Degustabox: BBQ & Garden Party

 BBQ & Garden Party 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 otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a 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 £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in BBQ & Garden Party Degustabox box? 

Free From Fellows Vegan Vanilla Mallows (£1.99) are available in three flavours: Strawberry, Vanilla and Mini Pink & White. These mallows are super soft, fluffy and squidgy. Though you cannot mistake them for the dairy marshmallows, as the aftertaste is rather powdery, they are a decent substitute.

Egg & dairy free, gluten and gelatine free, soy and GMO free, nut and tree nut free, no artificial flavourings, colours.

Suitable for everyone, including vegetarians and vegans.

Available at Sainsbury's, Ocado, H&B and Waitrose.

Pea Pops Cheddar and Onion (£1.85 for 80g) are flavourful chickpea crisps, quite similar to popchips.

They are gluten free, vegetarian, high in fibre, contain 19% protein, no MSG, no artificial colour or flavouring. Because they are popped, these crisps are 60% less fat than regular fried chips, 99kcal per 23g serving, and are made with real chickpeas.

Winner of Great Taste Award. They were certainly the winner in our house.

Available at ASDA, Ocado, Amazon, www.peapops.co.uk.

New York Delhi ViPnuts Hot Chilli/Classic Sea Salt/Hot Honey & Mustard (£1.50 for 63g) are the gourmet brand of peanuts. They are gluten free, high-protein and vegan.

You will receive one of three flavours. We got Hot Chilli, with quite a fiery bite to them from the spices.

Ingredients include: peanuts, rapeseed oil, hot chilli flavour seasoning (chilli, salt, spices, dried herbs, black pepper, ground ginger).

Nutritional values: 622kcal per 100g.

Eat Water Ready Meal Slim Noodles Pad Thai (£4.99) is an authentic Pad Thai curry with noodle shaped konjac. 

Gluten free, vegan, low saturated fat, low sugar, low salt, no artiticial colours, flavours & preservatives. Scientifically proven weight loss. Konjac is an ancient plant grown in Asia. Flour is made from it and used in making low calorie noodles.

208kcal per meal.

I confess, that it doesn't look appetising when you open the sachet inside the box, with the glutinous sauce, but it tastes all right, especially if you add it to the vegetable and/chicken stir fry.

There are three other meals for weigh loss available in Eat Water range: Slim Rice Tarka Dal, Slim Noodles Panang Curry and Slim Pasta Arrabiata. You should receive one of 4 items in your box.

Available at Holland & Barrett.

SlooOW Crispy Rustic Rolls with Honey (£1.65) was one of my favourite products from the latest box.

These rolls are prepared with the best 100% natural and organic ingredients. 

The bread is given more than a day from start to finish, and that makes the bread extra tasty - crispy on the ouside and soft inside.

Available at Tesco and ASDA.

Carr's Italian Herbs Flavour Melts (£1.69) will make a welcome addition to a cheese board. Suggestions on the box are to serve these melts with burrata, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. How delicious!

These biscuits are delicate, crispy, light and crumbly, and melting in the mouth, just as the name suggests.

Nutritional information: 21kcal and 0.3g of sugar per biscuit.

Available in Tesco.

The Sweet Botanist Mellow Mint CBD Peppermint Gum (£3.99) is a product from a range of plant-based sweets which are meant to improve your mood and well-being thanks to CBD.

You would receive one of two products (either gum or Spearmint Sweets). There is 45MG of CBD in a pack of peppermint gum. It is meant to be naturally calming. The gum base is plastic free.

The Sweet Botanist ensure they only source CBO from their trusted partner, as well as the process to remove THC from the cannabis plant compiles with novel food regulations (so it's safe).

For over 18s only. Recommended serving: 1 piece of gum up to 3 times a day.

Available on www.wholesalesweets.co.uk.

LoveRaw Salted Caramel Cre&m wafer bars (£1.89) are vegan wafers. You get soft salted caramel inside crunchy wafers, coated with LoveRaw's iconic Caramel chocolate. No palm oil used.

Taste-wise, I found them rather underwhelming. I prefer LoveRaw vegan milk wafers.

Available at Holland & Barrett, Boots, Wholefoods, ASDA, Booths, Waitrose, Co-Op and Spar.

Geo Watkins Mushroom Ketchup (£2) is one of the classic condiments, which some people consider to be a must for any BBQ. It has a distinct, recognisable deep flavour. And it is naturally vegan. Add a splash of umami flavour to any dish - pies, gravy, stew, soup, ramen, pizza etc. This rich cooking ingredient was the secret of success for many Victorian cooks.

Ingredients include water, salt, spirit vinegar, hydrolysed vegetable protein, mushroom powder, barley malt extract and spices.

Nutritional values: 13kcal and 0.1g of sugar per 100ml.

Available at Tesco, Waitrose, Booths and Ocado.

Bull's Eye NY Steakhouse BBQ Sauce (£2) is a historically more contemporary product, which has acquired a status of the iconic condiment , being full of heart and ready to take on any red meat.

Ingredients include tomato puree, sugar, spirit vinegar, bell pepper, salt, mustard, dried onion, modiefied starch, spices, garlic.

Nutritional information: 181kcal and 38g of sugar per 100ml.

Available at all major retailers.

And finally, the drinks:

Gunna Turtle Juice Tropical Lemonade (£1.10) is inspired by a mango daiquiri recipe, discovered in St Lucia. It is full of tropical sunshine, but without the rum.

This combination of flavours, from sweet aromatic mango to zingy zesty limes to coconut, is very enjoyable on its own, or as a base of a cocktail.

Available on Amazon, Ocado, Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury's and many independent retailers.

Echo Falls Merlot (£2 for a small bottle) offers a smooth mix of blackberry and plum flavours, with a woody hint of oak. Echo Falls winemakers are passionate about creating modern and delicious wines.

Food pairing suggestion for Echo Falls Merlot - your favourite pizza, or a cheese board.

Available at ASDA and convenience stores.