Hope you are having a stress-free and heart-warming festive season. I wonder, what advent calendars, if any, did you enjoy? We had a ball with two Degustabox Advent calendars (one I received for free for the purposes of reviewing; another one - an International edition - I bought back in September).
Degusta Box Advent Calendar 2024 contains 24 festive surprise food and drink items. Contents value of this calendar is £55.
Let's recap what we found inside, day by day.
Day 1:
Filippo Berio Classic Balsamic Glaze (£2.99) is a true Italian classic.
Rich, thick, sweet tangy syrup is a perfect accompaniment for a big variety of meals, from sandwiches and bruschetta to grilled meats and vegetables, from pizza to salad. You can also use it in sweet recipes like a fruit salad or an ice cream sundae.
Available in ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado and at www.filippoberio.co.uk.
Nutritional values: 189kcal and 45g of sugar per 100ml, or 10kcal and 2.2g of sugar per 5ml spoon.
A great start to the culinary advent!
Day 2:
Clara's Selections Wafer Rolls Hazelnut & Cocoa (£1.25) - are indulgent light crispy rolls with a cocoa and hazelnut filling.
Eat them as a snack with or without a hot beverage or ice cream. What a delectable treat (and not just for Christmas).
Nutritional values: 495kcal and 44.3g of sugar per 100g.
Available in Home Bargains and One Beyond.
Day 3:
Cypressa Rose Harissa Paste (£3.25) is an aromatic blend of spices featuring paprika, red peppers and rose water.
Used widely in Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, this product will jazz up your mealtimes with its vibrant colours and bold flavours.
Use it as a marinade for chicken, fish, meat or vegetables; stir into soups and stews; brush it over a chicken before roasting; or spread over halloumi before frying.
Nutritional values: 355kcal and 0.5g of sugar per 100g.
Available at Ocado.com.
Day 4:
Rock Stone Confection Taste of the Caribbean Rock Sweets (£2.99) could be found in both Degustabox advent calendar and Degustabox advent calendar International edition.
Celebrating different cultures and diversity, these candies come in eye catching colours and offer bold flavours The Caribbean selection comes in sweet flavours of Pineapple/coconut, Caribbean crush and Pink lemonade.
My sons were very happy with these candies.
Gluten free and vegan friendly. Made in England.
Nutritional information: 374kcal and 75g of sugar per 100g (lots of sugar, but it is a SUGAR confectionery).
Day 5:
Rubis Wine Chocolate Wine (£4.10) is an award winning combination of Spanish Tempranillo wine and cacao, which is blended and bottled in the UK.
The taste is very special, velvety, with a subtle chocolate flavour. Serve it either at a room temperature or over ice. Very festive taste. A real treat!
Available at www.rubiswine.com (and Ocado). Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Day 6:
Ryvita Rosemary and sea salt thins (£2.20) are a crunchy and crisp baked Ryvita snacks. Use them as scoops for dips, dunk them in soup, spread with toppings of your choice.
British baked, high in fibre, low in saturated fat, with no artificial preservaties.
Nutritional information: 27kcal and 0.2g of sugar per thin.
Available in all major supermarkets.
Day 7:
Ballymaloe Foods Ballymaloe Relish (£2.20) is a delicious relish that brings an extra oomph to your sandwiches, cheese boards and burgers.
A Great Taste award winner in 2023, this relish was created by Myrtle Allen, Ireland's first female Michelin-starred chef. Her daughter Yasmin now produces this legendary relish for the markets worldwide.
Ingredients include: tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, onions, sultanas, tomato puree, sea salt, mustard seed, spices. Gluten free. Guaranteed Irish. Made with natural ingredients, fat free, suitable for vegans.
Available in Tesco.
Day 8:
Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Penne (£3.50) is pasta made with plant protein.
Loaded with 21g of protein and 6g of fibre per 100g serving, and made with clean, organic and gluten free ingredients.
Easy to prepare in just 7-9 minutes, this colour-infused pasta will make a great midweek meal. Serve with pesto or fresh basil leaves and pine nuts.
