The BBQ-themed June Degustabox review

This week, the postie dropped off a brand new Degustabox for us to discover and it seemed to be a bumper box this month. Maybe that was just because absolutely everything in it appeals to us though. There are lots of brands that I recognise - many of them from previous Degustaboxes in fact - as well as a few complete unknowns and a couple of well-known brands - a good mixture, just the way I like it.

After unpacking everything (and fighting the kids off a few things that they wanted to try straight away !), I looked at the enclosed information and recipe cards and discovered that this box has a BBQ theme - perfect for the summer. Time to delve in and discover the contents.

Capsicana Cook Sauces (2 x £1.99), which are Product of the Month, are on a mission to change the way we eat Mexican and Latin American food at home in the UK, offering authentic flavours in the convenience of a ready made sauce. There were various varieties to discover in this month's Degustaboxes - we got Cuban Chilli & Lime, made with Habanero Chillies, and Brazilian Chilli & Coconut, made with Frutsecens Chillies. I love the sound of the flavours but the Hot chilli rating does put me off a bit, especially as the kids will undoubtedly find them too spicy.

Idahoan is a brand I'd never heard of until we got to try their Garlic Mash in a previous box. This time, it's Idahoan Gratin Cheesy Oven Bake (RRP £2.30), which will be perfect for a quick midweek meal when I'm home from work late and need something on the table quick, or if one of the girls fancies cooking for a change. Just add hot water, milk and butter for a tasty side dish. Preparation time 3 minutes, cooking time under half an hour - can't say fairer than that !

 Great British Biscotti Co was a brand I'd never heard of, so we were keen to try their take on the Italian classic with their White Chocolate, Cranberries & Pistachio twice-baked biscuits (RRP £1.30). The buttery biscuit base combines perfectly with the zingy flavours of the cranberries and the creamy richness of Belgian chocolate. The kids thought they were a bit hard and dry, but that is pretty much the nature of biscotti ! I thought they were lovely and they're robust enough for packed lunches and picnics.

One of my favourites now, and the main one that I had to fight the kids off ! - The Jelly Bean Factory Gourmet Jelly Beans (£1.25). 36 gourmet flavours, all very tasty, and the fact that they are made with Fairtrade sugar is an added bonus. We often buy these as I am especially partial to jelly beans.

Frylight Avocado Oil Cooking Spray (RRP £2.99) is a convenient and simple way of cutting down on excess fat and calories when cooking. It can be used at higher temperatures, due to the resilience of avocado oil, so it's ideal for everything from shallow frying and roasting to stir fries. It can also be used as a cake release spray, if used on cake tins and bun trays before baking.

Mighty Fine Salted Caramel Honeycomb Bar (RRP £1) is another new find and a very tasty one at that. Their signature handcrafted honeycomb is made with natural ingredients, light, crisp and slightly salted, and in this bar, it is covered in a creamy caramel Belgian milk chocolate. Very tasty but very sweet so a little goes a long way.

On to the drinks ...

No & More Raspberry & Blueberry (RRP £1.29) is a refreshing blend of spring water and delicate fruity flavours. With no sugar, sweeteners, preservatives or artificial ingredients, it's a great way to encourage kids (and adults) to drink water rather then fizzy drinks or overly sweet juice drinks.

Everybody knows Orangina and in this box, you can try both the original and light versions (RRP 2 x £1.20). We love the pulpy texture and the fact that it is not too fizzy.

Rosie's Pig Raspberry Roller (RRP £2) is a sparkling cloudy cider with raspberry and cucumber flavourings. It tastes better than it sounds ! Served chilled, it is a lovely refreshing drink, perfect for warm summer evenings, but I still think the cans look too much like soft drinks and are too appealing to children. 

The non-alcohol version of the box also contained Fyre Fruit Drinks (2x £1.29), which are refreshing sparkling fruit drinks with an added kick of spices, to put some spice in you life ! The sweetness of the fruit nicely off-balances the spice. 

The kids really enjoyed the Brioche Pasquier products in the last box, so they were over the moon to discover a pack of Pains Au Lait (RRP £1.75) - milk brioche rolls that can be eaten with any number of sweet or savoury fillings, or even just straight from the pack. Lightly toasting them really releases the buttery flavour and gives them a lovely soft crunch that is a great way to start the day.

Finally Peckish Rice Crackers (RRP £1.79) were a brand and a product that we were unfamiliar with, but we'll be looking our for them again. I like the conveniece of the individual snack packs and the kids loved the tangy barbecue flavour. They're baked not fried, gluten free and under 100 calories per portion. Sold !

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 means you'll get the first box for just £7.99 - 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.