Sunday 10 December 2017

Gifts for Pokémon Loving Children This Christmas *Gift Guide*

Pokémon gift guide 2017

Our 4.5 year old son Bert has just discovered Pokémon - since starting full time school in September his taste in tv, films and toys has really matured. He's gone from still loving Peppa Pig and Bing Bunny to watching Horrid Henry and Pokémon in what seems like a matter of weeks. Where has my little boy gone? 

This Christmas, we were kindly sent a selection on the brand new to the market Pokémon merchandise for Bert - I'm so excited to see his face on Christmas morning when he opens all of this... 

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokemon Gift Guide for little ones this xmas.

I'm not usually a massive fan of heavily branded merchandise, especially for children, tending to prefer simple block colours, stripes (of course!) and more subtle designs. But I have to admit that I've been pleasantly surprised with the pyjamas and beanie hat that arrived from the new Pokémon ranges - the pyjamas, available from Next from £14 are lovely quality and beautifully designed. Bert will look super cute in them! We've also bought him his own dressing gown and slippers this Christmas, so it will be super cute to see him all wrapped up and snuggly!

The beanie hat is again, staggering quality and I am just totally in love with the beautiful shade of blue - the pictures don't even do it justice, it is so pretty. I love that the emblem is small, and the knit is so lovely and chunky, making it the perfect hat for winter (I'm in a house surrounded by 5" of snow as I write this!!). 

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokemon Battle Action Figures Pichu vs Komala

As well as the pyjamas and hat, Bert was also sent some lovely Pokémon toys from TOMY including a Popplio plush toy (SRP £9.99) and a lovely set of Pokémon Battle Action Figures (Pichu vs Komala) SRP £5.99 - these 3" figures with four points of articulation make it easy to create action poses that capture the emotion of battle. Perfect for our little 4 year old who adores imaginative play with little figures - these will be his favourite of all the items, I'm sure of it. 

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokémon Popplio Plush Toy from TOMY

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokémon Beanie Hat

Finally, we were sent a brilliant Pokémon Trading Card Game - these theme decks are 60-card pre-constructed decks and are designed to introduce players to the Pokémon Trading Card Game by enabling them to play right away. We think the cards are slightly above Bert's level at the moment (he's only 4 years old and only just beginning to read) plus they have a recommended age of 6+. So instead we will be gifting these to Bert's little cousin who is a year older than him is also into Pokémon (name a 4-10 year old who isn't??) this will be a little extra gift for him from us this Christmas. 

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokémon Trading Game

Pokemon gift guide age 4-6
Pokémon Loot!!!

Do you know a Pokémon mad little one who would love to find these under the tree this Christmas? 

I cannot wait to see Bert's little face when he opens this lovely lot on Christmas morning, he's going to be a happy boy, that's for sure. 

I hope you're not all too stressed in the run up to Christmas. I'm trying to be super organised this year - all my gifts have been bought (we buy for 49 people at Christmas!!), I've written 80+ Christmas cards with just a few more left to write and send, and now I need to begin the mammoth wrap-a-thon!  

Mrs B

xxx


Pokémon gift guide 2017
We were sent this selection of Pokémon merchandise in return for this post. All opinions are my own. 
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Monday 4 December 2017

What was in our November Degustabox?


It's time to share the contents of our November Degustabox with you! Another cracking box - full of new to the market items for us to try out. 

There was definitely quite a treat vibe to this box - which is great in the run up to Christmas - it's the right time of year for tasty treats after all. 
Degustabox November 2017 box
Kallo Organic Stock Pot - Beef £1.80

Introducing the NEW Kallo Organic Stock Pots. Made with organic, natural and high-quality ingredients, the flavoursome stock pots enhance the taste of your favourite recipes; soups, stews and traditional pasta dishes. Available in three flavours - chicken, beef and vegetable, just stir into your cooking to unleash your flavour pot-ential.

