Monday 30 April 2018

What was in our April Degustabox?

It's that time of the month again where I share with you the contents of our Degustabox food subscription box. 


Degustabox UK

We really look forward to our Degustabox arriving each month - the kids get involved with helping to unbox everything and it's a great way to get them to try new and exciting foods. 



a2 Milk Long Life Semi Skimmed Cows' Milk £1.50

a2 Milk is natural cows' milk with a difference. It's naturally free from the A1 protein found in regular cows' milk so it's gentle on sensitive tummies, easy to digest and less likely to trigger symptoms associated with milk intolerance. 

I've tried a2 on a number of occasions before, it is a great staple to have in the cupboard, ready for those 'we've run out of milk' emergencies! 

Idahoan's Perfect Mash Roasted Garlic £1.50 

Idahoan Perfect Mash is ready in just 1 minute, simply add 475ml of boiling water to a bowl and stir in the flakes resulting in fluffy mash and great taste. Making midweek meals like sausage and mash really is easy! GM-free and gluten free. Find us in the tinned veg aisle. 

To say I was sceptical about a dried packet-mix mash potato would have been an understatement - but my goodness, I was SO impressed with this. It took literally one minute to make a huge amount of mash (easily enough for 2-3 hungry adults) and it was delicious. Full of a sweet roasted garlic flavour, an amazing smooth texture - but tasted like homemade mash (minus a rogue lump!). These packets would be amazing for speeding up the process of making a cottage/shepards/fish pie for the family, they're perfect for cooking kids a speedy meal or for those nights when you just haven't got the inclination to make mash from scratch. A brilliant packet to have in the cupboard! I'll be looking out for it in the supermarket as I would be interested to try some of the other flavours. 

Connie's sausage, mash and peas dinner, using Idahoan's Perfect Mash
Connie's sausage, mash and peas dinner, using Idahoan's Perfect Mash

Milkybar Wowsomes 2 x £0.55

Milkybar Wowsomes have arrived to bring the fun - with 30% less sugar than similar chocolate products and no artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours or preservatives. It's simply 100% delicious white chocolate or white & milk chocolate filled with a creamy-tasting centre and crispy oat cereal! 

Bert demolished these bars as his after school snacks on two  consecutive days - he loved them!! And it was nice to know that although he thought he was getting a really sugary treat, I knew it actually contained 30% less sugar - mum win! 

Mindful Bites Squeeze Sachets £1.49

Mindful Bites is a premium brand of unique nut butters blended with superfoods and highly innovative snacks. Our Nut Butter Squeeze Sachets are great to be eaten on-the-go, perfect for active people; the innovative packaging makes them mess-free and easy to carry everywhere. 

One of my favourite items in this month's box! Such a clever idea - and much less messy than fingers-in-the-jar snacking!! Hahaha! I was really taken with the innovative flavour combos - I've tried: Brazil Nut & Cacao Nib, Cashew Nut & Baobab, Hazelnut & Berries and Almond & Maca - all of which are totally delicious. I would definitely pick these up in the supermarket if I saw them - perfect for healthy snacking on the run! 

Mutti Passata £1.40

Perfect for dishes with reduced cooking times and can enhance pasta sauces, eggs and meat. The pasta retains its bright red colour, velvety texture and sweet flavour. 

Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes £1.00

Winners of a prestigious Great Taste Award. Only Italian tomatoes: red, sweet, ripe and free of yellow and green parts. Different from the first glance: thick, inviting and fragrant. Taste the quality: all the delicate flavour of fresh tomatoes. 

I used both the Mutti Passata & tinned tomatoes to make homemade chicken enchiladas for dinner this week - and they really are superior products to the usual tomato products I buy. A much better texture, flavour and more vibrant flavour. I will be looking out for these to buy in future. 

Homemade enchiladas using Mutti passata & chopped tomatoes
Homemade enchiladas using Mutti passata & chopped tomatoes
Juicy Fuel Cola (Blueberry) 2 x £2.00

Juicy Fuel Cola is cola made from entirely natural ingredients with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives and remarkably one of your five a day. The alternative is here. 

These weren't for us. It's not that they don't taste nice, they do. But they were far too sweet for our tastes, and at 150 calories per can, I was only willing to take a sip! As a rule I try really hard not to drink my calories. If you are a full-sugar fizzy pop drinker then you will probably really enjoy them - innovative flavours and 1of your 5 day is not to be sniffed at!

The Food Doctor 2 x £1.00

The Food Doctor Full of Beans Protein Mix and Smokin'  Edamame Mix make the perfect mid-morning snacks as they contain a blend of corn and beans which are high in fibre and a good source of protein that'll keep you going until lunchtime. 

