April'18 Degustabox

We are always looking forward to our Degustabox delivery, which arrives every month and is full of foodie surprises. This monthly food and drink subscription box is an excellent way to discover products which have only just appeared in the shops or those which might have been around for while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the box arrives, it's a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet and would like to have a go, I have a whopping £7 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time) - just use a code 8EVI8 when you place an order.

What did we receive in the April Degustabox? Let's have a look.

a2Milk Long Life Semi-Skimmed Cows' Milk (£1.50) is a natural milk with a difference. It's naturally free from the A1 protein found in regular cows' milk.
a2 milk is easier to digest than the standard milk. Research has shown that the A1 protein breaks down more slowly in the body, and for some people this could bring on uncomfortable symptoms which are quite similar to lactose intolerance. a2 Milk is not suitable for cows' milk protein allergy.
We have already tried a2 long life milk in cartons, and it tastes just like the normal milk, you can't tell the difference taste-wise.
It's lovely in cereal or frothed for a cup of latte.

There are two tomato products from Mutti - passata and finely chopped tomatoes.
This is a new Italian brand for me. Mutti are winners of a prestigious Great Taste Award.

I used a tin of Mutti Polpa (Finely Chopped tomatoes) to cook a Fruity Aubergine and Chickpea curry.
Tinned chopped tomatoes were sweet and ripe, and worked beautifully in a vegetarian curry.

Mutti Passata was a perfect base for a sauce for shakshuka with falafel, another tasty vegan/vegetarian meal. It has a velvety texture and sweet, intense tomato flavour.

Idahoan's Perfect Mash Roasted Garlic (£1.50) is ready in just 1 minute, simply add boiling water to a bowl and stir in the flakes to make a mound of fluffy mash. It is GM-free and gluten free. You can find this mash in the tinned veg aisle for a quick midweek dinner with fish fingers or bangers.
I confess it's been years since I bought dried mashed potatoes. We haven't tried this product yet, I think I might use it to make fish cakes.

TREK Protein Energy Chunks (£1.15) are packed with precise cold-pressed balance of powerful wholefoods, delivering sustained energy when you need it. They are gluten free and vegan, and count as 1 of your 5 a day. There are two flavours - Cocoa Peanut Peak (high protein fruit, peanut, oat and crunch chunks) and Toffee Triumph (high protein fruit, nut, oat & crunch chunks).

N!ck's Kexbar is a Swedish crispy chocolate wafer with vanilla cream, covered in milk chocolate. It is gluten free and has no added sugar. Nutritional values: 195kcal per wafer.

It is a crunchy melt-in-the-mouth wafer. You can find N!ck's products on Amazon, and use code DEGUSTA1 for 20% discount.

The Food Doctor Full of Beans Protein Mix and Smokin' Edamame Mix (£1) are great as mid-morning savoury snacks. They contain a blend of corn and beans, high in fibre and are a good source of protein. Nutritional values: 127-128kcal per pack.

LioBites Strawberry & Banana Smoothie Bites (£2.25) are 100% natural fruit crisps made with the ripest and sweetest fruit in season to ensure the maximum nutrition and vitamins are retained. The fruits are quickly frozen and then dried to achieve a sweet, crunchy fruit crisp.
Vegan, gluten free, no added sugar and 1 of 5 a day.

Milkybar Wowsomes will please Milkybar chocolate fans. These milk & white chocolate mini bars have crispy oat cereal in a creamy tasting centre.
Nutritional information: 30% less sugar, no artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours or preservatives,
95kcal per bar. They are little treats which are handy to have with you, for when you need a sweet treat.

HARIBO Giant Strawbs are giant in flavour and in size. This is a traditional pick and mix treat. Strawberry shaped and flavoured, and boasting its own unique texture, they are suitable for vegetarians. A portion of 2 sweets (25g) contains over 10g of sugar and about 83kcal. One pack is 5 portions.
My boys love Haribos, and strawberries are among their favourites.

Juicy Fuel Cola (£2) is a cola made from entirely natural ingredients, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. It also counts as one of your five a day, as its ingredients include fruit juices from concentrate (white grape, lemon and blueberry).
It contains 125kcal per can. It is still quite sweet, saying that, it is a pleasant and refreshing carbonated juice drink.
There are two flavours included in the non-alcohol version of the Degustabox.

Lucozade Energy Orange (£1.10) is a sparkling orange glucose drink with sugars and sweeteners. It is best served chilled, straight from the fridge. This energy drink has quite a lot of sugar (17g) and comes at 133kcal per bottle.

HappyDown Lychee Guava Chilli is a refreshing alcoholic premix. This drink will be found in the alcohol version of Degustabox, as it is blended with fortified wine. I'm curious to try it, but waiting for a warmer day, when we could have a BBQ. I imagine chilli adds a spicy note to the cocktail.

Mindful Bites Squeeze Sachets (£1.49) are a premium brand of unique nut butters blended with superfoods and highly innovative snacks. You will receive one of 4 flavours.
The sachets are light, mess-free and tasty, and will make a great addition to any lunchbox (if you don't have a nut allergy).
The creative flavours included are Almond & Maca, Hazelnut & Berries, Brazil Nuts & Cacao Nibs and Cashew Nuts & Baobab.

Disclosure: We receive a monthly food box from Degustabox for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.