Degustabox October Review - Surprise Foodie Box & £7 Discount Code!

This is my favourite time of year for Degustabox as I always find that the boxes in the run up to Christmas are the most exciting. The October Degustabox was no exception and arrived last week packed full of surprise foodie treats.

Discount Code - £7 off!: 8TL75

Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out a range of specially selected foodie products. There's always a great mix of new products that I haven't tried before, as well as plenty of treats from more established brands. Each Degustabox costs £12.99, delivery costs are included in the price, and there is no fixed contract involved - you can cancel at any time.

The discount code is a massive £7 off, making the first box only £5.99 delivered! Check out the Degustabox website below and enter the new discount code: 8TL75

www.degustabox.com/en

Here's a quick round up of all the products I received in the October Degustabox:

Yushoi Snapea Rice Sticks: These baked snacks are made from green peas. I've reviewed the Yushoi range previously - check out my Yushoi Snapea Rice Sticks Review. 

I am Souper: A range of 'High Protein' soups that are intended to keep you feeling fuller for longer. I received two flavours; a Pulled Pork and Jalapenos and a Supergreens.

Robinson's Squash'd Orange: A handy little squeezy bottle of concentrated squash. It's supposed to be ideal for on the go but I've only ever used these types of products at home. There are six flavours available with no more than 3 calories per serving. 

Levi Roots Smokey BBQ Coat 'n' Cook: My youngest son is a big fan of Levi Roots ever since he met the man himself (he did a talk for the kids at their school). We're all fans of the Levi Roots sauce and I'm glad to see even more products available in the range. This Smokey BBQ Coat 'n Cook Sauce is a super quick way to add flavour to a meal as there is no marinating necessary - just coat and cook straight away. 

Jim Jams 83% Less Sugar Milk Chocolate Spread: I've tried the Chocolate & Hazelnut version of this spread in a previous Degustabox and thoroughly enjoyed it. The Jim Jams Milk Chocolate spread is just as good with a lovely malty and rich flavour. It's less sugary tasting than other chocolate spread sand has a deliciously creamy texture. 

Pitch Choco Bar: This is a great new product. It's a brioche filled with a mini bar of chocolate! These are already popular in France but are apparently new to the UK. They're individually wrapped and my kids have been loving them in their lunchboxes.

Beloved Date Fruit Hearts: New Beloved Date Hearts are made from 100% date fruit with a hint of natural flavouring. They're cold-pressed and are gluten-free, suitable for vegans and 1 of your 5 a day.

I received four different flavours; Zesty Orange, Cocoa & Berry, Simply Divine, and Rich Cocoa.There are five cute heart shapes in each pack. The orange flavour was a little overpowering but I enjoyed all the other varieties and the soft and chewy texture too. 

Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme: This is such a classic bar and still the best cookies and cream bar around. It's just so crunchy and creamy at the same time. And even better - this one is King Size!

Heinz Kids Dried Pasta Shapes: Who doesn't love a novelty pasta shape? And these 50% whole wheat Minions pasta shapes are just too cute! Heinz already make tinned pasta shapes for kids but I much prefer dried pasta shapes. There are also Peppa Pig, TMNT and DC Superheroes pasta shapes in this range. I'm hoping Heinz will release a Hello Kitty one too! 

Maggi Fusian Noodles: These handy noodle packs come with an extra little sachet of oil and dried vegetable flakes, along with the seasoning. 

I received two flavours; Aromatic Spiced Curry and Fiery Sweet Chilli. Despite the name, neither flavour had too much heat to it (which I prefer) but was still packed full of flavour. I liked the addition of the little dried veggies and oil too - it made them a little bit more grown up then regular instant noodles!

Overall, I really enjoyed the surprise selection in this months Degustabox. Once again, there was a wonderful selection and plenty of exciting new products too. My favourites this month were the Jim Jams Chocolate Spread, Beloved Date Fruit Hearts, Hershey's and Pitch Choco Bars.

For more details on Degustabox:

Degustabox website: www.degustabox.com/en

Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DegustaboxUK

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DegustaboxUK

I received a Degustabox in order to provide an honest review.

SWEETLY - New American Candy Subscription Box & Discount Code!

I was recently contacted by Sweetly about their new American candy subscription boxes and was lucky enough to receive one of their first boxes to try out. I love trying out candies and chocolates from the US and the Sweetly box is absolutely crammed full of sweet treats.

Here's a sneak peak at what was inside my Sweetly box before the full breakdown: 

I honestly don't know how they packed so many items into the size of the box but everything was in perfect condition. 

CANDY BARS: 

I was surprised to find four full sized chocolate/candy bars in the Sweetly box. The Butterfinger, 5th Avenue and Whatchamacallit bars are all absolute classics. I've tried these three before, and they're all firm favourites, but the fourth bar, U-NO, is a new one to me.