Another top pick from this month's box - I absolutely loved these crunchy little bean/edamame mixes. I've been eating 30g (recommended portion size, you get loads!) as my mid-morning snack, while I work at my laptop and I love them - if you are a savoury snacker like me, then you'll really enjoy these healthy snacks. I loved them so much I've bought 2 big bags from my local supermarket in the healthy snacks aisle. 

HARIBO Giant Strawbs £1.29

Giant in flavour and in size is HARIBO Giant Strawbs; a traditional pick and mix treat that is so popular it now has its own sharing and pocket size packs! Strawberry shaped and flavoured, and boasting its own unique texture, Giant Strawbs is also perfect for vegetarians! 

Bert and Liam have been helping themselves to these giant sweeties: HARIBO is always a popular treat with the Bishop boys! 

April 2018 Degustabox Contents
April 2018 Degustabox Contents

N!CK'S Kexbar £1.20

N!CK'S Kexbar is a crispy chocolate wafer with vanilla cream covered in thick delicious milk chocolate. We never add sugar in our products, not now and not ever! Join our fight on sugar at nicks.se. Find our products on Amazon.co.uk and use the voucher code DEGUSTA1 for 20% discount. 

Liam enjoyed this chocolate wafer bar as an after work snack with a coffee and said it was really delicious and had a nice texture - perfect with a hot drink. Great to know it has no added sugar! 

Strawberry & Banana LioBites Smoothie Bites 2 x £2.35

LioBites are 100% Fruit Crisps, made by a mum searching for a healthy snack for her family. We pick the ripest and sweetest fruits in season to ensure the maximum nutrition and vitamins are retained. The fruits are quickly frozen and then dried to achieve a sweet, crunchy fruit crisp. 

Connie absolutely ADORED these - and ate both packets as a snack - she couldn't get enough & even asked for 'More Mummy!' when the packet was finished.  I'd definitely buy these for her - I'm always on the lookout for healthier snacks to give her, as she's quite the snack-a-holic. 

Lucozade Energy Orange £1.10

Discover the great taste of Lucozade Energy Orange in the moment when you need it the most! Whatever your day may hold, remember your Energy Beats Everything! Lucozade Energy is best served chilled, so put your bottle in the fridge for maximum great taste!

What a blast from the past! Lucozade really reminds me of my childhood - long hot summer holidays or sick days when my mum used to give me some Lucozade to perk me up! I don't usually drink my calories but I did have a taste of this for old times sake, and it was just as I remembered it. At 133 calories for the whole bottle, I'd definitely have to be in need of a major energy boost to drink the whole bottle. 

TREK Protein Energy Chunks 2 x £1.15

TREK Chunks are deliciously different. Instead of relying on mysterious additives & syrups, TREK Chunks are packed with a precise cold-pressed balance of powerful whole foods, delivering sustained energy...when you need it most. Vegan, gluten free, one of your five day. 

These are totally yummy & a great nibble-style snack to have mid-morning or mid-afternoon to stop unhealthy binges/snack attacks. They have a nice texture, are full of flavour and I found them really filling. I'm a massive fan of the TREK brand, having had many of their snack bars and flapjacks over the years - definitely a trusted brand I go back to time and again! 

Happy Down Cocktail £1.99

Synthetic, sugary, mixed drinks say your prayers and kiss your mummies goodbye.We’re fed up with your flat, artificial flavours, and crazy calorie counts. Your tacky reign ends today. All natural flavours, 44 kcal per 100ml, zero preservatives, gluten free & hand blended.

happy down cocktails

We loved our Happy Down cocktail - Liam and I shared it with a dinner one night, and it was a gorgeous flavour - we had the lychee and guava one - made with fortified wine, it had a sherry-like flavour, and was really different but delicious. I'd enjoy having these in the fridge during the summer for sure. 

April 2018 Degustabox Contents - Drinks
April 2018 Degustabox Contents - Drinks
As usual I always select my favourite products from the box to highlight as my top picks - this months it's the Mindful Bites Nut Butter Squeeze Sachets and The Food Doctor Smokin' Edamame Mix - both amazingly tasty, but super-healthy snacks on the run! 

Mrs Bishop's April 2018 Degustabox Top Picks
Mrs Bishop's April 2018 Degustabox Top Picks
If you'd like to give Degustabox a try then you can receive a whopping £5.00 off your first box by using code:



1VRVA

at the checkout! 

Enjoy everyone and let me know if you try it! 

Mrs B

xxx

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