Five Challenges of Looking After Older Relatives

If your parents live nearby and you are happy to help them out regularly, taking them shopping, picking up their prescriptions, and getting them to doctors’ appointments, you might find it hard to juggle your young family, your full time work, and your parents’ or elderly relatives’ care needs. There seems to be no time left to socialise and spend quality time with your loved one. Find out more about the main challenges of looking after older relatives below.

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1. You Need to Stay Flexible

When you have elderly parents or relatives to look after, you cannot plan ahead at any point. They might surprise you by a fall or an injury, or call you in the weekend about a doctor's’ appointment. While repaying them for all their devotion for you when you were small might make you happy, being on 24-hour alert might be exhausting long term. If you don’t have other relatives to help you out, you might burn out after a few months. 

2. You Might Need to Manage Their Finances

Apart from your own money, you will be responsible for looking after theirs as well. You will have to create two separate budgets, and account for all the shopping you do for them. At the same time, it is important that you protect them from fraud, and make sure that nobody has access to them without your presence, or they might sign up for services or order products they don’t really need.

3. They Might Refuse to Accept Help from Others

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No matter how vulnerable your older relative is, they might be too stubborn to accept help from local care companies or community centers offering day care. You can be convinced that they would be safer and better looked after at Porthaven care homes, but making them get help is another story. No matter how busy you are, you simply cannot refuse to go on until they can no longer stay at their house on their own. 

4. You Cannot Go On Holidays

One of the disadvantages of having to look after a relative is that you cannot leave them, and this will limit your abilities to book holidays and relax with your family. You might find day care centres, but feel guilty for leaving them, therefore, you will stay, and miss out on the opportunity of having a rest and getting a well deserved break.

5. You Will Need to Talk to All Doctors and Become an Expert

When your relative needs a long term treatment plan or an operation, they will expect you to make a decision on their behalf. This will further increase your responsibility and the pressure on you. You will start spending time researching the illness, talking to consultants, and finally become an expert.

Looking after your elderly relatives might be a rewarding task, but it is also exhausting and challenging at times. If you can, look for respite services or try to convince them to get professional care, so you can get on with your own family life, and get a rest recharging your batteries.

This is a collaborative post.

Our Second Blue Coffee Box *REVIEW & DISCOUNT CODE*

Last month I introduced you, my lovely readers, to the world of Blue Coffee Box... if you missed that post then you can read it here to get the basics. 

Our second box arrived just before Christmas (perfect timing!) and we've been loving trying three more artisan coffees across the festive period. 

What have we been drinking?

EL SALVADORE

FINCA BOSQUE LYA

STEAMPUNK COFFEE ROASTERS

Varietal: Bourbon

Process: Washed

Producer: Lya Castaneda

Region: Santa Ana, El Salvador

Altitude: 1470-1650m

Notes of... cocoa, nougat, nuts

Finca Bosque Lya achieved fame in speciality coffee circles when it took first place in the 2004 Cup of Excellence. Whilst the competition's focus is all about cupping, if extra points were awarded for a farm's beauty then Bosque Lya would be in an even stronger position. 

This is 96-hectare farm- 64 hectares of which are dedicated to coffee and the balance being left as natural rainforest. In many parts of the farm, it is difficult to recognise what is pure forest and what isn't, since so many shade trees are used. 

There is an abundance of wildlife including birds such as hummingbirds, Orioles and hawks, and many migratory species. Mammals include wild cats, armadillos, deer and possum. There are endless beautiful flowers including colourful rare orchids and epiphytes  that grow on branches of the trees.

The views from this farm are also jaw-dropping, with the mountains and volcanoes of west El Salvador and Guatemala on the horizon. The towering El Chingo Volcano takes centre stage in this dramatic scene. 

PERU

TUNKI

ISLAND ROASTED ARTISAN COFFEE

Varietal: Bourbon, Caturra

Process: Washed

Producer: Smallholders

Region: Tambopata Valley, Peru

Altitude: 1600-1800m

Notes of... chocolate, hazelnut, floral

Shade grown in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 1600-1800 metres amongst the most beautiful flora and fauna of the Tambopata Valley, this coffee is traditionally farmed and produced without the use of pesticides or chemicals. 

