Degustabox April 2023 review : All Around The World

I don't know if it's due to the Easter holiday putting a spring in my step or if the seasons have truly shifted from winter to spring, but as I glance out of my window, I can see sunshine, a blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds, birds chirping away in the hedges and splashes of colour in the garden from the bluebells and daffodils putting in an appearance. Bring it on, I say ! I'm ready to start spending more time outside and putting aside my thick winter jumpers in favour of some lighter and brighter floaty tops and blouses. Even my foodie choices are changing, moving away from casseroles and winter warmers towards salads, sandwiches and lighter options. When the postie dropped off this month's Degustabox, I was pleased to see that the contents fit in nicely with this warmer weather plan. Here's what was hiding in the All Around The World box.

Chupa Chups Mini Bag (RRP £1.86) offers the favourite flavours of this well-known and well-loved brand - if you're wondering, that's Cola, Strawberry, Orange and Apple - in half-sized lollipops. Just enough for a reasonable sized sweet treat (or, if the Madhouse kids are anything to go by, they'll just eat two lollipops one after the other to double up the flavours !) They contain vitamin C and use natural flavourings. They also use paper sticks which are better for the environment than the plastic sticks. Very tasty. Available at ASDA, Home Bargains, WHSmiths and on Ocado.

 

Double Dutch Cranberry & Ginger Tonic Water (RRP 90p) is a tangy, complex and spicy mixer that is perfect for accompanying dark spirits. (Other subscribers got Double Dutch Ginger Beer.) It can also be used to add a kick of heat to orange juice or non-alcoholic cocktail options. Available at Waitrose, Tesco, Ocado and Amazon.

Punchy Cucumber, Yuzu & Rosemary (RRP £1.60) is one of a range of low calorie, all-natural soft drinks, blended with decadent ingredients and bursting with flavour. (Other subscribers received Blood Orange, Bitters & Cardamom or Peach, Ginger & Chai.) It makes a nice change to the usual soft drink flavours and offers a real taste of summer. It is lightly sparkling and very refreshing. As an added bonus, each can contains 50% of your vitamin D requirements. Available at WHSmiths, Planet Organic, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Clean Kitchen, Ole & Steen, Ocado, Amazon and online at Punchydrinks.com.

Mission Mini Wraps (RRP 2 x £1.20), in both Original and Wheat & White, are perfect for kid-sized packed lunches or grown-up snacks. They can be filled with hot or cold fillings, with everything from ham or chicken and salad to taco filling. The soft wraps taste lovely whether hot or cold. We enjoyed ours with leftover chilli con carne and the kids finished them off with cream cheese and cucumber. Available in ASDA, Tesco and Sainsbury's.

 

Idahoan Cheddar Cheese Flavoured Perfect Mash (RRP £1.65) is a quick and simple accompaniment that can be knocked up in one minute so it's perfect when you have hungry bellies to fill in a rush ! Milk, butter and seasoning is already included so you just need to boil the kettle and add water. It has a lovely soft, smooth texture and the taste is lovely too. Available in ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Coop, Spar, Ocado and Amazon.

Kellogg's Coco Pops Chocos (RRP £3.29) are a new addition to the Coco Pops range, offering the same chocolatey flavour in a new curved, crunchy shell shape. Delicious in a bowl with milk or just by the handful straight from the box, according to the Madhouse kids ! They can also be made into tasty fridge cakes, stirred into melted chocolate then chilled, if you want a simple "baking" project to make with the kids.

Maggi So Juicy Butter Chicken and Sweet Chilli Halloumi (RRP 2 x 99p) are simple sachets to keep in the cupboard for when you need dinner in a hurry and are lacking in inspiration ! Alongside the seasoning, you get a cooking bag to dump the ingredients in for a simple but tasty meal. With enough seasoning for four people, these are perfect for introducing new flavours to the dinner table with minimum stress.

 

Serious Pig Crunchy Snacking Cheese (RRP £1.60) is made from mature Italian Quattrocento cheese (very similar to parmesan) which is crumbled and baked in a special high temperature oven. The result is unique and offers a snack made from 100% cheese. We got the Truffle variety, while other subscribers got Caramelized Onion. I've never heard of these before but they are lovely. Made from just cheese, they are high in protein and carb-free, as well as keto and gluten-free. They have a crunchy, light, bubbly texture and aren't at all greasy, as I expected. They have a rich flavour of mature cheese and are very moreish. Available at Sainsbury's, on amazon and the Serious Pig website.

Yogi Tea Stomach Ease (RRP £2.75) is one of a range of organic and ayurvedic teas from Yogi Tea. Adding to the benefits of drinking the tea, each tea tag offers words of yogic wisdom and the yoga exercises explained on the pack offer another moment of mindfulness. The Stomach Ease variety contains cardamom, fennel and ginger and is described as spicy, sweet and easy on the stomach. 

Finally, this month's Product of the Month, Plantastic Protein Boost (RRP 2 x £1.15) are great as a quick lunch or after-school snack for the kids. Whether you opt for Satay Noodles with Sweet Red Pepper or Cajun Rice with Tomato & Pepper, just add boiling water and wait for 15 minutes. They're so tasty, you'll totally forget that they are a veggie option (which is pretty good going for Pierre !). I was actually surprised at how good these taste so they're well worth a try.  Available at Tesco.

 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. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

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.