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Much as I hate to admit it, the summer holidays are drawing to a close. I took the kids shopping yesterday to find new trainers and PE kits. Today we called into Pierre's school to pick up the "back to school kit" that we ordered at the end of the summer term. I'm starting to get emails about work things. There's no denying it - the countdown has begun.
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When the latest Degustabox arrived recently, I pulled out the info sheet to see this month's theme and instantly smiled at the optimistic label. Yep, it's all about back-to-school but they've twinned this with Relaxing Evenings. Ahh that sounds good to me !
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The first product that I pulled out of the box was a pack of Urban Fruit Glow (RRP £3). This product instantly rang a bell but I couldn't remember what it tasted like - a quick search revealed why. We got a pack of Urban Fruit Strength in a previous Degustabox, which I donated to Pierre who was in isolation in his room with Covid ! This pack is a blend of mango, pineapple, acerola cherry and turmeric and is a source of vitamin C. It's 100% natural with no hidden nasties and we love the tropical fruit flavour. Available at Tesco, Amazon and Ocado.
Sxollie Xider Packham's Triumph Perry (RRP £2.20) confused me when I looked at the bottle - is it a cider or a perry? I jumped on to google to find out what a perry actually is (you can tell I'm on holiday with some spare time on my hands !) and discovered that it's a pear cider. Aha, it suddenly makes more sense ! My next question was how do you pronounce it? I soon found this answer too - it is pronounced "Skollie" and is a South African slang word for a cheeky rascal. With that cleared up, Sxollie is a medium-dry perry, made purely with eating apples grown in the sunshine, with honey, caramel and subtle elderflower notes. More like a wine than a cider, it contains no added sugar, flavourings or concentrate. It's 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan, lower in calories and tastes great, straight from the fridge on a hot summer's evening.
Ocean's Halo Korean Barbecue Soy-Free Sauce (RRP £4) is described as a spicy Gangnam-Style Sauce! This organic kelp-based sauce gets its flavour from red jalapeños and sesame tahini. That kinda put me off, so I dipped my finger in and tasted it suspiciously. It actually tasted a lot better than I expected ! It's soy free, gluten free and certified vegan and can be used for BBQ, dipping or marinades. It's great for stirring through chicken and vegetables and serving with rice for a quick and tasty meal.
Palmini Hearts of Palm Angel Hair (RRP £4.49) is part of a range of products (they have pasta, rice and mash) made from hearts of palm - something I've eaten many times in France, straight from a tin. I'd never thought of using them for creating alternatives to pasta, rice and mash but why not ?! Low in calories, low carb and sugar free, it's a light and healthy option and once you've coated it in sauce, you'd be hard pushed to notice the difference ! Available on Amazon and Planet Organic.
Good Earth Pomegranate & Blueberry Kombucha (RRP £1.60) has a lovely fruity kick, behind which hides a kombucha made with black tea and fermented with live cultures. It is organic, uses 100% natural ingredients and comes in at under 30 calories per can. Good Earth also donates 1% of its revenue to Bright Green Future, an environmental non-profit association.
Horlicks Vegan Malt Drink (RRP £3.49) is a dairy-free version of the relaxing drink, perfect for unwinding at the end of a long day (or whenever your stress levels are rising !). I didn't know that Horlicks can be drunk hot or cold or even used in numerous baking recipes. Enriched with 14 vitamins and minerals, it can be used with any milk alternative.
Heinz Veg Hoops (RRP £1.25) are a great way of adding extra veggies to your kids' diets without them turning up their noses ! Containing 30% more veg, the pasta is made with carrot and cauliflower then coated in a vegetable sauce. It's low in sugar, a source of fibre, vegan-friendly and contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Perfect on toast when you need a quick meal or the kids need a quick snack that they can heat up in the microwave !
Nesquik All Natural Strawberry Flavour Milk Drink (RRP £1.80) offers the great taste of Nesquik in convenient ready-to-drink cartons. I had a quick taste and it reminded me of the powdered form of strawberry Nesquik that I used to drink as a child. The kids drank the rest before I got another look in though ! The drinks contain 91% milk and are made with only simple, natural ingredients. Delicious !
Dr Will's All Natural Classic Mayo (RRP £3) declares to be "so simple you could make this at home, but we've saved you the effort. Classic. Versatile. Delicious." What more could I add?! It's sugar free and uses quality ingredients to provide a natural dollop of flavour. Perfect in sandwiches, on the side of a salad or mixed into homemade coleslaw. Also available as Chilli Mayo.
This month's product of the month, McVitie's BN Chocolate (RRP £1) are a big hit with the Madhouse kids, who have been munching on them for years in France. You get two crunchy biscuits, sandwiched together with a rich chocolatey filling and - best of all according to the kids ! - a cheeky face cut into the biscuit. All flavours are natural. There are 16 biscuits in each pack and the kids would happily munch through a whole pack in one sitting if I let them !
Another variation on the same theme, McVitie's Mini BN Strawberry (RRP £1) are equally tasty and better suited to snacks-on-the-go as they come in sealed packets of five biscuits. The smaller size makes them easier for younger children to handle but big kids love them just as much too ! These also only contain natural colours and flavours.
The final product in this month's box is a Nissin 5 Spices Beef Cup Noodle (RRP £1.75) - apologies for the stock photo. It was munched before I took the individual photo ! Just add boiling water for a delicate noodle soup with the full flavour of beef and an irresistible combination of five carefully selected Asian spices and flavours. Perfect for a quick lunch or snack option for busy teens and apparently very tasty.
A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout.
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Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.