The August "Back to School" Degustabox review

The long summer holidays will soon be drawing to a close, so to help the kids (and the teachers, like me) to keep a smile on their faces as they ease into Back To School mode, Degustabox have come up with a boxful of snacks, treats and speedy meals this month. I can honestly say, there is nothing in this box that I wouldn't buy so it's a great box for us. 

Starting off with the drinks, we loved the Orangina Limited Edition Summer Bottles (2 x £1.20). I do miss the original dimpled glass bottles from its beginnings that always made it seem so unique and exotic, but these fun clothed plastic bottles make a great alternative. The slightly sparkling, pulpy, orange drink is as refreshing as always, whatever the container.

Twisted Halo (£1.50) is a brand I'd never heard of before. It's a blend of coconut water, ginger and vodka which I wasn't sure about when I read the label but it actually works really well. The coconut water isn't overly sweet and gives a sophisticated base, with a subtle ginger warmth coming through and a zesty topnote of lime. A 275ml bottle contains only 90 calories.

There was also a very generous multipack of Seabrook Crisps (£1) containing six bags in three flavours : Sea Salted, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Cheese & Onion. They are the original crinkle cut crisp brand and they are very tasty. Perfect for packed lunches or snacks for ravenous teens when they get home from school !

Another savoury snack is Light Bites Popped Chips (2 x 99p), in both Sweet & Smoky Chipotle and Pesto & Sundried Tomato flavours. This virtuous snacking option comes in at under 100 calories, is gluten free, low in saturated fat and packed with fibre and protein, so they fill you up more than regular crisps. I wasn't sure about a soya and chickpea popped chip but they are actually very nice.

Maggi Fusian Noodles (2 x £1.39) are great for speedy suppers or lunches when we're back at work and I need something quick. I use them for family-friendly stir fries, adding them to chicken and veggies in the wok, but they could be eaten on their own if you want something simple for one. We got two varieties, Sticky Hoisin Duck and Fiery Sweet Chilli.

Bahlsen PICK UP! Black 'n' White (£1.69) are a firm favourite at The Madhouse. A generous white chocolate slab sandwiched between two crisp chocolate flavour biscuits - a gorgeous combination. Sadly there are five of us in the family so we only got one each - we'll be buying more though !

We love the original Refresher sweets but this is the first time we'd tried the Refresher Softies (£1). We thought that they had a totally different taste to the original sweets but are equally nice, with a satisfying chewy texture and a nice fruity fizz.

Cadbury Curlywurly Squirlies (£1.99) have the same great chocolate-covered caramel taste as the original Curlywurly but they're much easier to eat (especially in public !). Yum !

Cadbury Dairy Milk Big Taste Toffee Whole Nut (65p) delivers exactly what it says on the label - a lovely combination of flavours and textures. Another unanimous thumbs up.

Fruitypot Jelly Squeeze (2 x 69p) is a fun new way to eat jelly in a resealable pouch. No mess, no fuss and no spoon needed. They're school compliant so they're perfect as a lunchbox treat.

The final two products could be used in sandwiches and salads for packed lunches - Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise (£1.69) is a store cupboard staple at The Madhouse. We love the creamy texture and tangy but mild flavour, as well as the fact that it is made with 100% free range eggs.

Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce (£1.89) is made with mild green jalapeno peppers, vinegar and salt. It offers a slight kick and tang to numerous salad dressings and dips, without the intense heat of the more well-known red version.

This month's recipe card features a cocktail and a dish - Gin Gina and Grilled Korean Short Ribs with Salsa Verde.

There is also a money-off voucher for Seabrook Crisps.

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which gives you a whopping £7 off the price of your first box, so you'll get it for just £5.99 - just enter code 0BS6T at the checkout.

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Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.