We recently received our January 2022 Degustabox and, as the first box of the year, I was expecting it to have a healthy New Year's Resolution theme. Well, I was half right (or, more precisely, a third right). This month's box has a Breakfast, On The Go & Kick Start the New Year theme. Sounds interesting !
The first thing that I picked out for inspection was this Cooking Sauce Collection box from Lee Kum Kee (RRP £4.99), a brand I've often used in the past. Lee Kum Kee invented Oyster Sauce all the way back in 1888 and they have been helping adventurous home cooks add a touch of exotic originality to their dishes ever since. Their sauces are a great way of rustling up a quick, Chinese-themed meal and I often use them to help with using up the Christmas turkey leftovers, as well as throughout the year.
The box contains various sachets to help set your taste buds on fire. I found full-sized sachets of Hoisin Sauce, Yellow Bean Sauce and Chilli Garlic Sauce, plus two small sachets each of Chilli Oil and Sweet Soy Sauce. There is also a booklet filed with different ways to use the sauces to help inspire your imagination. I'm looking forward to dipping into these and, as it's Chinese New Year right now, it's the perfect time to try some new flavours.
Dr Wills All Natural Tomato Ketchup (RRP £3.50) is a healthier take on classic ketchup, sweetened with three and a half dates instead of the 19 sugar cubes contained in the leading market bottle. It was created by a genuine doctor who was horrified at the idea of parents smothering their children's healthy food in such a sugary concoction to get them to eat it. The product promises to be full of flavour and packed with vine-ripened tomatoes, no gunk and no junk. It contains just 14 calories per serving and won a Great Taste award in 2020. The only downside is that it's on the pricey side. Available at Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon and on Dr-wills.com.
Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend (RRP £2) is a dairy-free milk alternative, made from whole rolled oats, with no added sugar. It steams beautifully, can be poured straight into a cup of coffee and tastes great by itself. I'll pass this over to Sophie, as she likes to try all the different milk alternatives.
Nine Dark Choc & Orange Bar (RRP 99p) is a new product from the range that promises 9 benefits in every bar: immune supporting seeds, natural ingredients, high in fibre, 100% plant protein, high in Vitamin E, source of magnesium, gluten and wheat free, a vegan
Source of Vitamin B1. Equally (or more?!) importantly, it tastes great too, with a sweet orangey tang blended with a decadent hit of chocolate. You even get to feel good about all its healthy extras as you eat !
Get More Vits Pink Grapefruit (RRP £1.50) is a new addition to the range of drinks that we have tried and loved before - we
reviewed them back in 2019 and the kids still love them. As well as offering a tangy, fruity flavour that was a big hit with everyone, each bottle contains 200% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin B12. This helps combat tiredness and fatigue, as well as supporting the immune and nervous systems. It's sugar free, low in calories (only 4 calories per bottle) and is made with real pink grapefruit extract.
Eat Natural Low Sugar Granola (RRP £3) is a tasty breakfast option, made with whole grain oats, almonds and seeds, sweetened with coconut nectar blossom rather than sugar. Toasted coconut shavings add extra natural fibre and I like to toss in a handful of raisins or a topping of fresh fruit, for a delicious and satisfying start to the day.
Harvest Snaps Sour Cream & Chive (RRP £1.75) are delicious, crunchy oven baked veggie snacks, made from red lentils with real onion, seasoned with a vegan sour cream and chive seasoning. The tangy, creamy, garlicky flavour was a big hit with the kids who polished off the pack in record time. They're baked, not fried, and the kids wouldn't believe me when I said they were made of lentils !
Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes (RRP £1.30) is this month's Product of the Month and will certainly come in handy. I'm always using tinned tomatoes, in casseroles and pasta sauces or on pizzas. Mutti's tomatoes are processed within 24 hours of harvesting in order to capture the taste of freshly picked, 100% Italian, sun-ripened tomatoes, along with their rich texture and bright red colour. They have a lovely sweetness.
There was a voucher in the box for a Richmond Toad In The Hole Family Meal Kit (RRP £2.95), which can be used in Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, Iceland and Sainsbury's. This kit contains ten sausages and a batter mix. You just need to add water to the batter mix, pour it over the sausages then put it in the oven. Add a side of potatoes and carrots and you'll have big smiles all round !
Linwoods Cold Milled Flaxseed (RRP £1.99 for 80g, £4.99 for 425g) can easily be added to your daily diet for an extra nutritional punch, including protein, fibre and omega-3. You can sprinkle it over your breakfast, salad or yogurt or add it to a smoothie. If you're trying to eat more healthily as a new year's resolution, this could be a simple way to start.
Quinola Snacktastically Light Corn, Pulses & Quinoa Wonky Crackers (RRP £1.75) get a prize for having the longest name I've ever typed ! They're an alternative to rice cakes and can be eaten straight from the pack or spread with sweet or savoury toppings. They're made with puffed corn, pulses and quinoa and each cracker only contains 22 calories. Another great snack for those on a healthy eating kick for 2022 !
Prodigy Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate Bar (RRP £1.75) takes a classic combination and aims to make it better for you and the planet. It is plant-based, contains no palm oil, has less than half the sugar of typical chocolate bars and is certified Climate Neutral and Plastic Negative. You still get the lovely taste of crunchy hazelnuts and creamy chocolate with a hint of sea salt though. It's a shame they're too pricey to become a regular snack. Available at health stores, Holland & Barrett, on amazon and at prodigysnacks.com.
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.