Nutritional values: 347kcal and 1.3g of sugar per 100g.
Available online on Amazon and Health Food Store.
Day 9:
Truly Nuts Milk chocolate or Dark Chocolate (£1.35) are made from hand-picked, wild-harvested Brazil nuts. You will get one pack of two.
Truly Nuts! Brazil nuts sweet talk milk chocolate are milk chocolate coated Brazil nuts, crunchy and sweet.
Gluten free, vegetarian friendly, sustainably sourced, these nuts make a delicious treat.
Nutritional values: 571kcal and 33g sugar per 100g (one pouch is 30g).
Available in WHSmith, Amazon and on the Truly Nuts! website.
Day 10:
Teapigs Spiced Winter Red & Everyday Brew (£2) come in cute small boxes, and look like Christmas tree decorations. Tea is welcome any season, and Teapigs make a great cuppa.
Teapigs English Breakfast is their signature blend: robust, rich and flavourful, perfect as morning cup to wake you up properly.
Teapigs Spiced Winter Red tea is a soothing rooibos with orange, cloves and spices, so very Christmasy.
Available in Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, on Ocado and Amazon.
You will receive two items.
Day 11:
Pringles Hot Kickin' Sour Cream (£2.25) is a hot twist on a classic Pringles flavour.
These sharing crisps are great for a movie night. Eat them straight from the tub, or serve with cooling dips.
Nutritional values: 523kcal and 0.61g of salt per 100g.
Available in the major supermarket chains.
Day 12:
Lavazza Iced Ready to drink cappuccino (£2.50) is a new iced coffee from the iconic Italian brand.
Iced cappuccino is a combination of 100% Arabica with semi-skimmed milk and delicious cocoa.
The balance between chocolate and coffee is just right. This is a smooth, creamy velvety refreshment, best served cold.
Available on Lavazza.co.uk.
Nutritional information: 48kcal and 6.5g of sugar per 100ml (one can is 250ml).
You will receive 1 item (usually sold as a pack of four).
Day 13:
Knorr Chicken Gravy Pot (£2.25) is a handy kitchen staple, which offers a quick and easy way to make a homemade-tasting gravy.
If you are having a roast chicken dinner, it won't be the same without a jug of hot gravy.
Day 14:
Joyfull Millets Crunchy Muesli fruit & nut (£1) is a wholesome muesli, high in fibre and a source of calcium and iron. Available in three flavours: Fruit & Nut, Honey & Nut and Choco & Nut.
You will receive two items.
Millet is a nutritious ancient grain, known to humans for 4000 years.
Nutritional values: 338kcal and 20.7g of sugar per 100g, or 152kcal and 9.3g of sugar per 45g pouch.
If you're more of a cup of tea and a toast for breakfast person, you could use this muesli as an ingredient in baking cookies.
Available in Morrisons.
Day 15:
Leon Tomato Ketchup (£2.65) is inspired by the Mediterranean diet, known for its use of plants and bold flavours.
This sweet and tangy ketchup is gluten free and vegan, and is made with sun-dried tomatoes. Great for all those tasty sandwiches, made with festive leftovers.
Nuritional values: 100kcal and 16.6g of sugar per 100g (one bottle is 280g).
Available in Sainsbury's.
Day 16:
Hilltop Blossom Honey (£2.50) is an award-winning honey, amber in colour. It is sweet and has a mild floral scent.
Lovely to drizzle over hot crumpets or pancakes, added to porridge or tea. The honey has so many culinary uses, from marinades and salad dressing, to bakes of all kinds.
It has a lovely taste, though I prefer to buy honey of single origin, rather than a blend of non-EU honeys, as sadly it loses a lot of its health qualities when mixed with different honeys. It is still good for eating and cooking.
Nutritional values: 307kcal and 76g of sugar per 100g.
Available in Tesco.
Day 17:
Garner's Sweet Pickled Baby Onions (£3.90) will make a lovely addition to a classic Ploughman's lunch. Eat the pickled baby onions with a chunky cheese sandwich, add to a charcuterie board or a cheeseboard with a selection of robust cheeses and sliced fresh apple.