The coffee beans are first fed and washed by pure spring waters and then harvested by hand by local indigenous Quechuan and Aymara speaking families who have worked the area for generations in harmony with the land. 

This coffee has won several awards: in 2013 it came second out of 51 entries in the Rainforest Alliances's Cupping for Quality, held at the Speciality Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Lab in Long Beach California. 

In 2012 it was one of the best coffees of the year in the Roasters Guild Competition. It won first place in the National CafA expo awards in Lima and was the coffee used by the third place winner in the UK barista final. 

HONDURAS

FINCA LOS MANGOS

ISLAND ROASTED ARTISAN COFFEE 

Varietal: Pacas, Catuai

Process: Washed

Producer: Leidy Chinchilla

Region: La Labor, Ocotepeque, Honduras

Altitude: 1200m

Notes of... honey, cream

This coffee is part of an initiative from one of Island Roasters green bean suppliers to match growers with roasters to form direct trade relationships which benefit the grower in the form of getting the highest price for their coffee (considerably more than the FAIRTRADE rate). 

The roaster gains exclusivity to some amazing micro-lot coffees that may have otherwise been mixed with other coffees in co-ops. This is truly sustainable trade. 

This is the second year Island have been working on this farm and this year's crop is even better than last. Leidy Chinchilla inherited the farm from her grandmother, her main income is from coffee but she also produces fruit such as bananas, limes and mangos. 

She grows Pacas and Catui varietals which are shade grown at around 1200 m in the rich volcanic soil. When at optimum ripeness, cherries are carefully picked by hand and are transported to COCAFELOL where they are wet processed for 24 hours. Drying is in greenhouses, mechanical dryers and patios. 

I literally find it mind-blowing to be able to find out so much information about the coffee I'm drinking. For me, it makes the drinking experience all the richer for understanding the heritage of the coffee, who has produced it and what flavour notes to look our for. 

I can honestly say that each coffee we've tried from Blue Coffee Box has been delicious in its own right - and each stands alone with individual flavours, aftertaste, scents etc. This box contained the fourth, fifth and sixth coffee for us to try, and all six we've tasted I would happily drink again - superior to most coffee-shop coffees and certainly WORLDS away from anything instant, I'm definitely becoming a bit of a coffee snob! 

My favourite from this months selection was the nutty Finca Bosque Lya which smells like heaven, and tastes rich yet really smooth with clear nutty and chocolatey notes, it's quite naturally sweet and we've found it to be the perfect after-dinner coffee. 

As we found with last month's box, these three pouches are an ample supply which lasts hubby and I for the whole month. I'd say we drink on average about 5/6 cups each of the good stuff per week, opting for our favourite instant the rest of the time for ease, budget etc. 

We enjoy our all our coffee white using Oatly Barista foamable milk, which if you haven't tried in your coffee yet YOU MUST. It makes honestly the most delicious coffee you'll ever try - creamy, rich and smooth without the calories of whole milk or cream. 

We've been so impressed with our Blue Coffee Box subscription that we bought a 3 month gift subscription for Liam's Mum and Stepdad as a Christmas present - they are also hugely into their coffee, and they're so excited to try out some boxes - with their first box arriving this week! 

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. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS & HAPPY COFFEE DRINKING...

Mrs B xxx

What was in our December Degustabox?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

How is Christmas over already? HOW is it 2018? Goodness, 2017 has flown by and I can't believe the decorations have been packed away for another year - it seems like five minutes ago I was unpacking them all and making the house super festive. 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year - ours has been wonderful - busy, lots of family time, travelling to visit family, some lazy days at home too, lots of sorting out and making space for all the new Christmas things - it was just what we needed! 

Tomorrow is our official 'back to work/school' day - and actually it feels quite nice to be heading back to our normal weekly routine - I honestly don't know what day it is...anyone else the same? 

Before normal work resumes I've just got time to share with you the contents of our December Degustabox and what we thought of the mostly new-to-the-market food and drink items we received. 

If you haven't heard of Degustabox before here's a quick description...

DECEMBER BOX

What was in our December Degustabox?