The English Provender Co.'s Caramelised Red Onion Chutney £1.99

The English Provender Co.'s Caramelised Red Onion Chutney is the perfect accompaniment to your festive cheese board and ideal to add flavour to sandwiches. The brand's signature chutney uses sweet red onions to create a delightfully sticky savoury chutney which will brighten up any dish. 

Taylors of Harrogate - Cacao Superior Columbia Coffee £4.49

Taylors of Harrogate is an independent family tea and coffee company from Harrogate. Our single-origin coffee explores extraordinary flavour from the world's great growing regions - carefully roasted to bring out the flavour profiles unique to each country. You can find the range at Morrisons, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Ocado and Amazon. 

ALŌ Aloe Vera Drink £1.99

Alō is the only quality-proven brand of Aloe vera drinks in the UK drinks market today. We take pride in and are confident of our premium quality, taste and experience.  This Aloe vera drink works brilliantly alongside Asian dishes. 

Planters Fruity Chocolate Crunch £2.00

Planters are making this festive season even more exciting with the introduction of two deliciously indulgent nut mixes. Planters Fruity Chocolate Crunch is made with crunchy peanuts, juicy cranberries and deliciously creamy milk chocolate buttons, guaranteed to get those taste buds tingling. 

The Jelly Bean Factory Super Sours £1.79

The Jelly Bean Factory Super Sours Jelly Beans come in 9 fantastic flavours to tickle your taste buds! Each Super Sour Gourmet Jelly Bean is made using natural flavours and colours. They're also gelatine free, gluten free and nut free as well as being suitable for Coeliacs and Vegetarians. 

Ryvita Multigrain Rye Cakes £1.39

Made with popped wholegrain rye, Ryvita Multigrain Rye Cakes are naturally high in fibre and low in fat, making them a delicious and wholesome snack. Get creative with your favourite toppings or enjoy them on their own. The choice is yours! 

PROPERCORN Perfectly Sweet Popcorn £0.89

Hand-popped corn, sprinkled with unrefined, Fair-trade sugar for a perfectly sweet, caramelised flavour. PROPERCORN pride themselves on making sure their popcorn is delicious and guilt-free. With a dedication to detail, they try to make everything the best it can possibly be. 

Dalston's Fizzy Apple £1.89 

Our fizzy apple sodas are packed with Jonagold, Idared and Bramley apples from farms in Kent. We work with the Nightingales farm - Gibbet oak - to make this soda. The Nightingales have been growing apples for...a long time. And they're pretty good at it!

Weetabix Additions Apple & Raisin £2.99

Our new Weetabix Additions range is high in taste: 100% whole grain with a burst of delicious fruit. Delight your senses with a nutritious breakfast that's packed full of flavour with delicious apple, juicy raisins and warming cinnamon promising temptingly tasty goodness in every bite. Have you had your Weetabix? 

Cadbury Picnic Bites £1.99

Nobbly nibbles of crispy wafer, chewy caramel, crunchy peanut and juicy raisins, all wrapped in Cadbury milk chocolate. Shake it up with new Cadbury Picnic Bites!

Filippo Berio Classic Pesto £2.00

Authentic Classic Italian pesto made from the finest traditional techniques, using time honoured ingredients.

Filippo Berio Rio Mare Tuna in Olive Oil £3.00

This high-quality tuna comes packed in Olive Oil for a healthy and tasty snack or lunch.

Filippo Berio Formaggio Crostini £1.99


These bite-sized Crostinis are made from freshly baked br. Savoury and crunchy, they are delicious with dips or drinks. Discover the delicious taste of Filippo Berio's mouthwatering Crostini snacks. Inspired by our favourite Italian flavours, and made with freshly baked bread, these cheese flavour Crostini are then drizzled with our signature Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Degustabox November 2017 box

Degustabox November 2017 box

Mrs Bishop's Top Picks from the November 2017 Degustabox
My absolute favourites this month were the delicious trio from Filippo Berio: the tuna by Rio Mare, it was seriously the tastiest tuna I've ever had - far superior to any other tinned tuna I've had before. I also adored the cheese crostini - they are ADDICTIVE!! I think we'd eaten the whole packet within 24 hours of the box arriving. My third and final favourite was the classic pesto - I think traditional basil pesto is one of my favourite flavours in the whole world, and this Filippo Berio one was perfect. 

