Picnic Degustabox

 It's hard to believe we're already in peak summer. The school will be over in a blink of an eye, and long summer holidays will begin in earnest. Time to think of picnics and outdoor treats.

Picnic is the theme of the latest Degustabox selection. And you just know, when Degustabox invites you to a picnic, there will be lots of treats.

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 beena around in 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 Picnic Degustabox?

McVitie's British Icons Chocolate Digestives (Strawberry Cheesecake Flavour or Lemon Drizzle Flavour, £1.59) has been selected as product of the month. This dazzling twist on the classic chocolate digestives has been inspired by the iconic British desserts. Lemon Drizzle makes you think of the zingy dessert, while Strawberry Cheesecake has a lovely flavour of summer fruit. Combined with the crunchy digestive base and smooth milk chocolate, this is a welcome addition to any tea or coffee break.

You will receive 1 of 2 flavours in the box. We've got a Lemon Drizzle one, but we also tried the Strawberry Cheesecake, as we've spotted it in the supermarket.

Available in all major supermarket chains.

Nutritional information: 80kcal and 4.6g of sugar per biscuit.

The Coconut Collaborative Little Choc Pots (£2.50) are utterly heavenly. I love coconut-based desserts, and these treats come in just the right size, not too big, not too small. Lovely treats to go with a coffee or as an after-dinner course. You can also make a dairy free hot chocolate with them, but I just gobbled them up before I had a chance to try it. 

Nutritional information: 100kcal and 6.8g of sugar per pot. These choc pots are gluten free, ethically sourced and 100% plant-based.

Available in all major supermarkets.

NINE bars (Dark Choc, Pistachio & Brazil; Salted Caramel & Pecan or White Choc & Raspberry, £1.29): each NINE bar provides nine powerful benefits, designed to look after your health and wellbeing.

Sunflower, pumpkin, flax and hemp seeds are the nutritional force behind each bar. There's at least 50% seeds in every single flavour.

You will receive 2 of 3 flavours. I love the combination of nuts, seeds and dark chocolate, and enjoyed the Dark Chocolate, Pistachio & Brazil bar. 

Available at Morrisons, Tesco, Amazon, Ocado & Holland & Barrett.

PLAYinCHOC JustChocBox M.LK (£1.69) is a creamy natural and organic vegan chocolate. With 1/3 less sugar than most chocolates, the recipe includes organic Peruvian cacao, coconut and vanilla.

It is dairy, nut and gluten free. Other brand credentials: they are plastic-free, zero-waste, ethical and sustainable.

Available at www.playinchoc.com

Sun-Pat EXTRA Salted Caramel Crunchy Peanut Butter (£3) is a flavoured peanut butter. There is a pronounced trend nowadays to make flavoured peanut butter, with some ideas better than the others. I wasn't quite convinced about Marmite flavour. 

But salted caramel works very well. Thankfully, it is not too sweet, and has a good salty taste. The texture is a combination of smooth and crunchy, you get whole caramel coated peanuts.

Available at Tesco.

I made a batch of peanut butter cookies with it, and they didn't last long.

Well & Truly Crunchies (£0.80) are gluten free snacks, made of 100% natural ingredients. 

I haven't had a chance to try them. We had electrical works done in the house, and I offered these snacks with coffee to the team. One of them is an Aussie, and he asked where I got these snacks, which reminded him of some tasty snacks from home.

If you fancy trying them yourselves, you can get a 25% off on your 1st purchase for all flavours (except bundles) at www.wellandtruly.co.uk if you use code DB25.

They come in several flavours, and you will receive 2 of 3 in the box. Avaialable in Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ocado, Waitrose, Amazon, Wholefoods, at wellandtruly.co.uk and Booths.

Carr's Black Olive Melts (£1.49) are a tasty savoury snack. Deliciously crisp, munch them on their own, or as part of a cheeseboard. Also great with dips, try them with hummus or babaganoush. They have a lovely melting texture.

Nutritional values: 22kcal and 0.4g of sugar per biscuit.

Available in all major retailers.

Deli Kitchen Carb Lite Wraps (£1.40) are great for lunches and picnics. These are vegan-friendly wraps, convenient for a quick and easy meal. There is just 14.6g of carbs. They are a source of protein and are high in fibre.

My younger son loves wraps in his school lunch box. His favourite combination is ham, cheese and ketchup. Yes, he's a ketchup man. You can make them suitable for a meat-free meal, with hummus, salad, sweet peppers and falafel; or with cream cheese and smoked salmon for pescatarians.

Available at Tesco.

Hellmann's Garlic & Herv Sauce 250ml Squeeze (£1.70) is a versatile condiment, suitable for a variety of meals and recipes. Add it to salads, wraps, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, burgers or use as a picnic dip. It is creamy and has a lovely garlic flavour.

It is vegetarian and gluten free, and comes in recyclable bottles.

Available at Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Co-Op and at Ocado.

Original Korean Kimchi Mix (£1.20) is an exciting international product. You can make your own kimchi by just sprinkling the vegetables with the kimchi mix. You can eat it right away or let it ferment for at least 3-6 hours at room temperature.

Ingredients include red pepper powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, anchovy fish sauce powder, ginger powder, kelp powder, onion powder, green onion powder, radish powder, carrot powder and more.

Available soon in the UK.

And finally, the drinks:

XITE Nootropic Energy (£1.50) is a vegan energy drink. Have you heard of nootropic drinks (me neither)?! Now is your chance to find out what it is. Nootropics are proven to increase cognitive function, particularly executive functions such as memory, creativity and motivation. 

Perfect for the gym, studying or any other busy activity day. Zero sugar, vegan, XITE contain natural caffeine and no preservatives.

We received a Raspberry & Watermelon flavoured XITE, which contains 3 active nootropics, 118mg natural caffeine and 5 vitamins.

Avaiable at Holland & Barrett, WHSmith and Booths.

Caleño Light & Zesty non-alcoholic drink (£2). Long gone are the days when designated drivers or teetotalers had to nurse a sad-looking coke or other soda at a party. Now there are so many different varieties of non-alcoholic drinks.

Caleño Light & Zesty non-alcoholic drink is a distilled blend of Inca berry, pineapple, papaya, coriander, juniper berry, green cardamom & lemon peel, twisted with naturally light tonic for the ultimate fiesta. Doesn't it sound wonderful?!

It is suitable for vegans, allergen free and contains no artifical flavourings.

What a box of treats!