Planters (Energy Mix & Health Mix) 2 x £1.29

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: At Planters, we only use the most delicious nuts to make sure each mouthful is as tasty as the next. Whether you love cashews, peanuts or dried fruit, you can rely on Planters to deliver protein packed nuts that taste delicious. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Delicious nuts, brilliant for a healthy snack on the run, the bags aren't massive so good to snack on whilst out and about. 

Sleep Well Milk £1.75

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Get Unstressed For Bed with Sleep Well. Our gorgeous tasting vanilla drink combines Jersey milk with honey and valerian, a herb that's been helping people relax and sleep for 2000 years. Great for the whole family to enjoy, simply drink hot or cold thirty minutes before you want to sleep. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: This was really tasty actually - a sort of vanilla-milkshake flavour milk with a slightly herby taste too. Really creamy and a nice soothing/relaxing drink to have warm before bed. I'm not a huge milk drinker, so I can't see myself ever buying this, but I think if you're big on hot drinks and wanted to avoid caffeine before bed then this would be a great option for you. 

Candy Kittens Gourmet Sweets (Watermelon) £3.00

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Hello! We're Candy Kittens and we believe that life's too short for boring sweets. So, we decided to do something about it. We're leading the way in British style and taste, making gourmet sweets, with natural colours and flavours for you to enjoy. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I'm not a sweet eater, fruity sweets like this don't really do anything for me (I'm a chocolate or crisps lover when it comes to treats). Bert on the other hand loves a sweet - although these were slightly too big and chewy for him, and got stuck in his teeth, which he found annoying. He said the taste was good however, and as a parent I like the fact that they contain natural favours and colours. 

Popchips Galactic Puffs (Sour Cream & Onion)  £1.99

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Every fan in the galaxy knows that boring snacks can lead you to the dark side. We found a new way to use heat to pop this light and airy snack into your favourite Star Wars shapes. And if you're lucky you may even find the secret shape! 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: My boys are HUGE Star Wars fans, so these went down extremely well in the Bishop household. As big fans of Popchips anyway (I love the BBQ ones!) we were fairly certain we'd enjoy these bad boys, and we did! They were super tasty and fun (Bert loved telling us which characters he was chomping on!) We shared them with friends at a Christmas buffet, and the whole bag was polished off without trouble.

Ryvita Lightly Salted Rye Cakes £1.39

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Made with popped wholegrain rye, Ryvita 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 have them on their own. The choice is yours!

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I love crackers and cakes like this - as a rule I try to eat as little standard bread as possible: opting for rye and sourdough varieties where possible, and crackers etc instead. I loved that these are rye-based rather than wheat and I found them really tasty. Great as a quick in-between meals snack, or to dip into my weekly homemade soup. I'd definitely buy these again. 

Taking The Pea (Smoked Ham) £1.50

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: The UK's first Great Taste Award winning grab and go range of savoury pea snacks. With more protein than crisps and less fat than nuts our peas are the perfect healthy snacking product to satisfy those in-between meal cravings! 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: OMG! I absolutely loved these and pretty much single handedly devoured the whole bag (I did let hubby have a try!) The smoked ham flavour was addictive, and just the sort of salty snack I usually crave. The fact that they're healthier than crisps is a big bonus. I literally can't wait to buy these again. I actually looked up where they're stocked and found out that they pretty much only seem to be stocked at Tiger stores locally - so next time I'm visiting the Milton Keynes store I'll be stocking up! 

Coldpress Juice (Orange) £1.50

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Our delicious juices are made using cold pressure HPP (High Pressure Processing) Most juices are heat pasteurised. Vitamins and nutrients are damaged by heat, so we use cld pressure instead to keep the vitamins, nutrients and fresh taste in! 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I don't ever really buy fresh fruit juice as none of us drink it - we got so used to never 'drinking our calories' during weight loss, that now we just drink water and coffee at home. Hubby drinks a little bit of fruit squash, but never fresh juice. Both the kids will also only drink water - even if you offer them juice they don't drink it. So I was at a loss as to whether I would use this or not - then I remembered I was making a big pot of mulled wine for Christmas, and I often like to sweeten it slightly with some fresh juice, so this was the perfect size bottle for the job. it added a lovely freshness, zing and sweetness to the spicy red wine, complimented the slices of clementine mulling away in the pot, and made it go further - bonus! 