Of course, Bert adored the jelly beans, picnic bites, nut/chocolate mix, and popcorn - which nicely filled up his treat box (he calls it his 'hungry box') for the month. 

I've already used some of the Kallo stock pots, which worked brilliantly in a beef chilli. We're keeping the chutney to enjoy over Christmas, and gifting the coffee to some family members as we can only use fine-ground espresso powder in our coffee machine. 

I'm working my way thought the Weetabix - they're tasty and it's nice to enjoy them with the sweet addition of apple and raisin rather than the plain Weetabix I used to have as a child.

I've almost finished the Ryvita Rye cakes - I love them! I regularly buy things like this in my weekly shop as an alternative to bread: I like them at lunch time to dunk into soup or as a quick snack. 

We weren't overly keen on the Alō aloe vera drink - it tasted nice, but it had jelly-like globules floating in the liquid that neither Liam or I enjoyed very much - it was an odd texture to drink. It tasted like a flat Lilt (remember Lilt!) so it was sweet and refreshing, just odd in texture. 

The only thing we haven't yet managed to taste in this months box is the apple soda, which I'm sure we'll enjoy in the lead up to Christmas at some point. 

I'm super excited to see what will arrive in our December box! :-)

Would you like to give a Degustabox a try? 

If so, you can receive a whopping £7.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy you lovely lot...

Mrs B

xxx

For more info on Degustabox follow them on their social media channels:


Thursday 23 November 2017

Kids Songs CD, Rastamouse App & CBeebies bundle giveaway!

Kids Songs Triple CD from demon music group
My kids are obsessed with CBeebies: we've always watched it above all other children's channels, and so we are more than au fait with characters such as Mr Tumble, Chris and Pui, Hey Duggee etc. 

Another thing my kids adore is music, especially music they can recognise and join in with such as themes from their beloved CBeebies programmes. We have an old double disc CBeebies CD that we have to listen to in the car on EVERY. SINGLE. JOURNEY. (*Insert manic smile face here*) So when I found out that a brand new CD full of original recordings of children’s favourite TV themes and songs had been released, I was thrilled! Finally something slightly different to listen to in the car. 

The album features some of the biggest names on children's TV as well as theme tunes from popular CBeebies Programmes such as Go Jetters, Hey Duggee, Waybaloo, Tee and Mo, Everything’s Rosie and many more...

Available to buy on Amazon or download on Itunes at www.smarturl.it/kidssongs

The album will have a RRP of £5-6

We were lucky enough to be sent a promotional copy of the CD on it's release date along with a cute bundle of CBeebies goodies to enjoy, and it's not even Christmas yet! 

We've been listening to the triple CD non-stop over the past week and the kids have been loving it (I'm not going to lie, the adults not so much - but at least it's DIFFERENT) hehe. We've had in-house disco sessions, car raves and all sorts along to the tunes on Kids Songs - even 18 month old Connie has been busting some super moves! 

It really is the ultimate soundtrack for kiddies and a must have stocking filler for all CBeebies loving families!

Kids Songs CD
Kids Songs CD

As well as busting moves to the sounds of CBeebies, Bert had the chance to explore a brand new app on his tablet thanks to a free-download code we were kindly given. The app is called 'Rastamouse: Da Missing Riddim' and is a fun but educational activity application for smart phones and tablets. 

Rastamouse: Da Missing Riddim app

Drawing inspiration from the stories of Michael De Souza and Genevieve Webster and incorporating the uplifting music of Andrew Kingslow; the Rocksteady Reggae School music project provides a thoroughly cross-curricular experience to excite and engage young minds with this new app. 

Featuring the voices of the incredible Rastamouse cast, 'Rastamouse: Da Missing Riddim' is a fun and educational experience that brings the magic of Rastamouse to your home in a cool new way!