Baby onions are pickled in a malty vinegar for a well-balanced sweet and sour taste.
Awarded a Great Taste award in 2022.
Nutritional information: 107kcal and 22.1g of sugar per 100g (drained); suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Available in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ocado.
Day 18:
SimplyCook Indian Masala Lamb Chops (£2.95) is a handy recipe kit, which contains 3 flavour pots to create an authentic dish.
Cook 140+ chef-created recipes in 30 minutes or less with SimplyCook unique recipe kits. We had Simply Cook recipe kits in the previous Degustabox deliveries, and it's lovely to try another recipe from their vast range.
Simply Cook Indian Masala Lamb Chops serves 2-4 people. You will need lamb chops to prepare the dish. The ingredients include Masala paste, Spice Blend and Mint Chutney.
Nutritional values: 160kcal and 17.9g of sugar per kit.
Available at www.simplycook.com.
Please note that this kit has a short expiry date. If you don't eat red meat, try with another meat or paneer (I cooked a paneer and cashew curry with this kit). Turkey curry, anyone?
Day 19:
Sweet Freedom Choc Pot Caramel Chocolate Spread (£3.15) is a Great Taste Award winner.
This vegan spread is made in the UK, has no palm oil or GMOs. It is a source of fibre, and has 61% less fat and 44% fewer calories than the leading chocolate spread.
Spread it on toast or pancakes, add to the brownie batter or cake.
Nutritional values: 302kcal and 38.7g of sugar per 100g, or 15.1kcal and 1.9g of sugar per 5g tsp.
Available at www.sweetfreedom.co.uk and ASDA stores.
Day 20:
Cheez-It Cheese & Chilli 150g (£2) is a thin and crispy snack baked with 100% real cheese, with no artificial colours or flavours.
Crunchy and well-seasoned, Cheez-It makes a great snack, whether you are feeling peckish or having a movie night. There is a warming kick from chillies.
Nutritional information: 501kcal and 1.5g of salt per 100g, or 150kcal and 0.45g of salt per 30g serving. No artificial colours or flavours.
Available in the major supermarket chains.
Day 21;
Billington's Dark Brown Soft Sugar (£4.50) is a must product for the festive baking. Just imagine all your Christmas bakes from gingerbread to cookies, from brownies to cakes. And don't forget all the marinades too.
Day 22:
Vidas Drinks (£2) are all-natural beverages that fuel your day, without the extras found in conventional drinks.
Made with 100% natural ingredients, without added sugar or sweeteners. Low calorie, with less than 50kcal per can
If you're looking for a healthier alternative to soft drinks, Vidas is your friend. Drink healthy, anytime, anywhere.
You should recieve 1 item in your box. we got a Pomegranate & Black seed flavour.
Available at www.vidasdrinks.co.uk.
Day 23:
St Dalfour Apricot Fruit Spread (£3.25) is a delicious apricot preserve made near Bordeaux in France.
One of our family favourites, St Dalfour apricot fruit spread is 100% from fruit. No added sugar, it's gently cooked with vine-yard ripened grape juice and fruit juices.
It's sweet, tangy and very tasty. Great with croissants, and other sweet bakes.
My guys love baked camembert. I usually score the top and add a couple of tablespoons of jam/preserve. We tried it with apple, pear, pineapple and other preserves, but keep coming back to the apricot one, as in our opinion, it works perfectly with gooey melting cheese.
Available in the major supermarkets and on Ocado.
Day 24
Horlicks Chocolate (£3.75) is a traditional malty hot chocolate.
High in Calcium, Zinc and Vitamins C, D and B12. Just add hot water to make a creamy, malty hot chocolate. Traditionally crafted using malted wheat and barley, this is a warming comforting drink, perfect for the cold winter evenings.
Nutritional values: 119kcal and 15.4g of sugar per 32g serve.
Available in all major supermarket chains.
What a fabulous selection of foods and drinks!
Degustabox Advent Calendar has been stocked full of wonderful surprises. A must advent calendar for a foodie!
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