June Degustabox - The BBQ Box

Madhouse Daddy was just commenting last week that we've had more barbecues this year already than we managed in the whole of last summer, so we were very pleased to learn that the June Degustabox had a BBQ theme. The kids were equally delighted when we tore open the box and instantly saw some sweets peeking out ! Time for a closer look.

 

 There were quite a few drinks in this month's box, but judging by how much we were drinking during the recent heatwave, that has to be a good thing. Also, as a Degustabox blogger, I get all of the products from both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic boxes, so regular subscribers wouldn't have received all of them.

ENRJ Energy Juice - Now, I have to admit, I'm not a fan of energy drinks at all - they're usually packed full of sugar and, as someone who has had high blood pressure in the past, I don't think filling my body with a huge hit of caffeine is a good thing. ENRJ Drinks do seem to be healthier than most though - they are a blend of freshly pressed fruit juices, naturally caffeinated with green (unroasted) arabica coffee beans and nothing artificial. They have no added sugar, contain less than 100 calories per bottle and count as one of your five-a-day. You can choose between ENRJ Mango Passion or ENRJ Apple and Berries, both of which taste nice without the horrible chemical taste that many energy drinks have. Each bottle contains the equivalent of a double espresso. They point out that their drinks will separate due to the different densities of the fruits and the fact that they don't add chemicals preventing it, preferring to let you shake the bottle instead.

Berrywhite Organic Drinks (£1.39) - I've tried these in the past and love them. They're refreshing, thirst-quenching and taste nice without being overly sweet. We got Organic Peach but they also come in Organic Cranberry & Apple and Organic Lemon & Lime.

 Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc Alcohol Free Wine (£1.49) - I drank Eisberg alcohol-free wine when I was pregnant and breastfeeding but wanted to join in with the grown-ups, rather than sharing the kids' coke and orange juice, and I still think it's a pretty good likeness to the flavour of regular wine. Perfect for sipping as it is or mixed with fruit juices and sparkling water for refreshing summery spritzers minus the hangover.

 Westons Rosie's Pig Ciders (2 x £1.99) - This month's alcoholic option, and it's a cider - yay ! It's also a fruity flavoured cloudy cider - double yay ! Despite being a cider drinker, I'd never heard of this brand. Both Rosie's Pig products are made using 100% fresh pressed Herefordshire Cider Apples. Rosie's Pig Flat Tyre with Rhubarb has a refreshing tartness while Rosie's Pig Handbrake with Damson is slightly mellower. I loved both of them.

 

As I mentioned, the kids immediately swooped on the HARIBO Summer Frenzy Starmix and Tangfastics (2 x £1) -You can't go far wrong a fruity, chewy sweet but these summer-inspired versions were particularly lovely. Look out for Starmix Berry Flavours with a blueberry flavoured bear, a strawberry flavoured egg, a pomegranate and cranberry bottle and a cherry flavoured purple heart or Tangfastics Ice Cream and Sorbet Flavours featuring a rhubarb and custard ice cream flavoured cherry, a peach and guava sorbet flavoured dummy and a pink grapefruit sorbet bottle.Delicious and decidedly moreish !

Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs (£1.95) - Another totally appealing snack, whatever your age. Walkers Shortbread is already a deliciously decadent biscuit with a rich buttery taste that always reminds me of Christmas, but cutting it into cute Scottie Dog shapes somehow makes it even more special.

If you're looking for a lower-calorie snack, Light Bites Superfood Fruit Bar (£1.25) and Light Bites Mango with Vanilla Yoghurt Fruit Chips (£1.49) are both great options and the whole range comes in at under 100 calories. The yoghurt fruit chips are delicious and only contain 46 calories. The Superfood fruit bar with goji berries, quinoa and chia seeds is more filling, but I definitely felt like I was eating a healthy snack rather than an indulgent tasty treat.

Spoon Apple + Peanut Granola (£3.70) - Another brand I'd never heard of and my first impression was wow, that's quite pricey. It contains baked apple pieces, whole toasted peanuts, coconut chips and maple syrup so it tastes lovely and has a great mixture of textures and flavours in each mouthful.

Originalos O's Sesame and Cumin Savoury Biscuit Nibbles (£2.99) - Nice enough as little nibbles to go with the wine and cider while you're waiting for the BBQ to fire up, but again, I thought they were pricey for what they were.

Schwartz Authentic US BBQ Pulled Chicken & Spicy Buffalo Wings Recipe Mixes (2 x 85p) - Despite having a well-stocked spice rack and a wide selection of condiments in my kitchen cupboard, I do like Schwartz seasoning sachets for when you want to try something a bit different with minimal fuss. The complete range of Stateside flavours includes BBQ Pulled Chicken, Spicy Buffalo Wings, Chicken Jambalaya and Sweet Potato Wedges. They all sound rather tasty and perfect for cooking in the slow cooker, if it's not BBQ weather.

Capsicana Brazilian Chilli & Coconut Quick Cook Sauce (£1.99) - I've sampled a Capsicana sauce in the past so I knew this would be lovely. Featuring Frutescens Chillies, this delicious and fragrant sauce is based on the classic 'Moqueca' stew from Bahia state, north of Rio. (If you want to try making it from scratch, I have a recipe here.) Just add chicken, peppers and onions for a 15 minute midweek dish. Couldn't be simpler !

This month's recipe card features a dish that I've often wanted to try (even if it does look slightly pornographic !) but never got round to - Beer Can Chicken.

This month's box is one of my all-time favourites, with well-known and well-loved brands that had the kids squealing in delight, as well as some more unusual and exotic flavours to appeal to my passion for globecooking.

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 gives you a whopping £7 off the price of your first box, so you'll get it for just £5.99 - just enter code 0BS6T 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.