For those of you who haven't heard of it, Rastamouse is an award-winning British preschool television that has a positive message for young children, promoting the need to understand right from wrong in a meaningful context. Through understanding and love, Rastamouse will always “make a bad ting good!”. 


The app includes:

“Bust a move”

Dance with Da Easy Crew on the Mousetival stage. Keep up with the riddim and earn your highest score!

“Ride da Riddim”

Skate through Mouseland with Da Easy Crew. Play each band member’s instrument to find that missing riddim; unlock a wicked tune that Da Easy Crew can skate and jam together on!

“Spin da Riddim”

Spin those crucial sounds of Da Easy Crew you unlocked, and mix them on Scratchy’s boombastic DJ decks!

Bert's been loving it - I heard him chuckling away to himself when he was playing it yesterday, and actually he isn't usually that fussed by the TV show itself, favouring others in its place - but he seems to really enjoy the activities on the app and from what I've seen of it, it seems very educational.

Check out Rastamouse online:

• Like on Facebook: http://fb.com/Rastamouse.irie

• Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rastamouse_irie

• Follow on Instagram: http://instagram.com/Rastamouse_irie

• Subscribe on YouTube: http://youtube.com/Rastamouse

• More about Rastamouse: http://rastamouse.com

Learn about the Rocksteady Reggae School: http://www.rocksteadyreggaeschool.com/


As if that wasn't enough, along with the CD and app code, Bert and Connie were very kindly gifted a cute bundle of CBeebies goodies to enjoy and I'm pleased to say I've also got another bundle to giveaway...

WIN A CBEEBIES BUNDLE!!

CBeebies Bundle giveaway

If your little one is also CBeebies mad and would love a chance to get hold of an amazing bundle of CBeebies goodies in time for Christmas, then please enter the giveaway below. 

One winner will be chosen at random to win:
  • Kids Songs CD
  • free-download code for the Rastamouse app
  • BOJ DVD
  • Everything's Rosie puzzle and purse
  • 2018 Clangers Calendar 
Good luck lovely people!

Mrs B x

*We were sent a copy of the cd, free-download code for the app and the bundle of CBeebies goodies in return for this honest post*

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Monday 20 November 2017

Blue Coffee Box - Review, Giveaway & Exclusive Discount ...

CALLING ALL COFFEE LOVERS!!!
Have you heard of Blue Coffee Box the speciality coffee subscription service

Today I'm bringing you an exciting review, giveaway and discount code for this exciting speciality coffee subscription service. The perfect gift for the caffeine junkies in your life this Christmas. 

Blue Coffee Box Logo
About Blue Coffee Box
Blue Coffee Box is a UK subscription club for speciality coffee lovers.

Each month, they send a letterbox-friendly blue (unsurprisingly) box containing three bags of freshly roasted coffee with tasting notes and information of the origin and farm where it is produced.

Three new roasters are introduced every month from the top of the UK’s 300 or so craft roasters to hand-roast the beans. These are fresh roasted every week and members can select how they are prepared; whole beans or ground for cafetiere, dripper or espresso.

Membership costs from only £7.99 per month (or less for 3, 6 or 12-month advanced payment). Members can cancel, pause, skip or upgrade any time. 


There’s an entire world of coffee that most of us have never experienced. Speciality coffee is single origin or microlot coffee that scores over 80+ on the SCA quality scale and covers just the top 10% of coffees in the world.

In the UK, 65% of us still drink instant coffee and the quality is very low. But, in Europe, it’s only 2% and in the USA, 7%.

Nestle recently paid $500million to buy a chain of speciality coffee shops in the USA and Starbucks’ founder, Howard Schultz, left the main business to set up Starbucks speciality coffee shops. It’s the fastest growing sector in the industry.

For coffee lovers, a Blue Coffee Box subscription is a veritable world tour of speciality coffee. Members tell BCB their preferences and their Coffee Concierges choose the best coffees from over 17 countries.

