The March Degustabox (review)

As usual, when this month's Degustabox arrived, everyone crowded round to see what would be hiding inside. Before we'd even started unpacking the contents, the Madhouse kids were squealing in delight, asking if they could try this and that, oh and that too ! Needless to say, it was a very popular box this month !

The oohs and aahs didn't stop coming when we looked at what was hiding at the bottom of the box.

The Lindt White Chocolate Bunny (£2.99) looks so cute and Pierre loved making him jump around so his little bell jingled. It was almost a shame to eat him, but the white chocolate was beautifully creamy and incredibly scrummy.

Chewits (4 x 35p) were a real blast from the past because I used to eat them as a kid and haven't tried them for years. They are still exactly how I remember them and the Madhouse kids were big fans too. We got four packs, two each of blackcurrant and strawberry, and they didn't last long !

The Brioche Pasquier Pain au Chocolat with Crème Patissière (£1.40) were declared delicious and disappeared so swiftly, I didn't even manage to get a photo ! They can be eaten warm but the Madhouse kids just scoffed them straight from the pack for breakfast.

I was surprised to see that the healthier snacks were equally popular though.

Kallo Milk Chocolate Rice Cake Rounds (£1) were declared delicious by all three of the kids. Personally, I'm not keen on rice cakes because the texture reminds me of polystyrene and I hate the way it squeaks on your teeth, but the addition of chocolate makes them a bit more palatable.

 Kallo Quinoa and Seeds Multigrain Cakes (£1.89) looked just too healthy to be popular with the kids but they proved me wrong, announcing that they tasted like popcorn and asing for them in place of biscuits as a snack - definitely a great swap !

Parle Hide & Seek (59p) are thin square chocolate chip biscuits that are apparently India's finest. The kids munched their way through the smallish pack in minutes, enthusing about the crisp texture and the large quantity of chocolate chips in them.

Parle Monaco (39p) are light crispy biscuits sprinkled with salt that reminded us of Ritz-type crackers. The kids added them to their semi-traditional Sunday night smorging tea, topped with cheese spread or cream cheese or just plain.

Pipers Crisp Co's Cheddar & Onion (£2) were popular with the whole family. They're nice and crunchy with a lovely depth of flavour.

We have a trip to the cinema planned later this week to see Zootopia so we've kept the bag of Metcalfe's Skinny Popcorn (£1.50) to take with us. It is Cinema Sweet but sweetened with stevia so it contains 67% less sugar than all other sweet varieties on the market and only 93 calories per serving.

 Karyatis Meze To Go (£1.99)promises to bring a taste of the Mediterranean to your snacking and I was delighted to discover the crunchy rosemary crackers accompanied witha dip made of sweet and smoky roasted red pepper and tangy feta. Its convenient packaging means that this would be great for picnics and packed lunches too.

Staying on the savoury theme, there was a tub of Kent's Kitchen Stuffing (£1.85). We got Cranberry & Orange which I used in an all-in-one couscous & chicken bake that had wonderful overtones of Moroccan spices that were perfectly complemented by the tangy fruit. Each pot serves four and it is also available in Apple, Sage & Onion, Apricot, Apple & Ginger and Rustic Red Onion, Herb & Horseradish.

For a quick breakfast that I can drink on the bus, Weetabix On The Go (2 x £1.50) sounds ideal so I've put these aside for when I go back to work. They contain extra protein (20g) and deliver a proper breakfast in drink form that provides all the energy and fibre of a weetabix with milk, as well as four vitamins, iron and calcium. As I often skip breakfast, this sounds perfect for my busy morning routine.

This month's Db's Discovery was Good Hemp Coconut (£1.79) which can be used like milk. It is a natural source of omega 3 and is completely allergen free. It is also available in Original and Unsweetened. I'll be using this to make a coconut flavoured custard and also in baking.

There is absolutely nothing in this month's box that we wouldn't eat - in fact most of it has disappeared already ! - so it was great to discover some brands and products that we were unaware of. This month's recipe is for Chocolate Easter Nests, which Pierre wants to make, even if they don't actually use any of the products from the box !

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that (£21.79 this month), but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which gives you a whopping £6 off the price of your box - just enter code BLDEG15 at the checkout - making it great value and a fab way to discover new products.

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Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review.