Time is running away with us here at The Madhouse ! I've been so busy dealing with back-to-school dashing about and everyone feeling ill with colds (and nervous thoughts of "could it be coronavirus?"!) and numerous heating problems that I've just looked at the date and realised that, blimey, we're well into October and I still haven't shared our September Degustabox with you ! Well, here goes ...
This month's box got a very warm reception from the kids because it's absolutely bursting with tasty things to nibble on. The official theme is Family Sharing & Home Cooking but to be honest, they'd be happy enough to gobble the lot before I even got a look in ! See, this is what happens when they move from cute share-it-with-Mummy toddlers to self-seeking hands-off-they're-mine teenagers ! Here's the contents of this month's box.
First up is an offering from The Protein Ball Co, containing six Goji & Coconut Vegan Protein Balls (RRP £1.99). I thought I'd get to nibble on all of these all by myself because I was quite expecting the kids to turn their noses up at them, but no such luck - they actually loved them ! Delicately made from raw pitted dates, cashews, goji berries, flaked desiccated coconut, chia seeds and vegan plant based proteins, they are high in protein and fibre. Gluten-free, vegan, wheat free, no dairy, no GMO's, no added sugar - lovingly made with organic rice protein and organic pea protein - rock 'n roll!
Thatchers Cloudy Lemon Cider (RRP £5.50 for a 4-pack) had me wondering what it would taste like. I love cider - in fact a pint of Strongbow used to be my go-to drink in my going-out days - but how would a lemon cider work? Well, it's actually very tasty. You get the usual sweetness from the apples - they use specially selected dessert apples including Braeburn, Gala and Red Spur - but the addition of real lemon juice adds some zingy, zesty sharp notes. I'd definitely drink this again.
St Lawrence Gold Pure Canadian Maple Syrup (RRP £1 each) is handcrafted from over 100 Sugar Maple Tree Forests. The Amber colour and rich taste come from sap production in the middle of the maple production season from February until early April. Compared to refined sugar and other sweeteners such as agave syrup or honey, maple syrup is a vegan and gluten free alternative that provides essential nutrients such as calcium, potassium, zinc, manganese and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Gram for gram, it provides more calcium than milk and more potassium than bananas. It tastes lovely drizzled over pancakes and waffles or even as a cheeky topping on your breakfast granola.
Peter's Yard Sourdough Crispbread (RRP - gift) are great to nibble on, especially with a dip such as guacamole, soft cheese or sour cream. They are also lovely topped with cheese, especially something a bit gooey like brie or camembert.
Amy's Kitchen Organic Vegetable Barley Soup (RRP £1.89) is perfect for a quick autumnal meal when you can't be bothered to cook. The classic comforting flavour is ideal for warming you up on a cold evening. It's packed full of organic vegetables, hearty barley and a flavourful broth. It's also suitable for vegans. Lovely !
Fulfil Chocolate Hazelnut Whip Flavour Vitamin & Protein Bar (RRP £2) is designed as fuel to get you through your working day, your breakfast rush, workout or hiking up a mountain. It's also lovely if you're just sitting in front of the telly though ! It contains a whopping 15g of protein, less than 2g of sugar and 9 vitamins. Very tasty.
Nakd Raspberry Chocolish Fruit & Nut Bars (RRP £3) are made of 100% natural ingredients with no added sugar. Drizzled with chocolate, they seem utterly indulgent but they even count as one of your five a day. Perfect for snacking with a clear conscience!
Emily Veg Thins (RRP 79p each) in Chipotle BBQ and Sea Salt flavours are a great new snack option made with real veg. I knew that these reminded me of something but I couldn't work out what. It turns out that we tried these in blind bags in a Degustabox last year ! Made with corn, peas, black beans and red lentils, they are a source of fibre and protein and only contain 90 calories per bag. They're lovely and crunchy and I put them in a bowl so that the kids wouldn't realise they were eating veggies - it worked a treat !
Rhythm 108 Sweet 'n' Salty Almond Chocolate Bar (RRP £1.49) sounds too good to be true - it's high in fibre, gluten-free, organic, vegan and contains 46% less sugar - but it still tastes surprisingly good. It's made with smooth almond butter and oat flour and is covered in silky 'mylk' chocolate. In fact, it takes three days to make from start to finish to get the perfect coating. It's worth it ! We gobbled it up and gave it a unanimous thumbs up.
Lucozade Revive (RRP £1.49) is a new drink from a well-known brand. We got the Orange & Passion Fruit flavour, which is very tasty, but it's also available in Lemon & Lime. It contains vitamins B3, B5, B6 & B12 to help reduce tiredness - exactly what I need at the moment ! It's a lightly sparkling, naturally fruity drink that tastes great and is perfect for a little lift. 380ml provides 73 calories (which is better than I expected), 0g of fat, saturates and salt and 16.4g of sugar (18% of an adult's daily recommended intake), which is where the energy comes from.
Naked Japanese Style Chicken Yakisoba 5 Minute Noodles (RRP £1) are a great timesaver in the kitchen. Just cook some veg and meat (or prawns, or meat substitute) then add the noodles and some boiling water. Five minutes later, you'll have a delicious Oriental-inspired dish ready to eat. They are also available in Korean BBQ Beef and Singapore Curry flavours.
Whitworths Chocolate Biscuit & Hazelnuts with Extra Juicy Raisins (RRP £2) are delicious straight from the bag or, as we discovered, poured on top of a pot of creamy vanilla yogurt - yum ! I had big ideas of using some of these in cookies but the kids finished them off before I got the chance !
This was the kids' favourite product from the box. McVitie's VIBs Classic Caramel Bliss (RRP £1.79) is one of McVitie's Very Important Biscuits, along with Heavenly Chocolate Hazelnut and Luscious Blood Orange flavour. We will definitely have to try all three ! They're beautifully rich and caramelly. A normal chocolate digestive will never taste the same again !
Hartley's Jelly Raspberry Flavour 3 pack (RRP £1.65) is a great new way of enjoying jelly on the go, on a picnic or in a kids' packed lunch, for example. Bursting with fruity flavours, they will always go down a treat and each pot comes in at under 100 calories. I pinched the last pot and I have to admit, I'd forgotten how much I like the taste of jelly !
This was a fun box with loads of products that the kids wanted to try out so we had several family tasting sessions. I can see a few of these products - in particular, the jelly, the VIBs and the Whitworths snacks - becoming regular visitors to our shopping trolley ! I really enjoyed trying out some of the healthier snack options too, especially as they are things that I probably wouldn't opt for without having tasted them.
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 £9.99 - enter code PKUFE 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.
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