Blue Coffee Box
The Founders
Jon and Harvey Butt are the father and son team behind Blue Coffee Box who both love good coffee (naturally!). 

Jon is a seasoned entrepreneur and a leader in the fire safety industry. During Jon’s business travels in the USA, he discovered speciality coffee subscriptions that curated from various niche coffee roasters. In the UK, subscription services tend to only supply from the one roaster and are more for convenience.

Harvey, not wanting to be lumbered with a student loan after university, suggested setting up something similar in the UK to pay his way though Uni and not be a burden on society. Bless! And Blue Coffee Box was born in 2017.

It’s growing fast and recently started supplying speciality coffee for business to improve the quality of coffee offered to visitors and guests during business appointments.

Our First Box


Jon and Harvey heard on the grapevine that Mr B and myself are rather coffee-crazy, and very kindly offered to send us a 3 month subscription to Blue Coffee Box to try out. I'm going to share each box with you as it arrives, but they've also supplied me with a brilliant discount code for you lovely lot to enjoy, as well as a giveaway so you can enter for your chance to win a box for free! 


Liam and I have always enjoyed a cup of coffee, but since going off tea in my last pregnancy, I've never really gone back to it, and instead find myself drinking ALL THE COFFEE. Last month, we were very kindly gifted this amazing Dualit 3-in-1 coffee machine from our best friends, and so since then we have been exploring artisan/speciality 'proper' coffee at home - perfect timing for Blue Coffee Box to come into our lives...


Mrs Bishop's Dualit Coffee Machine
Our new baby! Dualit 3-in-1 coffee machine! 

We opted for a surprise box of espresso ground coffee for our subscription but you can choose from beans to grind yourself, cafetière coarse grind, medium grind for pour overs and filter droppers or espresso fine grind like us for espresso machines or stove tops. 


You can choose from light, medium or dark roast coffee, depending on your personal taste preference, or go for a surprise box like us. 


Our first box arrived just under a fortnight ago, and since it arrived we've been in coffee-heaven! 


I absolutely loved how neat the packaging is - it is pretty and luxurious without being over-the-top, it can be posted through a letterbox so it's super-convenient and you get a lot of coffee for your money! In each one-month subscription box you get enough coffee for 6 cups per week, about 24 cups (approx) in total! Each pouch in our box contains 155g of coffee, and two weeks in a drinking multiple cups each day, we've still got a good supply to see us through the rest of the month. 


Mrs Bishop reviews Blue Coffee Box
Ready to dive into our first box!

Mrs Bishop reviews Blue Coffee Box
Oooh excited to see which coffees we've got...!

Mrs Bishop reviews Blue Coffee Box
#LoveBlueCoffee @bluecoffeebox on Twitter and Instagram

Mrs Bishop reviews Blue Coffee Box
So pretty! Such neat and pretty packaging, also very practical with re-sealable pouches for each coffee. 

I dived in head first and ripped open the first pouch that caught my eye straight away - the heady waft of delicious coffee scent as you open your first pouch is aroma gold! 


Blue Coffee Box contents
Our first three coffees...

Our first box contained:

BERILO FICHA NUEVA from Mexico by Clifton Coffee Roasters - with notes of dark chocolate, spice, lychee and lemon. 


GONZALEZ FIALLOS from Honduras by Cast Iron Coffee Roasters - with notes of peach, toffee and mango.


DOS RIOS from Guatemala by Campbell & Syme - with notes of plum, hibiscus, syrup and chocolate. 


I loved how each pouch contains info such as tasting notes, variety, process, altitude, producer, region and even the date the coffee was roasted on. The coffee is best before 4 weeks from roast date but good for 3 months in total - that's a lot of shelf life - there's no way ours will last that long! 


I was amazed by how utterly DIFFERENT each of the coffees are - for those that think it all tastes the same, I urge you to try a box - you'll be bowled over by the difference in aroma and taste between the varieties. 


My absolute favourite in this box was the DOS RIOS - it is so smooth, so luxurious with a sweet and deep flavour, no bitterness at all, but all the coffee hit you'd expect from an espresso powder. 


