Degustabox September 2025 review : Family Sharing & Cooking

Over the last week or two, I have noticed a definite move from summer into autumn. The heat and sunshine have given way to rain and strong winds, I've switched over from my light denim jacket to my mid-season coat as temperatures have dropped and we've been keeping ourselves busy inside rather than heading out into the dodgy weather. We have even started talking about Halloween and Christmas - I blame it on the numerous friends and followers sharing "only 100 days to Christmas" posts on Facebook ! - but it's too early to go there yet ! This month's Degustabox seemed to follow our lead into the kitchen and onto the sofa with a movie with a theme of Family Sharing & Cooking. Here's what was hiding in this month's box.

First out of the box was this month's Product of the Month, Tilda Hearty Meals Madras Bean Curry and Tilda Easy Meals Vegetable Paella (RRP 2 x £2.50), both of which are a quick and simple way of providing a tasty winter (or autumn) warmer. These can be knocked up in just two minutes in the microwave, making them perfect as a quick lunch at home or at the office. The Vegetable Paella is a tasty mix of long grain rice and carrots, red peppers and green beans. Made with 24% vegetables, it counts as 1 of your 5 a day and comes in under 350 calories. The Madras Bean Curry with lentils and pinto beans is a lovely, warming meal that is a great source of protein and fibre. Both meal options are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. They are great if you are home alone and can't be bothered to cook a big meal. Available in Sainsbury's and at Tilda.com.

 

Sunfly Sunflower Seed Butter (RRP 90p) is a squeeze pouch containing a nut-free, top 14-allergen free seed butter that is deemed the ultimate on-the-go snack. It can be enjoyed in smoothies or straight from the pack after a workout. High protein and entirely plant-based, it is perfect for those following a vegan diet.  I passed this on to Pierre to take to the gym with him. Available on amazon and at Ocado.

Slooow Crispy Multigrain Rolls (RRP £2.80) are organic and 100% natural rolls topped with delicious grains, seeds and kernels. Prepared with sourdough, these are delicious fresh out of the oven then filled with smoked salmon and cucumber. They are also lovely served with hot food, for example, dipped in the Madras Bean Curry that I mentioned earlier. It tastes like fresh bread, still warm, straight from the baker's oven. Available at Ocado, Dunnes Stores and Booths.

Indie Bay Lightly Salted Pretzel Thins (RRP 2 x £1.50) are thin, crispy pretzels that are perfect to nibble on in front of the telly. Baked, never fried, they contain less fat and calories than most other snacks, making them the ultimate feel-good taste-good snack. A winner of the Great Taste Award, they are a source of fibre and contain 70% less fat than crisps. 

If you prefer a sweet snack, you might be more tempted by the Rice Krispies Honeycomb & Chocolate Squares (RRP 79p) which remind me of a snack we used to make in cookery class at school back in the eighties. They are a delicious blend of Rice Krispies cereal, combined with a honeycomb flavoured coating and a chocolate flavoured drizzle. These really appealed to the kids but I loved them too. Available in all major supermarket chains.

 

Munchies Sharing Bag (RRP £1.65) are little squares of tasty crunchiness, made of rich caramel and a crunchy biscuit centre, all coated in a smooth milk chocolate shell. They are utterly delicious and reminiscent of my mum's favourite sweet treat all the way back in the 1970's. I haven't eaten them since and while they don't taste quite the same, they are still very enjoyable. Available in all major supermarket chains.

Mutti Peeled Tomatoes (RRP £1.60) are 100% Italian tomatoes, harvested at the perfect stage of ripeness, then peeled and immersed in a delicious, velvety passata. They have a firm and fleshy texture and taste great mixed into bolognese sauce or chilli con carne. They have a richer, more robust flavour than the cheaper supermarket own brand tomatoes and add some real oomph to your meal. Available in all major supermarket chains.

