April 2021 Degustabox : UK vs International

The postie dropped off this month's Degustabox a few days ago and as soon as we spotted the theme of the box, we were intrigued : UK vs International. Oooh, what would be lurking inside ? The kids instantly spotted several things that they couldn't wait to try !

This month's Product of the Month is one that we instantly grabbed - McVitie's Sticky Toffee Pudding Hobnobs (RRP £1.59 - other Degustaboxers got Chocolate Brownie flavour). These are new flavours in the Chocolate Hobnobs range, inspired by Great British desserts. They are totally delicious, even better than regular Hobnobs. Yum !

Bull's-Eye Kentucky Habanero Hot Sauce With Whiskey (RRP £1.99) sounds like a great product for summer barbecues. I must admit, I wimped out when reading the description though ! "This one's hot - for those in search of firepower, the fruity Habanero chilli is cooked up with a dash of whiskey to pack the heat. Expect bold, sweet aromas with some Kentucky tang." It would be great for adding some heat to meat before putting it on the grill, zinging up your salsa or stirring through chilli. I'll pass this on to a friend !

Dorset Cereals Nutty Granola (RRP £4.15) is a delicious breakfast option, made with crunchy almonds, hazelnuts and cashews. It tastes very natural and you instantly get the feeling that it's good for you. The perfect way to start the day ! 

Tilda Japanese Teriyaki Jasmine Rice (RRP £1.59) is a limited edition, so get in quick ! It's an exciting mix of sticky jasmine rice, spring onions, carrots and water chestnuts, with the addition of soy sauce, sugar and mirin (all ingredients typically used in teriyaki marinade). It's the perfect accompaniment to exotic food - if you want to try something Japanese, check out my recipes for Yakiniku-inspired Beef Stir Fry, Pork Yakisoba or Kamo No Teriyaki (Teriyaki Duck with Soba Noodles) - but it's also great for jazzing up leftovers, for example using up the leftover chicken after a Sunday roast.

Gunna Ginger Rebel Ginger Lemonade (RRP £1.50) is a new drinks option - we've had ginger beer before but not ginger lemonade. Well, in terms of taste, it's very similar, with a fairly mild ginger taste. Gunna's aim is to "battle the bland" and bring customers healthier alternatives that are full of flavour. Their drinks contain less than 5% sugar, fewer calories and no artificial colours or preservatives. Definitely worth a try, if you want something a little bit different to quench your thirst. It might even help you out if you're suffering with morning sickness. (Ginger always used to help settle my stomach when I was pregnant.)

  

Aero Dark & Milk (RRP £1) is a new product from a brand I love. Orange and Mint Aeros remind me of being at school because my best friend always used to bring them in her lunch box - how times have changed ! I wasn't sure about the "dark" part though, as I'm definitely a milk chocolate kinda girl. The bar description is intriguing though : "Introducing Aero Dark&Milk, a darker chocolate bar that is bubbling with smooth milk and dark intensity. Aero Dark&Milk has a higher percentage of cocoa solids than standard Aero, whilst keeping the lightness and smoothness of Aero milk chocolate." Well, it's not bad - you get the same bubbly texture and smoothness - and it would be perfect if you're looking for a richer, stronger cocoa flavour, but I prefer the normal Aero bars. Sorry !

  

Noodl Plus Charcoal Noodles with Epic Mushrooms (RRP £2.50) is an interesting take on pot noodles. The noodles are thicker than most other pot noodle-type products so they take 7-8 minutes to rehydrate but they have a satisfying chewiness that really fills you up. There are impressive large chunks of cauliflower and spring onion in there and a lovely mushroom flavour. Eating black food still seems wrong to me (I said the same thing when trying cuttlefish ink paella !) but it's a tasty and surprisingly satisfying meal. There are other options available - Chilli Noodles with Balinese Spices or (purple) Beetroot Noodles with Heavenly Harissa. As well as the exciting colours, I love the fact that the noodles are plant based, high in protein and high in fibre.

Get More Vits have two products in this month's box - Get More Vits Vitamin D Still Mango & Passionfruit Drink (RRP £1.50) and Get More Vits Multivitamin Chewing Gum (RRP £1.50). They are both simple (and enjoyable) ways of upping your vitamin intake. The drink has a refreshing, fruity flavour and is sugar free and low calorie, as well as providing your daily dose of Vitamin D. The chewing gum is a great way to increase your vitamin intake while freshening your breath. It's available in two flavours - peppermint and spearmint - and, as well as being sugar free, each piece of gum provides a 25% daily dose of ten essential vitamins. 

Kind Dark Chocolate Orange Almond (RRP £1.30) is a healthy snack bar with no secret ingredients, no artificial flavours, no preservatives and no sweeteners. The description confused me, until I took a bite. "An iconic UK flavour, just done better…and a little less round." Ahhh forget the almonds, just think chocolate orange ! Well, it's not quite the same but it's very tasty nevertheless. 

Brioche Pasquier Pancakes (RRP £1.65) are a new product and they fit in perfectly with the rest of the range of delicious and convenient breakfast options. The pancakes come in packs of two, which helps to keep them fresh. They can be packed in a pocket or a bag to be eaten cold as a snack on the go but they are even tastier if you heat them up in the microwave then top them with fruit (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries work really well), maple syrup or (the Madhouse kids' favourite option !) chocolate and hazelnut spread.

Very Lazy Chipotle Paste (RRP £2) is a convenient way or adding a touch of heat to all your home-cooked Mexican-inspired meals. As well as a chilli kick, you get a lovely smoky flavour that adds depth to anything from fajitas and chilli to burritos and tacos. The great thing if you're cooking for your family is that you can serve the kids then stir through a little bit of paste for the adults.

This was a great box with a real mixture of ingredients. The kids didn't think it was particularly international, but when I pointed out that chipotle is Mexican, pancakes are French, teriyaki rice is Japanese, noodles are (amongst other nationalities) Chinese and Kentucky habanero sauce is American, they had to agree, even if, as far as they were concerned, they were just normal store cupboard ingredients. It just goes to show how many different types of cooking they're used to !

 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.