Having said that, I enjoy each of the three coffees provided in the box and often just pick a pouch out of the cupboard lucky dip style - not a single grain will be going to waste at Chez Bishop. 


Blue Coffee Box Review from Mrs Bishop
Jumping in full-steam-ahead with our first pouch from our Blue Coffee Box

Dualit 3-in-1 coffee machine in action
Every coffee lovers heaven: a heady scent of a European coffee shop fills the kitchen when the Dualit machine whirs into action!
Mrs Bishop's Americano
The perfect Americano thanks to Blue Coffee Box

Mrs Bishop's Latte
A super milky latte for my Friday treat last week - I use Oatly Barista milk and froth it using my Dualit machine, it makes for the creamiest most luxurious coffee! 

If you're a coffee lover or you're looking for a gift for a coffee drinker this Christmas then I couldn't recommend this subscription box enough. We're so excited to see which coffees are in our next box. Check back next month to find out. 


GET £5 OFF YOUR FIRST BOX... 


Use coupon code is MB518 at the checkout and receive £5 off your first order (what a BARGAIN!!)

The code can be applied to gift boxes or the longer subscriptions, too.


WIN A ONE-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO BLUE COFFEE BOX


Use the gleam app below to enter my giveaway for your chance to win one Blue Coffee Box containing 3 speciality artisan coffees along with tasting notes. 


blue coffee box giveaway



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Blue Coffee Box Subscription service: Review by Mrs Bishop
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We received a 3 month subscription to Blue Coffee Box in return for these honest reviews (1 of 3). 

Monday 6 November 2017

What's in our October Degustabox?

Degustabox food subscription box

It's that time of the month again where I share the contents of our Degustabox food subscription box - to give you a taste of what you could receive if you try the subscription for yourself. 

Here's firstly what the brands have to say about the products included in this month's box, followed by what we thought! 

Degustabox food subscription box - October 2017

October Box

Feel Good Drinks Water Infusions 2 x £1.20

We believe that if you drink good, you feel good. Feel Good Drinks use 100% natural ingredients only - made from a simple blend of water, fruit and natural flavourings with a refreshing taste. There are three uplifting and complimentary flavours in each of our drinks ranges. 

It is always nice to try new drinks to the market - especially when they're healthy and not full of sugar. These drinks are a nice alternative to water - if you want something equally as refreshing but with a bit more pizzaz. 

Nuttvia Breadsticks Snackpack £1.70

Love chocolate and hazelnut spread? Small in size but big in flavour, the Nutvia breadsticks snack pack is the ideal sweet treat on the go. Indulge in the deliciousness of hazelnut spread with zero palm oil and 97% less sugar. Perfect in the school lunch box or as a snack, the Nutvia breadsticks taste delicious and can go anywhere you go. 

I had every intention of giving this to Bert for his school lunchbox, in fact I did send it in with him last week in his lunchbox, but it came home untouched - he hadn't had time to eat it at school. I was secretly pleased, as this was so nostalgic for me - I used to spend my pocket money on 25p Choc Dips when I was a kid, and this seemed to be the newer (much healthier) version. So naturally, I had to give it a try - luckily Bert was in the mood for sharing - so we gobbled it up together and it was super-tasty. Fun for the kids and a little bit messy (why do all kids love mess so much?) - I'd definitely pick these up for the kiddos (and myself) again if I saw them in the supermarket. 

Degustabox food subscription box - October 2017

Cirio Valfrutta £2.29

Be the first in the UK to try one of a new range of tasty ready to eat Mediterranean dishes soon to be available in new packaging; Cous Cous with Mixed Vegetables, Bulgar, Quinoa, Red Rice, Tomatoes and Green Olives, Basmati Rice & Lentils and Spelt with Black Olives, Dried Tomatoes and Capers. Delicious cold in salads or heat for a tasty meal. Tear open and microwave for one minute or pan heat for 2-3 minutes. 

