benefits. An interesting inclusion was the GOOD HEMP Hemp Seed Hearts (£4.49) which are high in Protein, Fibre and Omega 3. They are free from nuts and gluten and are great for sprinkling on cereal, yogurt, salads and stir fries. I've added a small amount to meals and you don't really notice them which makes it an easy way to make your food that little bit healthier. The last meal item was the Dorset Cereals (£4.89) which I received in the Machu Picchu flavour. It's a blend of oats and barley with brazil nuts, golden berries and a taste of coffee. This pack of muesli is a little different to some of your normal cereal so may be good to go for if you want to change up your morning meal.

Snack Items

One of my favourite snacks from this box were the Seabrook Lattice Crisps (£1.50 - £1.99). I've tried their other ranges before but there was just something about the thin lattice design that makes them taste so nice. There are sliced both ways to hold even more sea salt and black pepper flavour, giving them that distinctive crunch. Something a little more on the healthier side are the Nothing But freeze-dried fruits (2 x £1.20) which come in handy snack packs. They contain nothing but 100% wholesome ingredients and lose nothing apart from water when they are frozen due to their special freeze-drying process. Being suitable for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets is an added bonus. One product I had never seen before was the Doisy & Dam's Quinoa, Smoked Tea & Vanilla Chocolate (£1.75). It's certainly one of the longest product names I've come across and is created by soaking the nutty Bolivian popped quinoa in a secret smoky infusion, before being combined with organic Dominican 39% milk chocolate.

Polos have been around for years now and normally come in a paper wrapping which was rather annoying, so it was nice to see they finally come in a convenient pot. The POLO Sugar Free Pot (£1.49) are flavoured with natural mint oils to help refresh your breath while being accredited by the Oral Health Foundation as being kind to teeth. When I noticed the Whitworths Full of Super Vanilla Maca-roons (£1.50) I was intrigued as I enjoy coconut flavoured items. They are crammed with almonds, flakes of coconut and golden flax seeds while being naturally high in fibre and Pantothenic Acid which aids mental performance. They were a great quick snack to enjoy that would fill you up despite their small size. Something different to the other choices in this box were the ViPnuts (£1.25) which I received in the Hot Chilli flavour. In short they are the gourmet peanut brands that offer a chilli kick and depth of flavour.

Drinks

The first bottle included in this Degustabox was the Fentimans Pink Grapefruit Tonic Water. As we are getting towards summer, having a refreshing drink always comes in handy. To enjoy this at it's best I prefer to stick it in the fridge as the chilled taste makes it that bit nicer. The other drink was the CELIA Organic Lager (£2.49) which is brewed using just three ingredients. It's a premium craft Czech lager which I'm sure my boyfriend will enjoy as I'm more of a cider kind of girl. That's all for the April Degustabox which was quite a mixed one this month. It seems like quite a few items were trying to cater to multiple dietary needs, however this doesn't apply to me. There were only a few products that really jumped out to me this month. If you want to get your own Degustabox then make sure you use my discount code 0GAWD to get £7.00 off!

*Post contains press samples

Degustabox March Review #2

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been trying out what the March Degustabox* has to offer. As soon as I opened the box I was really pleased as they had a good mix of healthy items and treats as well as a few interesting drinks. If you want to see the previous months items you can flick through my previous posts.

Meal Items

The Heinz Seriously Good Sauce (£1.99) in the creamy tomato and garlic flavour looked really interesting and something I hadn't seen before. They have a nice smooth texture in a handy jar which came in really useful. I paired this with chicken which made it super easy to finish off the meal. The other meal item included this month was the Maldon Smoked Sea Salt Flakes (£1.50). A few years ago I never knew that you could buy different types of salt in our shops. Since getting into my cooking more recently I've discovered that salt can make a real different to the taste of your food, so I can definitely see myself using in many meals.

Snacks

The product of the month in this box was the Dairy Milk Oreo bar (2 x £1.49) which came both in peanut butter and mint flavours. It was hard not to open these to test them out until I'd got my photos sorted! The mint one was a great combination and a great sweet treat and is like Aero bars but ten times better. I wasn't too keen on the peanut butter one, but this isn't surprising seen as I'm not keen on anything peanut butter flavoured. I am pretty confident that anyone who does like their peanut butter would love this bar. Another chocolatey product was the £onepounders Chocolate Eclairs (£1.00) which comes in a decent sized sharing bag and all come individually wrapped so can just grab one or two when you get a craving.

I've always keen to try out some of the more premium crisps as they often have much more flavour to them, so these Pipers Crisps (£2.00) were a good one this month. They are the cider vinegar and sea salt flavour which are one of the classics but still a great choice, and I'd be sure to buy them. Something a bit more on the healthy side is the Whitworths Super CACAO RAW BARS (£1.50) which are packed with almonds, flakes of coconut, chai seeds, golden flax seeds, quinoa and acai. These are gluten free, contain no soy and are suitable for vegetarians. The last snacks item was from The Jelly Bean Factory (£1.49) which contains 36 gourmet flavours of beans, made using natural flavours. I've always liked jelly beans so I'm looking forward to popping these open to test them out.

Drinks

One of the trends at the minute seem to involve breakfast drinks for a quick and effortless start to the day, so I wasn't too surprised when the Weetabix On The Go drinks were included again, with a standard (£1.39) and extra protein (£1.99) one being included. They have been specially created to 'bring you a great start on days when you just can't stop', which is ideal for those who live busy lives. If you wanted a refreshing and energising drink, then there is the Gusto Organic Lemon Energy (£1.50) that is designed to deliver taste, stimulation and wellbeing. It's sweetened with agave nectar, apple and grape juice and could be a refreshing drink for spring. There were a couple of Westons Ciders (2 x £1.99) included which came in a smaller 330ml size. The Pure Hopped Cider is a collaboration between Westons Cider and Purity Brewing to give a hopping aroma with a well balanced smooth taste. The Caple RD Dry Cider Blend No 5 is a complex dry matured that is matured up to 18 months to give it's flavour.

A drink that caught my eye was the Rebel Kitchen Chocolate Mylk (£1.89). It's a handy size and I've been looking forward to trying this for a while now as I've seen it advertised on a few health blogs. The last item in the March Degustabox was Naturelly (£1.19) which contains 100% of the recommendation daily intake of Vitamin C and is suitable for children aged 12 months and above. I wasn't entirely sure where to place this product as you can enjoy it as a jelly snack, drink or dessert so it's a rather flexible item. If you want to get your hands on your own box, be sure to use my discount code 0GAWD to save yourself £7.00!