I’m lucky enough to have a subscription from Degustabox, who send out food and drink boxes each month, until June – and they just seem to be getting better and better! Launched at the back end of 2013, the company aim to send out 10 to 15 products to each subscriber every month – many completely new to the market – at a fraction of the price that you would pay in the shops.
Ultimately, it’s a great way of trying out a variety of new products for a nice low £12.99 a month subscription cost. I also love the surprise element, with the contents of each box a complete mystery until opened!
The March 2014 Degustabox was probably my favourite to date. We’ve not managed to use every single product yet, but those we’ve tried have been impressive, and there are products that we’ll definitely be buying from now on.
With the box’s contents nestled under a wrapping of brown paper, every delivery is a lot like Christmas…
The first product to be devoured was the selection of Shaken Udder milkshakes – one of each of the kids’ range – that Degustabox had included within this month’s goodies. With no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, they’re also made with real strawberry/chocolate/banana (depending on the flavour) – and it’s obvious: there’s nothing artificial about the flavour when you drink these, and they’re certainly the best quality pre-packaged milkshakes I’ve tried. And with vouchers for free Shaken Udder products from Tesco also included in the box, we’ll be enjoying them again soon…
The two pots of Moma! Porridge featured in the March box were perfect for breakfasts and would be great to take to work (if I didn’t work from home!) 100% natural and a great source of slow release energy, you just need to add hot water to the pot for a healthy breakfast.
Our box included the plain variety with no added sugar and the cranberry & raisin option: both lovely and creamy and with the perfect consistency – not too sloppy, not too solid.
Drink Me Chai is a fantastic company that I first came across around a year ago, creating a range of different chai latte drinks that are easy to make with the simple addition of hot water. This month’s box contained a tub of their Chocolate Chai Latte: a blend of tea, milk, spices and chocolate that makes a warming hot drink that’s perfect for cold nights. At 99% caffeine free, and with me having given up caffeine several years ago, it’s a hot drink that not only tastes great, but one that I can actually drink too!
I left the sachet of Earl Grey Tea Latte to Chris due to its caffeine content, and he reported back that he enjoyed the perfumed flavour of the Earl Grey alongside the creaminess of the milk.
I’d never heard of Mexican Dave’s tortilla chips before they arrived in my Degustabox…but we’re now hooked. I love the moustachioed branding! We tried the Nacho Cheese flavour: again, it’s great to see another packet that proudly states that it uses no MSG, artificial colours or artificial flavourings.
The nacho cheese flavouring is more subtle than in certain other cheese-flavoured tortilla chips, but it tastes a lot more natural, and it’s great to see that these aren’t coated with the dodgy orange colourants that you see on some tortillas! We’ll definitely be seeking out the Lightly Salted and Hot Hot Chilli varieties too…
Schwartz Flavour Shots are a new product that I’d read about before, but not tried. This month’s box included two pots each of two different varieties – the Italian Creamy Herb Tagliatelle, and the Spanish Paella – but there are several more available in the form of Mexican Fajitas, Indian Spicy Jalfrezi Curry and more.
Each Flavour Shot is a blend of the herbs, spices and seasonings needed to create the dish in question, all infused in sunflower oil. So far, we’ve used one of the Italian Creamy Herb Tagliatelle pots (just add mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bacon, creme fraiche and pasta) and it wasn’t at all bad. £1 per pot does seem pretty expensive, though, so while we enjoyed it, we probably won’t be buying them in the future.
We haven’t yet tried the Organico durum wheat pasta or tomato and basil sauce that the March box contained, but pasta’s a staple in our household so it won’t be long! With flecks of garlic and basil visible through the side of the jar, the sauce is a lovely rich red colour – we’ll probably be bulking it up with other veggies for a more substantial sauce.
It seems as though a huge number of crisp manufacturers are now dabbling in popcorn, and Tyrrells are no different. This snack bag of sweet and salty popcorn will probably go to work with Chris as an alternative to crisps – and if it’s anything like their crisp range, we’re expecting great things.
Another great box from Degustabox – with subscription boxes, I often worry that I’ll end up being sent things that will be confined to the back of the cupboard until the annual clear out, but I can safely say that everything in this box will definitely either be eaten or drunk!
If you fancy joining me in receiving a Degustabox next month, visit the Degustabox website to subscribe. And if you head over to their Facebook page, you’ll often find competitions and discount codes to make your next box even cheaper…
Please note: this box was received free of charge, but in no way impacted on our opinion. We were not obliged to write a positive review, and the company did not see this review before it was put up on the site.