SO TASTY! I split the pouch over the course of two days for my lunches when working from home. I cooked them in a pan for 2-3 minutes with rainbow chard and fresh green olives and served it with a cooked chicken breast - it was delicious! Loads of lovely Mediterranean flavours, really filling and wholesome, and the perfect accompaniment to chicken and veggies; plus super-speedy to make, which is a huge winner for me when it comes to managing to eat healthily at lunch times when I'm in a rush. 

Cirio Valfrutta's Bulgar, Quinoa, Red Rice, Tomatoes and Green Olives pouch served with rainbow chard and chicken breast
Speedy lunch: Cirio Valfrutta's Bulgar, Quinoa, Red Rice, Tomatoes and Green Olives pouch served with rainbow chard and chicken breast.

Pip's Real Hot Chocolate Co Real Hot Chocolate Coins - Chocolate Orange £1.50

Real Belgian Chocolate hand moulded by Pip into single servings of hot chocolate then hand-wrapped - flavoured only with natural ingredients. Being nut-free, gluten-free and dairy-free these taste better, feel better in the mouth, and are suitable for almost every diet. There's even ones with no added sugar! 

One of my absolutely favourite items from this month's box - my expectations were pretty low for this as I usually find hot chocolate that you make at home to be pretty disappointing - always too milky, powdery, lumpy and lukewarm I'm always left wanting. But this is something else entirely! I used my favourite barista oat milk by Oatly, dropped the coin into the pan of milk, and left it to melt and simmer until it was thick, unctuous and the chocolate-orange aroma was filling my kitchen. I devoured it and was genuinely sad when it ended. It was everything I want from a hot chocolate - thick, super chocolatey, comforting and full of flavour. 

Degustabox food subscription box - October 2017

LoSalt - Free gift sample

If you are looking to reduce the salt in your diet, switching to LoSalt is a simple step in the right direction. With 66% less sodium than regular table, sea and rock salts, LoSalt is the healthier alternative for seasoning, cooking and baking, without compromising on flavour. The full size 350g tub of LoSalt can be purchased for £1.75.

My mum has used LoSalt for years and swears by it. Personally, I prefer using a sea salt grinder to season as I eat, but I find LoSalt brilliant for seasoning during cooking. Any way I can find to cook in a healthier way is great in my book so I'll definitely continue to use this product. 

Michel et Augustin £1.60

Oversized cookies with a melty middle and big chocolate chips, made with fresh butter, free range eggs and love. Take a bite of our super cookies with melty middle milk chocolate and real hazelnuts. Enjoy an incredible taste. Warning: taste buds will be tickled! ;-)

I wish I could say I got to try these cookies - but in reality the kids scoffed them both approximately 3.5 minutes after the Degustabox arrived!! Much like their mother I have children that cannot resist a biscuit/cookie. The radio silence while they were eating them and the empty wrappers and smiling chocolatey faces will confirm that they were delicious - top marks from my 1.5 & 4 year old! 

Degustabox food subscription box - October 2017

Pulsin Kids' Fruity Oat Bars Orange Chocolatey Chip £0.59

Delicious orange choc chip oat bars packed with gluten free UK oats, real fruit and natural ingredients - the ideal snack for kids on the go. Made with 1/3 less sugar than the average kids' fruit snack, they are high in fibre and 1 of a child's 5 a day. 

Bert took this to school in his lunch box and he said 'Mummy that flapjack bar was really nice!' high praise from Bert indeed. I always feel like doing a victory dance when I've sent him into school with something he deems as a 'treat' but I know is secretly really healthy for him! WIN! 

Lee Kum Kee - Sauce for Tomato Garlic Prawns & Sauce for Honey Garlic Spare Ribs 2 x £0.85

Lee Kum Kee sauce sachets offer a wide range of classic Chinese flavours and save you time in the kitchen. We have two from the range for you to try, other flavours include: Sauce for Kung Pan Chicken and Sauce for Broccoli Beef in Oyster Sauce. 

