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The postie dropped off our latest Degustabox last week and with the heatwave descending on us, it has the perfect theme : Picnic and On-the-go. What would be in this month's box to help us beat the heat and enjoy time outside ? Let's find out !
Tilda Steamed Rice Pouches (RRP 2 x £1.54) are a great way of beating the heat in the kitchen - just pop them in the microwave for two minutes for perfectly cooked rice, with no need to slave over a boiling pan of water. They are available in over 25 flavours so they're a quick and simple way of adding new flavours to your meals. The Mushroom Basmati Rice is one that we often buy - it has a neutral, savoury flavour that goes perfectly with all sorts of meat and vegetable dishes. The Egg Fried Rice one was a new one for us and we loved it, mixed in with some leftover chicken, although it would also work well with prawns or tofu (as suggested on pack) or just on its own. Available in all major supermarket chains.
Sauce Shop Original Smoky BBQ Sauce (RRP £2.80) is the perfect accompaniment to summertime barbecues, slathered on hamburgers, sausages or grilled chicken. The product info even suggests trying it drizzled over pizza, which sounds like it would be nice. It is a classic sweet and smoky sauce, loaded with tomatoes, hickory wood smoked water and rich molasses. The flavour instantly makes me think of classic American barbecues and grill houses. Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's and www.sauceshop.co.
Proper All The Cheese Lentil Chips (RRP £2) are a tasty, crispy snack that we all loved. This new flavour is labelled as a "homage to the fromage" and it is a blend of four cheeses : cheddar, emmental, mozzarella and gouda. The rich flavour is decidedly moreish and is made from real cheese. They are gluten free and each serving comes in at under 100 calories. Available in all the major supermarket chains.
Skittles Citrus (RRP £1.10) are a new take on one of my favourite sweets. The new flavours are orange, lemon, lime, mandarin and blood orange, which offer a lovely, zingy, summery hit. We shared out one bag then poured the other into a bowl and mixed in a bag of regular Skittles to enjoy all the different flavours together. Bliss in a bowl ! The great thing about Skittles in the summer is that they won't melt, however hot it gets. The kids love using Skittles as cake toppers too. Available in all major supermarkets.
Mission Carb Balance Wraps (RRP £1.90) have only 9g of carbs per wrap (which is 66% less than Mission Original Wraps), while maintaining their great taste and texture and offering a source of high fibre. Sophie instantly leapt in and said that they would be good for her to help with her diabetes - eating low carb food helps with managing blood sugar levels. Even without diabetes, they are great for making anything from breakfast burritos to lunchtime wraps and Mexican style dinners. They taste just as good as the regular wraps and we love the soft texture. Available in Sainsbury's.
Kellogg's Oaties Original Crunch (RRP £3.50) is a new breakfast cereal option, made up of crisp, crunchy, sweet oaty squares. They are made with wholegrain oats and are high in fibre. The kids were happy enough to munch on a bowlful topped with milk but I was slightly underwhelmed and prefer jazzing them up with fresh fruit (such as strawberries, mandarin oranges or bananas) and Greek yoghurt poured on top. They contain sugar but seem like a relatively healthy choice to me, compared to some of the other cereals out there. Available in Tesco, JS, Asda and Morrisons.
Nescafe Iced Caramel Latte (RRP £3) is a great choice for coffee-lovers trying to deal with the summer heat. Made with carefully selected and responsibly sourced coffee and milk, the result is a refreshing, creamy-tasting drink. I passed this on to Juliette who gave her approval. Available in all the major supermarket chains.
Just Live A Little Maple & Toasted Pecan Granola (RRP £1.50 - available in a full-sized 360g pack for £4) is a tasty breakfast option. Not just maple and cinnamon toasted oats but also nutty pecans, crisp coconut, juicy raisins, crisped rice and a dollop of almond butter to tickle your tastebuds. The company believes that better food makes you feel better so they use nothing but the finest ingredients. It's a tasty and satisfying breakfast or snack topped with milk, stirred into yogurt or incorporated into biscuits and crumble toppings. Available in selected Sainsbury's stores, amazon, justlivealittle.com and selected independents.
Nestlé Carnation Chocolate Fudge Flavour Drizzle (RRP £3.19) was a surprise hit that is perfect to enjoy over the summer months. I know Carnation as a condensed milk brand, which I don't like as I find it too syrupy sweet (although my mum uses it in tea in place of regular milk). This product however has a rich, deep chocolate flavour that is absolutely delicious drizzled over hot pancakes and waffles or cold ice cream. You can even get creative and layer up fresh fruit (bananas, mangoes, strawberries, ...), meringues, ice cream and cream in rich ice cream sundaes. Also available in Caramel or Condensed Milk flavours, in all major supermarkets.
Cheez-It Double Cheese & Cheese & Chilli (RRP 2 x £1) are deliciously crunchy and savoury snacks that are decidedly moreish. They are baked, never fried, made with 100% real cheese and seasoned to perfection. They are perfect for nibbling on in front of the TV, adding to a summer's day picnic or used to accompany grilled meat at a family barbecue. They taste so good you could eat them anywhere you want ! Available in all major supermarket chains.
Divine Milk & White Chocolate Cappuccino Bar (RRP £1.29) is a satisfying blend of creamy milk chocolate, smooth white chocolate and a hint of rich cappuccino, offering the perfect balance of sweetness and rich coffee flavour. It is made using Fairtrade-certified cocoa and I was surprised to find that I liked it as I don't usually like coffee. When you need a little treat offering richness and indulgence to brighten up your day, this is ideal. Available direct from Divine at www.divinechocolate.com.
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.
