March 2022 Degustabox review : Hello Spring

I couldn't help but snigger when I looked at the theme of this month's Degustabox - Hello Spring ! Well, yes, admittedly, it's the March box but we had snow just a couple of weeks ago so I don't really feel like we're ready to change seasons yet ! That said, there are lots of flowers - tulips and daffodils mainly - springing up all over town so fingers crossed, the weather won't be too far behind.

Unpacking the contents of the box, I could see the springtime influences : some chocolate for Easter, some salad dressings for moving on to lighter, warm weather meals and some snacks and drinks for long walks in the countryside. Well, we can hope !

Here's what was in this month's box.

 

Aero Chocolate Melts (RRP £1.59) are a new way of enjoying the delicious, bubbly chocolate that I have enjoyed eating for decades. These bite-sized buttons are ideal for sharing with friends and family in a simple, mess-free way. They contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and taste delicious.

Pizza Express Sweet & Smoky BBQ Pizza Dipping Sauce (RRP £2) seemed like a strange concept to me as I've never had the desire to dip my pizza in BBQ sauce, but what do I know?! Pizza Express have been making pizzas since 1965 so they must know a thing or two - more than me anyway ! This sauce is inspired by their popular Barbacoa pizza and they suggest that it offers a sweet kick to liven up a simple pizza. Well, I'll be honest, I prefer it for dipping carrot sticks and nachos in or for drizzling over chips and rice. The kids love mixing it into mashed potatoes too and it works well for jazzing up cheese on toast or a toasted sandwich. It's very versatile and very tasty, even without using it on pizzas !.

Aqua Libra Sparkling Water (RRP 2 x £1) is made by infusing water with natural flavours and a dash of lemon juice, with no sugar, sweeteners, calories or anything artificial added. You get a crisp, clear, natural fruity flavour coming through that is very pleasant. We tried Raspberry & Blackcurrant and Blood Orange & Mango, which was our favourite as it's a more original flavour. At just 4 calories a can, this is a great drink to enjoy over the summer, straight from the fridge.

 

Borna Lightly Sweetened Premium Pistachio Drink (RRP £1.99) is the first of its kind - it is in fact the only 100% natural pistachio milk alternative available - so I was keen for lactose-intolerant Sophie to try it. She enjoyed the creamy texture and the nutty pistachio taste and, as a drink, enjoyed it more than some of the other non-dairy "milks" that she's tried. It is low fat, dairy free, gluten free and enriched with vitamin B12 and calcium.

This month's Product of the Month is Exante Lemon & Coconut Snack Bites (RRP £1.49) which are high protein balls packed with plant-based ingredients. We tried the lemon & coconut flavoured ones, which were very tasty, but they're also available in an intriguing Carrot Cake variety. They're sweet and chewy and a healthier option to many of the sugar-packed snacks out there. You can get a 35% discount off almost anything at exantediet.com (until 31/12/2022) with code DEGUSTA.

Knorr Zero Salt Beef Stock Cubes (RRP £1.50) are part of the Netmums-accredited range, available in Vegetable, Beef and free-range Chicken. They are made with carefully selected vegetables, herbs and spices as well as beef from responsible farms to give you rich flavour without the salt. I will be honest - I always taste my food before serving and generally add a sprinkle of salt, pepper and spices, which rather cancels out the zero salt nature of the stock cubes, but this does allow you to control the quantity of salt that you add. They're great for adding extra depth of flavour to casseroles, soups and many other dishes.

 

Kettle Chips Sea Salt & Crushed Black Peppercorns (RRP £2.09) are a product made with real food ingredients and "nothing artificial in here", as the company proudly declares. They are crispy and not overly greasy. The kids love them and I'd say I like them, but I miss the extra tang of the usual salt & vinegar flavour. They're great to nibble on and would be perfect for accompanying summertime picnics and barbecues.

Another duo of products that make me look forward to summertime fayre and outdoor eating ... Hellmann's Caesar Salad Dressing and Hellmann's Fat Free Vinaigrette (RRP 2 x £1.25) are both great ways of zinging up salads. The Caesar one tastes rich and creamy while the Vinaigrette offers a lighter, zestier taste that only adds 7 calories per serving. Chicken salad is a great way of using up roast chicken leftovers on a Sunday night (and requires very little effort too !)

Nutriburst Plant Based Gummy Vits (RRP £22.99 / £19.99 for a full sized bottle, £1 for the 2 sachets) are a great tasting, sugar-free way of adding some vitamins to your diet. We got to try Hair, Skin & Nails Advanced Nutrition and Health & Vitality Multivitamin, which both taste very nice. These vegan vitamins are a simple way to boost your mind and body. The gummies are gluten-free, cruelty free and non-GMO. Use code DEGUSTA25 at nutriburstvitamins.com for 25% off.

 

Shreddies The Honey One (RRP £2.50) is a great tasting cereal which I love with milk for breakfast and that the kids love straight from the box as an after-school snack ! You get four layers of whole grain squares gently covered with real velvety honey. Very tasty.

Yogi Tea For The Senses (RRP £2.59) are a range of products inspired by aromatherapy and the power of essential oils. They are created using precious, naturally pure plant essences, combined with herbs and spices. We got "Natural Energy" which is white tea with lemon and bergamot oil. Other Degustabox subscribers got Pure Happiness (green tea & citrus oil) or Fresh Inspiration (ginger and mint oils). I passed these on to Sophie, who said they tasted nice.

Nature Valley Full Mix Cranberry (RRP £1 per bar or £2.90 for a multipack) is a delicious snack bar packed with different ingredients that offer a variety of taste sensations - chewy, crunchy and creamy, according to the wrapper. As you nibble your way through the bar, you'll discover cranberries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, whole grain oats and peanut butter. It's a tasty bar and I love the multi-sensory sensation of eating it.  

 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.