The U-No is described as a rich creamy chocolate. The texture is unusual with a crumbly, fudgey quality. The chocolate flavour is actually really good with a strong cocoa taste and creamy finish. There is 'chocolate liquor' listed in ingredients which gives the bar an extra lift!

DRINKS:

I wasn't expecting to find drinks in the Sweetly box but these are very welcome additions. I've never actually tried Kool-Aid before and this Pink Lemonade is exactly the type of flavour I would choose for myself. The Gatorade Thirst Quencher is also a new one to me. It's a naturally flavoured Lemon-Lime sparkling drink - another one that I can't wait to try! 

SWEETS:

There were plenty of American candies in the Sweetly box. The throwback Nerds Rainbow are always fun, along with the Original Lemonhead Lemon Candy and a small pack of Now & Later Extreme Sour Watermelon Soft Chews. 

There was also a pack of Starburst Gummi Burst Liquid Filled Gummies which I was really excited to find in the box. They remind me of my favourite (and much-missed) Haribo Cherry Cola with liquid filling. The flavours were all very sweet and fruity and I loved the oozy burst of the each liquid centre!

CAKES/BISCUITS:

Finally are another three classic American treats - a Moon-Pie Double Decker, a Hostess Twinkie and the Boyer Mallo Cup. I've never tried the Mallo Cup before but it's absolutely delicious, with a gorgeously gooey, coconut marshmallow centre. So good!

The Moon Pie has been around since 1917 and was actually created during the Great Depression. It's a combination of layers of marshmallow creme sandwiched between graham crackers and covered in chocolate. I really enjoyed this one, it's like a massive Wagon Wheel but much tastier. 

Overall, I was impressed with the wide selection of surprise American treats in the Sweetly box. My box contained 13 different items, ranging from the classics to new finds. It's a great first box and I hope that Sweetly continue with such awesome boxes in the future. Definitely one to keep in mind as a gift idea for the foodie in your life!

Discount Code: GROCERYGEMS10

There are three ways to sign up to Sweetly - for one month (£16.99p), for three months (£15.99p) or for six months (£13.99p). Sweetly have very kindly provided my readers with a discount code for 10% off your first order. Simply enter the code - GROCERYGEMS10

All boxes come with free delivery and will contain 12-14 full sized items. Sweetly also say that the average value of the boxes is more than £30. Please take a look at the Sweetly website for more details about the different options:  www.sweetlyuk.com

PR Samples.

Review: Kit Kat Chocolatory Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée with Madagascan Vanilla Seeds

A Kit Kat Chocolatory opened up in London this week at Westfield Stratford. It's only there for 5 weeks but luckily Westfield is fairly local to me and I was able to pop in. I've only ever heard of Kit Kat Chocolatory stores existing in Japan so I was very excited to see this pop up store. 

The concept is simple - create your own unique Kit Kat, from the chocolate coating to the toppings, or buy one of the ready made new flavours. The limited edition creations are; a Chilli & Mint, a Black Forest Gâteau, a Sticky Toffee Popcorn, Almond & Salted Caramel Brittle or the Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée with Madagascan Vanilla Seeds.

I decided to go for a couple of the limited edition flavours  rather than making my own - I just couldn't resist them. Creating a bar is more of an 'experience' so I'll save that for when I'm with my husband and kids.  

The Kit Kat Chocolatory Salted Caramel Crème Brûlée with Madagascan Vanilla Seeds is a four-finger, white chocolate Kit Kat. I have to admit it didn't look too impressive when I took it out of the box - there's just a hard caramel brittle that's been stuck to the top and on the bottom. Thankfully the flavour was spot on. The white chocolate especially was delicious, with a gorgeous vanilla flavour from the visible flecks of vanilla. The added salted caramel is extremely sugary and creamy at first but ends with a complimentary hint of saltiness. The whole thing is actually much tastier than it looks, although it's a bit too sweet overall! 

I also bought the Kit Kat Chocolatory Sticky Toffee Popcorn, Almond & Salted Caramel Brittle which is a milk chocolate Kit Kat. It looks more impressive in the box (above) so I have high hopes for this one - review coming soon!

Prices are £3.50p for the special editions or £7.00p for the bespoke bars.

New Instore: Cadbury Snowy Fingers, Fibre One Salted Caramel Bars & More

Cadbury Snowy Fingers: The first of many limited editions in this post. Cadbury Snowy Fingers are covered in half milk and half white chocolate for a 'snowy' look. It's a simple concept but I'm sure these will be very popular whilst they're available. Spotted At: Asda - £1.00p.

Alpro Dessert Moments Hazelnut Chocolate: Thank you to FlipM for this photo. According to the Alpro website there are three flavours of Alpro Dessert Moments; Hazelnut Chocolate, Almond and also a Coconut flavour. They all sound really good so I hope all three flavours have made it to the UK. Spotted At: Morrisons.

