March is a busy and exciting month. We're enjoying spending more time in the garden and having longer walks around town. It was over 20C yesterday, and let's hope Easter holidays will bring more sunshine so that we might see our friends outdoors, now that lockdown is easing.
Hello, Spring is the theme of the latest Degustabox.
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 have a £3 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order.
What did we get in Hello, Spring (March) Degustabox?
Kelloggs' Crunchy Nut Peanut Butter (£2.50) is promoted as a product of the month. Ingredients include roasted peanuts (65%), honey coated roasted peanuts (26%), sugar, sunflower oil, honey, salt, palm oil, salt etc. It's a tasty combination of smooth peanut butter with crunchy peanuts for that unique Crunchy Nut taste. Lovely on toast with jam or banana slices.
It will also make a great ingredient for peanut butter oat cookies.
Available at Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Iceland, One Stop and periodically at Aldi.
SMARTIES Milk Chocolate Sharing Block/Orange Chocolate Sharing Block (£1) is a new addition to Nestle Smarties range. It comes in a brand-new recyclable paper packaging. This chocolate sharing block contains no artifical colours, flavours or preservatives. Each row (one serving) contains 9.9g of sugar and 87 kcal.
We received an Orange Chocolate bar - a milk chocolate with orange mini Smarties. Not recommended for children under 4 due to small sweets inside the chocolate. Chocolate is made with Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa, which is a move in the right direction (let's hope they will also begin to fulfil their PR promises of sustainable palm oil).
It is very sweet, and will appeal to Smarties fans.
You will get one bar in the box. Available in all major supermarket chains.
Maynards Bassetts Fruit Smoothie Jellies (£1.32) are a delicious candy treat. Each candy contains one of four fruity combinations: Banana & strawberry, Mango & passionfruit, Pineapple & lemon and Pomegranate & Berry. They contain natural colours and flavours, are made with real fruit puree and are - surprisingly - a source of Vitamins C & E.
Fruit jellies typically don't last long in our household, as my sons love them.
Nutritional information: 76kcal and 14g of sugar per 6 sweets.
Available in all major supermarket chains.
PITCH Bloc'O'Choc (£1.40) is a sweet soft brioche roll with a smooth solid chocolate bar inside. All brioches are individually wrapped, which makes them a convenient snack to add to the lunch box, or to take on a picnic, car journey and more.
We're fans of Pasquier Pitch products. I buy brioche with chocolate chips or plain brioche when I fancy making a bread and butter pudding. Just lovely.
Available at Co-Op.
Enervit Protein (£2.50) is a low sugar energy bar made in Italy. It is gluten-free and palm oil-free, fitting the main free-from trends.
I haven't had a chance to sample even a little bite, as my older son got hold of it first and gobbled it up.
Subscribers will receive one of two flavours. Available at WHS, Morrisons, and at independent stores.
Mallow & Marsh Vanilla Marshmallow bar coated in milk chocolate (£1.35) is a lovely, moreish treat. Mallow & Marsh's name means treats galore, if you love marshmallows. You get a fluffy soft centre, coated in a smooth creamy Belgian milk chocolate.
At 134kcal per bar, the marshmallow bar is made with no artificial colours, flavourings or palm oil. As it's made with beef gelatine, it's not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
Available at Sainsbury's, BP, Boots, WHSmith and Waitrose.
Brynmor Flapjacks - Caramel Fudge/Apple & Raspberry/Dark Chocolate & Ginger Multipacks (£2). You will get one of 3 flavours. Lovingly baked in Wales, Brynmor flapjacks are made using only high quality, natural ingredients. Now in convenient 40g size, they are great as a midmorning snack.
Gluten-free, wheat-free, source of fibre, vegan friendly, no artificial colours or flavours.
Brynmor Flapjacks Dark Chocolate & Ginger - this is one of my top favourite flavour combinations. Ingredients include British rolled oats, ginger, golden syrup, dark chocolate flavoured coating, sustainably sourced palm oil etc. Nutritional information: 178kcal and 14g of sugar per bar.
Available at Holland & Barrett, Ocado, NISA, WHSmith Travel and Grapetree. The full range can be also found online at www.brynmorfoods.com
Organic Cheerios Honey & Chocolate (£3) is Cheerios UK's entrance into the UK's organic market. This certified organic cereal is made using organic honey hoops from five whole grains (wheat, oat, barley, maize and rice), and chocolate cereal pieces. It is high in fibre and doesn't contain any artificial colours or flavours.
Both my sons loved Cheerios when they were little, and it's lovely to discover a new flavour.
Nutritional information: 119kcal and 6.5g of sugar per 30g serving.
It's not the first time we find Hippeas in the Degustabox delivery, but they are always a welcome sight.
Hippeas Chickpea Puff Snacks Salt & Vinegar Vibes (£0.99) are vegan snacks. They are a good source of fibre and protein, are vegan, fluten-free, palm oil free, contain no MSG or anything artificial. At 91kcal per serving, they are a tasty plant protein-based treat. Salt & Vinegar is one of our favourite flavours, so this little bag didn't last long.
Available in all major supermarkets and at hippeas.com
Mug Shot Might Chicken & Mushroom Noodles (£1.49) is amde with natural flavours, no artificial colours and despite its name, is suitable for vegetarians. Nutritional information: less than 440kcal and 2% fat per pot. It is ready in 5 minutes, just add boiling water, stir and leave.
Pretty handy for office lunches, or when you just can't be bothered with cooking.
Available in all major supermarket chains.
Lucozade Zero Sugar Tropical (£1.49) is a carbonated water with fruit juice from concentrate (pineapple, mango). Tropical is the latest flavour added to the range. This refreshing drink is avaialble in all major supermarkets.
Nutritional information: 0.6g of sugar and 5kcal per 250ml.
Esprala Apple & Red Plum (£1.09 per single unit or £12.57 per pack of 12) is a refreshing and lightly sparkling vegan fruit drink, with no added sugar and only 43 kcal per serving.
Drink with ice on its own, or use as a base for a fancy cocktail.
Available on Amazon.
And that's it for March! What was your favourite product of this month's selection?
I bought Berio Olive Oil a few times before, it's good. I haven't tried the vinegar from them though, so I should keep that in mind. I like Hippeas too. Not sure about the rest though, as the Cheerios and Kelloggs have added sugar (well honey) and quite a lot of it.
ReplyDelete