The February "Our Family Selection" Degustabox review

As each passing month draws to a close, that signals that it's time for another Degustabox delivery to arrive on the doorstep and this month, the kids were in for a nice surprise - the theme of February's box was "Our Family Selection" and as soon as we peeled back the brown paper and bubble wrap, there were excited squeals.

Unusually, this month is all about snacks, with very few savoury options and nothing to cook with at all. I was slightly disappointed but the Madhouse kids thought it was great news ! In this month's box, there are eleven products, but two are doubled up so there are nine brands to discover, or rediscover, as several have featured in previous Degustaboxes. So what was in the box? 

The first thing the kids spotted (and instantly wanted to eat!) was Haribo Fruitilicious (RRP 2 x £1.29) - they have exactly the same great fruity flavour and chewy texture as usual but with 30% less sugar, which is great news. They come in strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, orange, apple and lemon-flavoured smiley shapes and we loved all of them.

More sweets, or should I say candy, because these ones have an American twist. As I mentioned in my review of the January Degustabox, which contained Hershey's chocolate, the Madhouse kids are always extra excited by American imports (I blame youtube !) so they were over the moon to get the chance to try Tootsie Roll Midgees (RRP £2.50). These were new to us, although I did know the name, but they've actually been around since 1896 in the USA. Very chewy and very tasty.

We were all very familiar with the Kit Kat brand but Chunky New York Cheesecake Kit Kat (RRP 65p) was a new one to us. I do like Kit Kats, with their crunchy texture and indulgent chocolatiness, but I tend to be from the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. Would the addition of cheesecake filling wreck the original formula? Well, actually, no - it got a unanimous thumbs up (even if we only got a small taste each because I cut the bar into pieces to share out).

Moving on to the healthier snacks, Emily Fruit Crisps (RRP 99p) are made with fresh fruit and vegetables. We got Crunchy Fig Banana which were nice, but there are other various flavours available. They make a nice healthier swap for regular crisps and each bag only contains 81 calories.

Another healthy snack option came next, The Protein Ball Co Cherry + Almond (2 x £1.99), which are made with a handful of raw pitted dates, free-range egg white protein, juicy sultanas and sour cherries. Add the almond flavour and you can fool your tastebuds that you're eating a cherry bakewell without the calories and refined sugar ! I love the combination of flavours with just the right tartness, but they're quite pricey for what they are.

If you prefer savoury snacks, Indie Bay Sunflower Pretzel Bites (RRP £2.49) will be more your thing. We tried these in a previous Degustabox and the kids love them - I find them a bit too hard but last time, I blitzed some in a food processor and used them, along with some honey mustard, to create a fabulous coating for strips of chicken breast. The kids munched these ones before I could use them in cooking though ! They're high in fibre and protein and each portion contains less than 100 calories (depending on the size of your portion !).

Dr Karg's Organic Emmental Cheese & Pumpkin Seed Crispbread (RRP £2) offer a tasty lunch or snack option. The seeds and cheese stop them from being bland and they have a lovely crunchy texture. As with all crispbread, they tend to be a bit dry though, so we ate them topped with cream cheese or dipped into guacamole.

If you like muesli, Primrose's Kitchen Raw Beetroot & Ginger Muesli (RRP £4.99) is gluten-free and vegan, as well as being an interesting mix of original flavours. It's quite pricey but is packed with quality ingredients, including fresh English beetroot, British gluten-free oats, virgin coconut oil, large strips of coconut, nuts, seeds, psyllium husk and chia. It's handmade and slowly dehydrated at low temperatures to preserve nutrients and flavours, so it's a great way to start the day. You might also like to try out the fabulous two-tone muesli cookies that Galina made with it over at Chez Maximka.

The final product was an interesting one : True Nopal Cactus Water (RRP £3.49). We tried aloe vera water in Lanzarote so I guessed this would be similar. It's made from the prickly pear which grows on the Nopal cactus and has no hidden nasties : no added sugar, sweeteners or preservatives. It's also gluten-free, fat-free and sodium-free and apparently contains half the calories of coconut water. It's a pleasant, refreshing drink that the whole family enjoyed.

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 £7.99 - enter code 0BS6T 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.