By the time the May Degustabox arrived the worst of my morning sickness/nausea had eased so I was even more excited than usual to get stuck in to trying the contents. This box had an outdoor and BBQ theme to it and contained some products which have now become firm favourites and staples in this house- read on to find out which ones made the cut…

I’m a massive Hippeas fan and have raved about them multiple times on the blog so I was super hyped to see their new tortilla snacks included in this month’s box. Whilst I definitely prefer the original puffs, these are definitely fabulous. Made from chickpeas and packed full of plant-based protein, these are super crunchy and the chilli kick certainly packs a flavour punch! I look forward to seeking out the other flavours- especially the cheesy nacho ones! £1 RRP from hippeas.com, Amazon, Booths, Boots, H&B, Ocado, Planet Organic, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.

Sweets are a bit hit and miss with me at the moment but the new Dessert Pastilles from Rowntree’s instantly appealed. I loved the texture of these, and the flavours are really unique. My personal favourite was Mango Sorbet but there wasn’t any that I didn’t like. £1.29 from major supermarket chains.

We didn’t get very far with the drinks in this month’s box I’m afraid. Obviously I passed on the Echo Falls Strawberry and Pink Pepper Rosé seltzer although it sounds like a fabulous summer drink for a gathering. These sell for £1.80 per can from Asda and independent stores.
Having lived on lemon drinks for the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, the very sight of them now makes me heave so sadly this gorgeous looking can from Pip Organic had to be banished for now. This is an organic sparkling lemon drink which comes in at under 75cal and counts as one of your 5 a day. A great treat for the designated drivers/kids at a gathering. £1.50 per can from Abel & Cole, Amazon or Ocado.

For me these little biscuits from Telstar/Not too Naughty stole the show this month. To the point where I sent Bob straight to Amazon to bulk order me a mixed pack of the Telstar mini cookie stars. These are lovely little bites, the caramelised mini stars especially remind me a bit of baby rusks in their texture and I am obsessed. They come in at 50p for a single pack, £10 for 25 (I picked up two of these!) from Amazon and I highly recommend everyone looking for a cheeky little biscuit break does the same. I cannot say enough good things about these.

Bob inhaled this Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Bar before I could even tell him I needed his thoughts on it. I did manage to get a “was good” out of his though! And I agree. Whilst I dislike Hershey’s chocolate there is something about this bar and I often pick one up when I see it (when I can stomach chocolate type products that is). These are around 89p from most supermarket chains as well as discount stores.

Here we have a great little assortment of products that have all become pantry staples for us (yes, we have an actual pantry!). Bob and I love the Rosemary and Onion seasoning from Knorr (£1.80 from Tesco, available in four flavours). I’ve been chucking it on roasted new potatoes and roasted veg, but you can literally pop it in anything and it gives a great, rich flavour boost.
I have a long-standing phobia of Olive oil (or any oil) so I rarely cook with it, but I do manage to cope with the spray versions so we’ve made great use of this Bertolli spray- our current obsession is using it on Asaparagus alongside balasamic glaze and griddling it. YUM! £3 from Ocado and Amazon.
I’m more of a ketchup on salads kind of girl but I do make exception for this Hellman’s fat free vinaigrette dressing which I have tried and bought before. It’s perfect for adding some pizazz to a salad, I also like to dip cucumber or celery sticks in it. £1.65 from Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Co-op and Morrisons.

Bob and I already use a lot of microwave rice pouches and really rate them but sometimes it’s nice to change it up a bit. I especially loved these Mexican Spicy Grains from Whitworths- a vegan, protein packed pouch of goodness that only takes two minutes to prepare. Great as a base for a salad bowl or as a side for our favourite vegan chill as a change. Will be stocking up on these! £2 from Tesco, Morrisons and Ocado.

I’ve tried both of these Graze products before and often grab them for a snack on the go. The smoky barbecue crunch is a long time favourite for the mix of textures and the great salty, smoky flavour- £1 for a punnet or £2.99 for a share bag.
The cocoa vanilla protein oat bites are a really good on the go snack for handbags- a sweet little treat with a boost of protein to keep you full, but with 45% less sugar than similar products. £1 per bite or £2.49 for a 4 pack.
Both available from major supermarket chains, with other flavours also available.

Finally a couple of products that have been saviours for random bouts of nausea. I already knew I loved Nairn’s sweet oatcakes, so I had high hopes for their savoury offering of Cheese & Smoky Chipotle. They definitely did not let me know, and oddly I found them amazing for settling my stomach! £1.50 from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and health food stores.
Another odd solution to nausea was brioche, as I found out when we were trying out these Brioche Pasquier Brioche Rolls- also great for hot dogs or with nutella/peanut butter! £1.50 from Tesco, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Budgens.

If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim £3.00 off of your first box (making it just £9.99!) by entering the code XOQGC 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.