Robinsons Fruit Creations (Pear, Blackcurrant & Cherry) £1.99

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: New Robisons Fruit Creations contains twice the fruit and more juicier and fruiter flavours. Our flavour experts have worked hard to source and create a refreshing blend of the very best fruit combinations created specifically for grown-up taste buds. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Hubby is the fruit squash drinker in this house (as I mentioned earlier) and he absolutely loved this flavour combination. It is exactly as the brand say - a grown up flavour (although I'm sure kids would enjoy it too). 

San Miguel 0.0% £3.00

WHAT THE BRAND SAY: San Miguel presents its original alcohol-free beer: San Miguel 0.0%. With all the flavour, freshness and quality of beer, but with none of the alcohol. Malty notes of barley deliver a subtle roasted flavour, with balanced bitterness to deliver great beer refreshment. 100% San Miguel, 0.0% alcohol. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Again, this is hubby's domain as the only beer drinker in the house. He actually was pleasantly surprised by this - it really does taste like beer and would be a great option for a beer drinker who was having to drive or wanted a clear head in the morning. 

Mary Berry's Foods Lemon & Mustard Seed Vinaigrette £2.99

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Mary Berry's Lemon & Mustard Seed Vinaigrette is a versatile zesty vinaigrette that works very well with all salad combinations. This flavourful and delicious dressing is the perfect accompaniment for smoked salmon and potato or pasta salad. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I'm excited to try this - I usually make my own dressings for salads etc but it's nice to have a bottle of this in the cupboards for those days when I just don't have the time, ingredients or inclination to make my own. I trust Mary Berry implicitly, so I'm sure this will be delicious when we get round to trying it. 

Willies Cacao Black Pearls (Sea Salt Caramel) £6.59

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: Pearls of single estate chocolate containing cascades of molten caramel. Available in two flavours: Sea Salt Caramel in fruity Chulucanas 70 dark chocolate, and luscious Passion Fruit Caramel in Rio Caribe 44 milk chocolate.  100% natural, batch made from the best raw materials. 

WHAT WE THOUGHT: Wow! These were an absolute delight! We've used Willies Cacao products before and always enjoyed the quality of the chocolate, so we were excited to give these caramels a go! They came at the perfect time - Christmas - when hubby and I love to indulge in some good quality choccies (we usually opt for Hotel Chocolat) but it was lovely to try something completely new. We had the Sea Salt Caramel flavour chocolate pearls and they were totally scrumptious. Dark, salty, sweet and rich - a real treat for Christmas time and we had no trouble at all polishing off the box over the Christmas break. 

Lift Matcha Instant Green Tea £4.49 

WHAT THE BRAND SAYS: We have mixed South Indian Instant Green Tea and Japanese Matcha to produce this super premium and deliciously fresh tasting Instant green tea. Matcha is produced through a unique process where the tea plantation is shaded, meaning that the plants produce lots of amino acids and chlorophyll so the leaves become packed full of the lovely good stuff - antioxidants! After harvesting, the leaves are dried and slowly ground in granite stone mills to produce a fine powder. When you drink Lift’s Instant Matcha Green tea, you digest the whole green tea leaf, unlike you would with traditionally brewed leaf tea. Being a powder, in convenient single serve sachets, you can easily add to a shake, to baking recipes, or simply just make an uplifting cup of tea!

WHAT WE THOUGHT: I'm definitely interested in the health-benefits/properties of Matcha but I'm yet to be convinced on the flavour. I tried one of the sachets just as a tea, but found it to be rather tasteless. I think I'd most likely use these handy sachets in shakes or healthy bakes rather than drink them. 

My TOP THREE from the December box were...

All of which I would happily buy and use again if I saw them in the supermarket.

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If you'd like to give Degustabox a try then 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:

Gifts for Pokémon Loving Children This Christmas *Gift Guide*

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 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 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. 

Pokémon Popplio Plush Toy from TOMY

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. 

Pokémon Trading Game

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

We were sent this selection of Pokémon merchandise in return for this post. All opinions are my own. 
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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. 

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.

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: