June Degustabox (review + discount code)

The June Degustabox has a Picnic Box theme, very apt for the hot weather we suffered enjoyed in the last week. It arrived over a week ago, and we have been slowly going through the contents, testing the drinks and snacks which we haven't tried before. The beauty of Degustabox monthly subscription box is of course that you don't know in advance what you will receive. It's a bit like anticipating opening your Christmas or birthday gift.
If you haven't tried Degustabox before and would like to order it, I have a discount code for my blog readers which offers you £3off. It is valid until the end of October.
The code is S1BBG
Each Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, a very reasonable price. There is no fixed contract, and you may cancel at any time. With the discount code above, your box will cost £9.99 (including delivery).
So, what did we get in a Picnic Box? Let's have a good look.

The first foods which have disappeared very fast were Pitch Chocolate Brioche and Pitch Choc Chip Brioche. My boys are very partial to Brioche Pasquier, those soft squidgy buns, which are individually wrapped. They are great with hot drinks or milk, and you can make the most delicious bread and butter pudding with this brioche.
Chocolate Brioche buns were delicious (I managed to have a bite of one before my little man told me "Mummy, it's good to share".) They have a hint of hazelnut in the chocolate filling.
You might have seen the packs with the current promotion of trying a Free Sports Session with each pack.

Pitch rolls are free from artificial colours, preservatives and hydrogenated fats. Pitch Choc Chip brioche is available now in packs of four in Tesco Express stores. Enjoy it for breakfast or as an afternoon treat.

Multigrain Melba Thins, produced in the Netherlands, are made from whole-wheat flour, sesame seeds, oats, wheat bran, rye and other ingredients. They are low calorie - 78kcal per portion (6 thins). They make a perfect base for all kinds of toppings like smoked salmon and cream cheese, pate and sliced pear, chunky cheese with chutney, or any other combination that you fancy, be it sweet or savoury. They are crispy, crunchy, thin but sturdy as a base. I can easily see them used for canapes at a party or picnic in the garden.
This is a multigrain version of the Original Melba toasts.

This is what I had for lunch today: thins with a piece of Cheddar and a thin slice of pear, with butter and sliced egg as well as rocket and prosciutto. Which toppings would you choose?

Kallo Sea Salt & Vinegar Corn & Rice snacks have a distinct combination of flavours. Sea salt and vinegar is not my favourite flavour of crisps or snacks, but my guys enjoyed them. They are gluten free and low calorie at 91kcal for 25g bag. There are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Crunchy texture is lovely. These are healthy snacks, very light to carry if you enjoy snacking on the go. Nibble to your heart's content.

Kallo is a well known brand of rice snacks, and their range is pretty impressive. If salty snacks are not your thing, perhaps you will be happy with a chocolatey treat?

Recently I have tried Kallo Belgian Dark Chocolate with Orange Pieces Rice Cake Thins (and very moreish they were for rice thins) and was wondering how a new flavour of Kallo Rice Cake Thins - in Belgian Milk Chocolate with Caramel Pieces Rice Cake Thins - will compare to the dark chocolate version. I still prefer the dark chocolate, but milk chocolate rice cake thins were also a nice treat, and with 56 kcal per rice cake, a great perk up on an otherwise boring diet day. You know how it is, you might go for days without chocolate, but then when you go on a diet, you start craving chocolate. These rice cakes are a solution.

Cinnamon Love Chin Chin are traditionally bite-sized baked African snacks. They crunch like a biscuit and taste like a cake. 100% natural and made from a famous West African family recipe. I haven't tried this snack before, and was very curious to discover what it tastes like. They come in four flavours: Vanilla, Cinnamon, Lemon and Chilli.
We received a Cinnamon-flavoured pack. They are quite crunchy and have a very distinct smell and flavour of cinnamon. It also has a light aftertaste of cloves, but I couldn't find cloves listed among the ingredients, unless this is the natural flavouring which is undisclosed. These snacks are not too sweet, and quite addictive.

Coconom Organic Coconut Sugar was my favourite product from this month's selection. Mainly because this is an ingredient which has lots of possibilities. What should I bake? How shall I use it?
Until the box arrived, I confess I haven't heard of this brand, so it was a total novelty for me. Turmeric and Tamarind Coconut Sugar looked like a very intriguing flavour. I liked reading all the credentials on the bag of sugar: it is low glycemic, un-refined and sustainably harvested. This is an evaporated coconut sugar, and being a whole food, it allows for a slow release of energy and is suitable for a healthier lifestyle.
It has a sweet and sour note in its aroma, and reminded me of molasses sugar.

Turmeric and tamarind add the spiciness to the overall taste.
I have tried this product in two recipes. First, I baked a batch of Coconut sugar cookies, and they were lovely.

I have also used this sugar in making a grilled pineapple for dessert. I served it with limoncello cream (make your own or buy one from M&S). The flavours were very good. Coconom sugar is perfect for grilling.

Vybe's 100% natural coconut water comes from Thailand's sweet coconuts. Coconut water is very trendy these days among the health-conscious consumers. Vybe juice comes in a plastic bottle and is described as full of valuable nutritional minerals and elecrolytes which help to hydrate and maintain the body's PH levels (that's why the coconut water is very popular with the sportsmen).
I had it quite plain, just with a slice of lemon and a small sprig of lavender. Katherine from Grocery Gems enjoyed it with a dash of orange and mango cordial. Why didn't I think of that? What a nice idea!

Icycl is a frozen vodka icepop. I'm not very keen on alcopops (I prefer a good old cocktail, preferably with champagne or prosecco, and even like that have it quite rarely). The idea of freezing an alcoholic lolly might appeal to a younger generation (oh my, I sound like my grandma) or perhaps someone more adventurous with their alcoholic drinks than me. I just cannot see myself drinking from a pouch. There are several different flavours to choose from, and the one I received was apple-flavoured. I'm thinking of pouring it into cubes and freezing, then adding to a kind of lemonade spritzer. Any suggestions rather than sucking straight from the pouch?

Zeo is a ligthly carbonated soft drink, a blend of of 98% spring water with naturally extracted fruit and botanicals. There are 2 flavours in the latest Degustabox - Peach & Grapefruit and Zesty Lime.
I found it too sweet, but my husband liked it. It is fruity and refreshing. Zeo comes in 4 flavours, each of them comes at under 30 kcal per bottle.

The last product, Rekordelig Premium Strawberry-Lime cider has been chosen as a product of the month. I have tried Rekordelig in the past, this is a sweet Swedish cider. Swedish strawberries are legendary. Pick your own is a summer tradition for many Swedish families. The combination of sweet strawberries balanced with a tart note of lime should be a winner. I am planning to make some grown-up jelly, using Strawberry-Lime jelly, so watch this space, if you want to know the recipe.

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Disclosure: I received the June Degustabox for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine.