The January Degustabox* always tends to feature a healthier selection of products than most of the other monthly deliveries and it is always a box I look forward to. The first box of 2017 was no exception and from a first glance it looked as if this was going to be one of my favourite boxes to date…was I right to be excited? Read on…
Little’s Coffee (£2.69 in Waitrose) is a brand I’ve been buying for a few years now. I don’t drink nearly as much coffee as I used to but when I fancy a change from my default black Americano I look to a flavoured instant to get my fix. French Vanilla is a wonderfully smooth tasting drink and the flavours work perfectly together- ideal for anyone who loves vanilla lattes (try it with half milk and half water, I urge you). Also in the box was a chocolate disc from the Real Hot Chocolate Company for whom I don’t actually have any information about for you. But hot chocolate is always a winner and I’m saving this for a chilly day.
Also in the drinks selection this month was a can of Crabbie’s Scottish Raspberry alcoholic ginger beer (£1.89 from leading supermarkets for a 500ml bottle). I’ve passed this on to be sampled by someone else and don’t have much feedback yet- I personally don’t like ginger beer at all but this is an interesting idea and I’m sure it’s lovely if you have the right tastebuds.
I’ve always loved Fruittella sweets and it’s nice to see a lower sugar variety on offer. With the same delicious taste as always but 30% less sugar than the original these are really tasty and didn’t hang around long! (RRP £1.25)
This sweetener from Natvia is 100% natural and sweet like sugar but has only 0.4 calories per serving. Made from stevia and natural nectar this is a healthy sugar alternative and diabetic friendly. At £4.99 per tub it’s fairly pricey but will be used in more adventures in low sugar baking in the near future.
As my current food intake is ever increasing I’m always looking for things that I can use to boost up my lunches and these Finn Crisp snacks (£1.89) are perfect. I happily munch them on their own but they are also rather nice dipped in to soup or hummus. Another snack I rate are these new ridged snacks from Popchips (£1.99). Although bacon wouldn’t be the flavour I picked off the supermarket shelf these are un-deniably more-ish and are under 100 calories per serving so perfect for anyone watching their diet.
I don’t have much call for protein drinks with my current lifestyle so I passed this Protein Boost strawberry shake on to my friend’s sports mad brother. At £1.29 per bottle with 20g of protein this seems like a good value boost for when you’re on the go.
I’m loving the Quinola Mothergrain pouch (£2.49) which is a blend of ready cooked organic and fairtrade pearl quinoa and split peas. It can be eaten hot or cold, and both ways are delicious. This is a good lunch time option as part of a salad (with feta cheese and beetroot, yum!) or as an accompaniment to your evening meal. Gluten free and suitable for vegans. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for this in the shops. I’m still not brave enough for the chia seeds from The Chia Co. It’s a texture thing for me, but for those who are a fan then these handy little sachets are only 66p each and great for adding to breakfasts and lunches on the go.
I’m afraid I don’t have any information on the firey ginger hibiscus drink that came in the box and it’s not a product I have tried either (see ginger beer section). The Aspire Drinks I have sampled though. Aspire make healthy energy drinks that are calories and sugar free containing a premium grade green tea. These were nice, once I got over how un-sweet they are! I wasn’t expecting a Mango drink to not be sweet but once I got over that it was delicious! £1.45 each
I’ve reviewed Yushoi snacks on the blog before and was intrigued to see their latest flavour offering of coconut and chilli. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy these as although I love coconut I wasn’t convinced it’d work in a savoury snack but it does. It does brilliantly and I am addicted to these now. £1.79 per back- and so worth it!
Finally there was a voucher in the box to pick up a tub of yoghurt from The Collective (£2.00). These are gourmet yoghurts with a double layer of fresh fruit compote. I went for the spiced plum version which also has ginger in it and presented it to my grandad who loves that particular flavour combination. He’s a bit of a fusspot when it comes to food but declares this lives up to it’s gourmet claims. Having tried a mouthful (or two) myself I wholeheartedly agree and I may have an expensive new yoghurt habit forming.
For those who don’t know Degustabox is a monthly subscription box filled with 10-15 food/drink products, most of which are brand new to the market so it’s a great way to try things out. On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this.
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £7.00 off of your first box (making it just £5.99!) by entering the code 6HZJ8 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.
Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought of them.