 

Goodrays CBD Infused Sparkling Elderflower & Yuzu Drink (RRP £2.29) combines the dry, zesty citrus flavours of the Japanese Yuzu with the distinctly sweet floral notes of British Elderflower. In terms of flavour, I liked it but I was put off by the CBD content. Sophie explained to me however that, while it may help to relax you, CBD will not make you high. I think this is something that will be more accepted as it becomes more widely available. This drink contains 30mg of premium sun-grown CBD, as well as being high in Vitamin D. It contains no added sugar or artificial sweeteners and is 100% vegan. Available in all major supermarkets.

Cheez-It Cheese & Chilli (RRP £1) are tasty, crispy, thin snacks that are made with real cheese and baked, not fried. They are utterly delicious and, since discovering them on our holiday to Alaska, the kids absolutely love them. We find the Cheese and Chilli flavour to be too hot for our tastes, but if you like spicy snacks, you'll love them. Available in all major supermarket chains.

Brewdog Elvis Juice Hot Sauce (RRP £2.50) is a great-looking, American-style sauce that promises a spicy and citrussy flavour. Inspired by the beer of the same name, it contains chilli pepper puree and lime juice. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, it would be perfect for halloumi but also chicken and tacos. While the idea appeals to me, it has a three chilli rating so I knew it would be too spicy for our tastes. Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ocado.

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.

Bonny Bite snacks review

With the kids going back to school (and parents going back to work), it is the perfect time for looking out for new and preferably healthy snacks to keep everyone going throughout the day. When I was given the chance to try out a new range of fruity snacks from Pravera Ltd, my instant reaction was "oh, I thought they were into health and beauty products". Well, it turns out, I was right. Last year I reviewed some Ben & Anna Natural Care Bath Salts which are also distributed by Pravera. Learning that they had moved into organic and sustainable food products, I was keen to see what we would think. 

So let me introduce you to Bonny Bite, a range of dried and puffed organic fruit and vegetable snacks that appeal as much to kids as grown ups. Clean and simple to transport and eat, they offer the nutritional benefit and natural sweetness of the fruit without any added sugars, preservatives or artificial flavours.

As you can see in the picture, the snacks are gently dried and puffed, withholding their vibrant colours as well as their intense flavours and essential nutrients. The distinct natural fruit shapes - such as these apple rings or the berries and kiwi slices below - allow you to instantly recognise what you are eating and help young children to associate the sweet fruity flavours with the kinds of fruit that they are eating. These apple rings, for example, are beautifully sweet, slightly tart, crunchy and crispy then melt in your mouth to create a soft, intensely appley mouthful. The taste reminds me of fresh apple juice and is very refreshing and enjoyable. 

The Crunchy and Puffed Strawberries are equally tasty. The soft, airy texture almost dissolves in your mouth, giving a fresh natural burst of sweetness that reminds me of eating a spoonful of strawberry jam, minus the added sugar. You get the great taste of jam while feeling wholesome and virtuous for eating nothing but natural fruit - that definitely sounds like a win-win situation to me !

I was keen to see what we would think of the kiwi version, as it is a fruit that is less common in dried form. Despite being labelled as Dried Kiwi, I found the fruit to be deliciously moist and chewy, packed with a sweet but tart flavour that we all loved. I particularly enjoyed the combination of the soft, chewy fruit with the occasional crunch of the seeds popping between my teeth.

My daughter was keen to try out the Veg Medley too, so we all had a nibble. This limited edition pack is made up of crunchy and puffed onion, sweet capia pepper and cherry tomatoes and was a surprising (to me) hit. The peppers and tomatoes offer just as much sweetness as the fruit options and the onions add a savoury tang that made me feel like I was eating pizza. Definitely a game changer if you want a healthy, lower calorie and lower fat snack to put a smile on your face with no sense of going without.

Grown, picked, dried and packed in Türkiye, the Bonny Bite snacks are organic, gluten free and vegan. The fruity packs provide fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants, while the Vegetable Medley also offers vitamins A, K, B6, lycopene, potassium and folate. Also in the range are Organic Dried Watermelon, Organic Crunchy and Puffed Melon and Organic Dried Melon, which give you a great way of enjoying the flavours of these summer fruits throughout the whole year. They're delicious and I thoroughly recommend them.

RRP : £2.95

for more information : Bonny Bite | Discover Healthy Fruit Snacks Today

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest review.