Sauce for Tomato Garlic Prawns - prepared from tomato, chilli peppers, honey and garlic. Best for stir-frying with prawns, but also great for cooking with meat and vegetables. It can also be used in a sauce mix for salads and as a dressing.

Sauce for Honey Garlic Spare Ribs - made with honey and garlic. Best used with meat in stir fries or marinades, but also as a sauce mix or dressing. 

We haven't yet got round to using these, but the dates on them are great and I feel like they're a really useful thing to have in the cupboard for throwing together a quick and tasty meal with minimum effort. We love oriental food so I'm looking forward to trying them. 

Kabuto Noodles - Thai Green Chicken Curry £1.99

Our new gluten-free rice noodle dish is inspired by age fragrant green curries from Thailand. They are a delicious combination of Asian inspired flavours and real quality natural ingredients with no additives or preservatives. Ready in minutes they are quick to make and song to savour! 

Another winner for having stored in the back of the pantry in case of emergencies! I love having a little stock of these instant pot style meals, a true safety net for when we need a meal in a hurry. 

Heinz No Added Sugar Hoops £0.75

No Added Sugar Hoops give consumers another great option for mealtimes. With no artificial sweeteners, colours or flavours and 1 of your 5 a day, they are a nutritious and convenient solution for families. No added sugar - great Heinz taste!

Hubby delighted in scoffing these on toast for a nursery-food style reminiscent lunch last weekend. The rest of the family don't really eat them (Bert will not eat anything with a sauce on it!!!) and Connie just spits them out at the moment. I'm really not keen on anything tinned except tomatoes and occasionally baked beans, but hubby reports that they were tasty and reminded him of being 6 again! 

HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs £2.29

Light, crunchy and airy, but packing a serious punch of protein ad fibre - HIPPEAS is the vegan friendly, on-the-go snack that plans to shake up the global snacking market and spread #PeasAndLove across the world. 

These were my absolute FAVOURITE item from this months box! We ate the whole giant bag between us the day the box arrived. They're SO moreish!! They taste like a delicious herby pizza sauce and they have great crunch, a lovely texture and are so super filling. They're like a grown up Wotsit with much better flavour and health credentials. Even the kids loved them. As soon as I see them in the supermarket I'll be purchasing again. 

Degustabox food subscription box - October 2017

Pechkeks Misfortune Cookies £1.50

Black cookies, black humour, ideal for Lucky Likes and Bad-Luck Brians, superwomen and high-flyers, crybabies and wussy wimps, iron ladies and tough guys. 

We've had the Pechkeks Misfortune Cookies before as hubby won a competition with them a few years ago! They're a very fun idea and would make a great halloween party favour or a fun edition to Halloween dinner party: we gave ours to a friend at Bert's Halloween Party for a 'Best Adult Costume' prize. 

Vimto Millions Gift Jar £2.99

Millions gets Seriously Mixed Up with Vimto. Vimto Millions are available in a variety of formats, 40g count line, taper jars and a £1 PMP. Millions aren't just unique in shape and size they're known for their fabulously strong., punchy flavours. That's why Vimto's distinctive taste is the perfect fit. 

I'm slowly working my way through these! I'm not really a sweetie person - favouring chocolate usually - but I do love Vimto - again, a throwback to my 90's childhood...so I had to try them and I love the taste of these little Millions!! No one else in the house is that keen on the Vimto flavour (they must be mad!)  so I just tip a few out every now and then for a little sweet treat. I love the robust packaging with a sturdy lid which means you can just a have a few at a time and easy store them in between. 

Another corker of a Degustabox this month - containing some brilliant new-to-the-market products, seasonal favourites and some lovely treats for the whole family to enjoy. 

Here's my top three picks from this month's box - if you see these on the supermarket shelves or can purchase them online direct from the brand I would highly recommend them: 

Mrs B's Top Picks from the October 2017 Degustabox

Would you like to give a Degustabox a try? 

If so, you can receive a whopping £7.00 off your first box by using code:

1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy you lovely lot...

Mrs B

xxx

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We receive a monthly Degustabox in return for our honest review of the contents.