August 2021 Degustabox review : Back To School & On The Go

A few weeks ago, the postie dropped off our August Degustabox. How can that only be a few weeks ago? It seems like months have passed by, what with days out, catching up with family and going back to school ! It really was just a few short weeks ago though and now, we're back into long school days and piles of homework to work through - awww ! Luckily, last month's Degustabox was packed with treats to keep smiles on everyone's faces !

Here's the contents of the box, laid out to give you a better idea of what was hiding inside. I could instantly spot things for family meals, teenage snacks and cheeky treats to share - perfect !

The first thing that we pulled out was two packs of Lady Gaga Oreo Cookies (RRP 2 x £1.08). Now, I know all about normal Oreos - the kids regularly hoover them up while doing their homework ! - but I had no idea that Lady Gaga had got involved somewhere along the way. Juliette did though and she was all excited, until Sophie said that these are regular coloured Oreos, not the green and pink Lady Gaga ones that were released in America, because the food colours aren't allowed in Europe/the UK. I have no idea but I couldn't actually tell any difference whatsoever with regular Oreos ! They taste very nice though, with their chocolate flavour biscuit and vanilla cream filling.

Pagen Gifflar Cinnamon Rolls (RRP £1.70) are a delicious sweet treat that the kids loved munching on, for breakfast along with a glass of orange juice or just as a snack throughout the day. They are lovely and soft with a tasty swirl of cinnamon. I can definitely see us buying these again. They're available at Tesco, Asda and Ocado.

5th Season Freeze-Dried Sensational Strawberries (RRP £1.50) were another big hit with the kids. Each pack contains 80g of fruit and nothing is added - no hidden nasties whatsoever. The soft, crunchy texture that melts in your mouth and the rich strawberry flavour give you the impression that you're nibbling on something decadent but the whole pack only contains 30 calories. Available at Sainsbury's, The Good Club, Mighty Small, Amazon and on https://5thseasonfruit.com.

Cirio Pasta Sauce Ragùs (RRP £2) are perfect when you get in late from work and need a simple but great tasting meal that can be on the table in minutes. We got the Mushrooms & Sausage variety, but other options are Beef, Pork & White Wine or Pancetta, Mushrooms & Grilled Peppers. The rustic style sauces are made with 100% Italian meat and tomatoes plus extra virgin olive oil. I usually like to add extra fresh vegetables, such as onions, peppers and mushrooms, to jars of pasta sauce, but this really didn't need it. Even the kids approved ! Available in Ocado.

Skippy Choc Chip Swirl Peanut Butter (RRP £2.65) is, just as the name suggests, a smooth, creamy peanut butter, swirled with lots of melted chocolate pieces. I have to admit, I wasn't sure about this combination but Pierre has been slathering it on bread and toast and gobbling it up in record time ! We'll definitely be buying this again, as the current jar has almost all gone ! Available at Morrisons and on Ocado.

Virtue Clean Energy Drink (RRP £1.50) is a healthier version of an energy drink. We got the Lemon & Lime flavour, while other Degustaboxers got Berries. It contains zero sugar and zero calories and is made with all natural ingredients. It offers the same amount of caffeine (80mg) as the leading energy drinks or coffee and the natural energy is sourced from green coffee beans. I passed this on to Sophie, who said it was very nice.

Knorr Zero Salt Veggie Stock Cubes (RRP £1.49) is part of a new range of products that have been awarded the prestigious Netmums Recommended Accreditation, with 93% of testers saying that they'd recommend them to friends and family. The range, which includes Chicken and Beef flavours, is the first zero salt option available. They're great for adding depth of flavour to casseroles, sauces and soups and you really don't notice the lack of salt.

Up & Go Banana & Honey Breakfast Drinks (RRP £1 for a single unit, £2.75 for a multipack of 3) are perfect for breakfast on the go when you're running late or for sticking in the kids' school bags when they can't face eating before heading out of the door. Each carton is made with milk and oats, is high in protein, fibre and calcium and has the same sugar content as a glass of semi-skimmed milk. If you don't like banana flavour (personally, I don't, but the kids did !), there is also a chocolate variety. Available at Tesco, Morrisons and on Ocado, currently only as a multipack.

 

Nescafé Gold Iced Salted Caramel Latte (RRP £2.98) is this month's Product of the Month and it is the perfect drink to enjoy during the current heatwave (in September ?! It's even hotter than back in August !) Just add cold water and ice then settle down to enjoy a deliciously milky drink with a hint of salted caramel flavour and velvety froth. I'm not a coffee fan but Sophie thinks they're delicious.

Shreddies "The Simple One" (RRP £2.50) is a cereal option that contains less than 5% sugar and is made with just four simple ingredients : whole grain wheat, sweetened with banana puree and date syrup, along with a pinch of salt. I hate all the overly sweet cereal options so this makes a nice change, although I do like to throw in some fresh fruit or yogurt to jazz things up a bit. 

Tweek Sour Supreme (RRP £1.99) are, as it says on the pack, "sweets with benefits". They contain 95% less sugar, are high in fibre, provide 45% less calories and are made with natural flavours and colours. Nevertheless, they taste just as good as regular sweets and the kids gobbled them up !

Clif Bar (RRP 75p for the 28g bar, £1.69 for the 68g bar) is described as the ultimate energy bar designed for active lifestyles that incorporates plant-based ingredients from sustainable sources. We got two flavours, out of the six available - White Chocolate Macadamia and Crunchy Peanut Butter. Both got a big thumbs up in terms of flavour and also for being good for the planet.

There are several brands in this month's box that we'll definitely be throwing in our trolley on a semi-regular basis !

 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.