Sainsbury's Degustabox (December 2020)

 This was supposed to be one of the last blog posts for 2020, but December passed in a blur. I spent many days in bed, being weak and dizzy. All our Christmas plans were cancelled, and though I made a bit of an effort to cook something simple for Christmas, it was so tiring, I was back in bed for the next few days. Friends helped with shopping for essentials, as well as treats.

I was grateful to have extra snacks for my guys, courtesy of Degustabox food delivery.

Last Degustabox of the year was created in partnership with Sainsbury's - it includes a selection of products, all of which you can find at Sainsbury's (though they are not exclusive to this supermarket).

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a 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 monthly box arrives, its contents are 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 ave a £3 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when you place an order.

What did we find in Sainsbury's Degustabox?

Tony's Chocolonely is my younger son's current favourite brand of chocolate. And I agree with him, it is tasty. Tony's Chocolonely Caramel Sea Salt (£1.35 for a small bar) didn't last long. The brand is on a mission to make all chocolate 100% slave free (an inspiring decision, Nestle, take note!). 

Nexba Pineapple Soft Drink 1 litre (£1.25) is a sugar free soft drink. It contains no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no fructose, it's non-GMO, all natural, low calorie and 100% vegan. It is surprisingly non-sweet, not what you'd expect from similar soft drinks. Very drinkable on its own, it's also lovely in a white wine spritzer (that is, if you're not doing the Dry January).

Clwb Tropica Tropical IPA (£2) is the UK's no.1 Tropical IPA. It's hailed as a non-alcoholic party in a can. It offers an interesting combination of hops and tropical fruit like pineapples, mango, passionfruit and peaches. It tastes like a shandy, though not as sweet.

Dash Water Peach (£1.25) is a healthy soft drink. Real, wonky fruit is infused into fresh spring water to create a lovely refreshing drink that contains 0 sugar, 0 sweetener and 0 calories. I'd say it's more of a summer drink, served with ice, and ideally served in the garden on a warm evening.

Good Earth Tea Ginger, Turmeric & Lemon Tea (£2.75) is a herbal tea. Last month I drank gallons of herbal teas, mostly ginger-flavoured. Ginger, Turmeric & Lemon tea is a lovely combination of flavours, zingy and refreshing.

LEON Aioli (£2.50) is a vegan garlic-flavoured mayonnaise. It is rich and creamy, slightly vinegary, and is made with rapeseed oil and aquafaba (chickpea liquid) instead of eggs. Perfect for anyone who follows Veganuary or has an egg allergy. 

Nutritional information: 565kcal, 58.7g fat and 8.1g sugar per 100g.

Odyssea Aubergine Meze Dip (£2.15) is a premium dip that doesn't need to be kept in the fridge before opening. It's based on a traditional Greek recipe. If you like aubergines (and I am a big fan), then you will enjoy this smoky, thick dip, which is silky smooth in texture. Great both for dipping and spreading, it's a delicious addition to grazing boards or meze platters. 

You can also add a couple of spoonfuls, when making an omelette. 

A handy standby to have in a pantry for a quick and easy meal. It is vegan-friendly. Made with roasted aubergines, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and parsley without added nasties.

Peter's Yard Sourdough Bites (£2) are made using the signature sourdough starter that's slowly fermented for 16 hours. Peter's Yard make the best crispbreads and crackers for cheese. They combine the Swedish tradition with British craft. 

Crafted from Shipton Mill flour, the sourdough bites are baked and richly flavoured with soured cream from West Country frams and British-grown chives.

Nutritional information: 98kcal per 26g serving, baked not fried, made with natural ingredients, low in saturated fat, a good source of fibre and suitable for vegetarians.

Pipers crisps (£1.20 for 40g bag or £2.50 for 150g bag) are made from the finest British potatoes for quality and seasoned with carefully sourced unique flavourings for a great taste.

Great as a sharing snack for a movie night on the sofa, or when you're entertaining (do you remember the days when we used to have guests?).

There were two flavours to choose from - Atlas Mountains Wild Thyme & Rosemary and Lye Cross Cheddar & Onion crisps, both delicious.

Capsicana Mexican Tomato and Chipotle Tinga Cooking Paste (£1.30) is the latest addition to Capsicana range of Latin American flavours. It's based on the dish Chicken Tinga, a classic shredded chicken dish ooriginally from the state of Puebla. It's smoky in flavour, with a promise of just enough heat from the chipotle. It could also work with fajitas, BBQ, marinades and more.

You can discover delicious recipes and cooking tips at capsicana.co.uk or @capsicana on Instagram.

Brave Roasted Chickpeas Sea Salt, Dark Choc or Sweet Chilli (£1) are moreish roasted chickpeas, wonderfully crunchy and seasoned with all-natural flavours. They remind me of the roasted chickpeas you can buy from vendors in the streets of Italian towns. 

They are also packed with protein, high in fibre and completely vegan. And the packaging is recyclable.

We received a Sweet Chilli-flavoured pack, and enjoyed the crunchy texture and a little heat.

The Curators Cocoa Caramel Peanuts (£1.20) is another tasty plant-based snack. Lightly caramelised peanuts are dusted with cocoa powder and a pinch of salt.

They are gluten free, a source of fibre, contain 7g protein and only 191kcal per pack.