So, January is the month when we’re all supposed to make New Year’s resolutions that involve being healthy…and most of us fail at the first hurdle (well, I normally do anyway…) So it was a nice surprise to find that Degustabox were making it slightly easier for their subscribers to eat more healthily this January, with a box that contained all sorts of healthy treats.
Degustabox is a monthly food box subscription, providing subscribers with a box packed full of (often new) food and drink products each month for just £12.99 including delivery. The value of the products contained within the box is generally around double the subscription cost, making it an affordable way of trying out lots of new things.
After unpacking the box, I was faced with the following selection – some products I’d heard of before, while others I’d never come across.
The Simplee Aloe aloe vera drink seemed like a good starting point, thanks to nasty colds in our household. To be honest, I don’t think I’d drink it on its own again: it had a fairly citrusy flavour and was full of bits (not in a good way) – but it would probably be better added to a smoothie or glass of juice.
We’ve had the Finn Crisp Original crispbreads in a previous Degustabox and loved them, so it was good to see them make a second appearance. The sourdough rye crispbreads are packed full of flavour, and perfect for topping with a variety of options – creamy cheese, in my case, so the whole healthy aspect failed slightly…
I grew up in a household that loved Haywards Piccalilli, but I’ve not really eaten that much of it in recent times…we’ve yet to open the jar, but are saving it for an evening of cold meats and cheeses.
I’m a big fan of Kabuto Noodles, who are a Bristol-based business – their noodle pots each contain a nest of proper noodles and dried ingredients that have plenty of flavour and texture. The Miso Ramen pot made for a perfect midweek lunch, eating the noodles first then drinking the broth to finish.
We’ve got into a bit of a habit of making smoothies in the morning before work, and so the Koko dairy free milk alternative was used pretty quickly. Made from coconuts, it’s got a flavour that I can only describe as similar to watered down coconut milk, and worked really well in our regular smoothie concoction of banana, spinach, cucumber and chia seeds.
I love the flavour of the Little Miracles organic energy drinks, which we’ve had in a previous Degustabox. I can’t really drink them, though, as I avoid caffeine…but was still able to have a little taste of the one on the right in the picture below, with the tea adding a perfumed flavour, and the taste of cherry really coming through. Lovely.
Anyone who knows me will know that I love my real cider, so sadly the Magners Light (orchard berry flavoured) has been banished to the back of the booze cabinet. It’s good to see that a mainstream brand has brought out a more diet-friendly cider option, though.
We’ve also had Mornflake products in previous Degustaboxes, and have been impressed. These Top Porridge pots are a great idea for breakfast on the go – a pot of porridge that simply needs to be topped with boiling water and stirred, with a choice of a Nutella or golden syrup pot to stir in for added flavour. Very tasty indeed.
I’ve never come across rice bran oil before, but this Alfa One rice bran oil is definitely something I’d buy in the future. It has a high smoke point and is very clean in flavour, making it perfect for a wide range of different dishes.
We haven’t yet used the Sukrin bread mix, but we’re intrigued to see what it’s like – not only is it gluten free, but has only 1 carb per slice, making it a great option for dieters.
A pretty good box, all in all – shame about the inclusion of the Magners but you can’t win them all! For more information about Degustabox and to sign up, visit their website at www.degustabox.com/en.
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.