Monin Limited Edition Chocolate Cookie Syrup: I don't think I have ever seen a limited edition Monin syrup to buy in the supermarket before. This one looks good for making a mocha! Spotted At: Sainsbury's - £2.00p.

Pip & Nut Crunchy Maple Peanut Butter: This limited edition has been out for a few months now. I tried it for the first time last week and really enjoyed the natural flavour. It has a slight runny consistency so I recommend keeping it in the fridge. I've stocked up on a few more jars! Spotted At: Sainsbury's - £2.00p.

Walkers Stax: I believe these were available a few years ago and are now back for a limited time. There are three flavours available: Original, Paprika or Sour Cream. Spotted At: Asda - £1.00p.

Scarestrings: Of course, these Scarestrings are exactly the same Cheese Strings but just in a Halloween themed pack. Spotted At: Co-Op - half price offer £1.29p.

Cadbury Screme Egg Pots of Joy: With added Wooooo Green Goooo. Their description not mine. Spotted At: Co-Op - £1.00p.

Cadbury Pumpkin Patch Cakes; I love the packaging of this one! I'll probably pick up a pack nearer to Halloween. Spotted At: Waitrose - £2.49p.

Fibre One Salted Caramel Squares: I buy these 90 calorie bars every once in a while and it seems that the Lemon Drizzle flavour has been replaced with this Salted Caramel (at least in my local store). I think I'll wait for an offer before buying these as they are quite pricey for such a small pack. Spotted At: Waitrose - £2.89p.

Candy Kittens: This funky candy range is gluten free and made with natural flavours and ingredients. Spotted At: Waitrose - £2.49p.

Mary Berry Belgian Chocolate Brownie Pudding: There is also a Bread & Butter Pudding Available too. Spotted At: Waitrose.

Collective Dairy Honeyed Plum Gourmet Yogurt: A limited edition flavour from the Collective Dairy (which was released in September). This one is made with stem ginger, plum compote and honey. Spotted At: Waitrose £1.50p. 

As always, if you spot anything new instore and fancy sending me a photo then let me know via email: grocerygems@gmail.com or Twitter: @grocerygems.

Degustabox September Review - Surprise Foodie Box & £7 Discount Code!

The September Degustabox arrived filled with a lovely selection of surprise groceries. It's always exciting to open up a Degustabox and Septembers box was no exception. I was pleased to find several new brands and products that I haven't tried before.

Discount Code: BLDEG15

Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out a range of specially selected foodie products. There's always a great mix of new products that I haven't tried before, as well as plenty of treats from more established brands. Each Degustabox costs £12.99p, delivery costs are included in the price, and there is no fixed contract involved - you can cancel at any time.

The discount code has been increased and now offers a massive £7.00 off, bringing the cost to £6.99 delivered. Check out the Degustabox website below and enter the discount code: BLDEG15

www.degustabox.com/en

Here's a quick round up of all the products I received in the September Degustabox:

Teisseire Raspberry & Cranberry: I've always wanted to try Teisseire syrups so this was a very welcome addition to the Degustabox. The combination of sweet raspberry and tangy cranberry is delicious in this 0% sugar drink. Everyone in my family enjoyed it and the bottle was finished all too soon! I'm looking forward to trying more from this range.

Hartley's Jelly Pots: These useful lunchbox pots are all made with no added sugar and are less than 10 calories per pot. My kids are not all that keen on jelly so I'll be saving these for my own little sweet treats. 

Cirio Borlotti Beans: A triple pack of steam-cooked borlotti beans which are a good source of dietary fibre and vitamins. I'm a fan of other Cirio canned products, especially their tinned tomatoes and passata, so I was interested to find that they also make canned beans. These small cans are useful for soups and even as a quick addition to salads and couscous.

Say Yes to No Bread Chips: I've tried these in a previous Degustabox. The brand is an unusual one, Say Yes To No state that they want to say NO to artificial flavours and additives, as well as "false promises, fake colours, advertising lies, artificial taste, and photoshopping". Anyway, thankfully they do want to say YES to tasty chips.

I received the Sour Cream & Onion Toasted Bread Chips which are circular bread bites that are full of flavour. The toasted bread base is crunchy and light, creating a tasty and moreish snack.

Cape Drinks: I've said before that I'm a big fan of iced tea so I was excited to find this interesting brand. Cape Drinks are a sparkling blend of Rooibos Tea and fruit juices with added vitamins, ginseng and natural botanical extracts. The flavours are very appealing; Peach & Lychee and Pineapple & Passion Fruit. I really enjoyed both flavours, they're refreshing, fruity and not too sweet.

Chia Bia Whole & Milled Chia Seed Sachets: Ever since I tried Chia Seeds a few years ago, I've been regularly sprinkling them on my morning porridge or on yogurts. I prefer these types of smaller sachets to big bags as they're more convenient for me.

Metcalfe's Popcorn Thins: An individually sealed pack of Metcalfe's Popcorn Thins. These are light and crispy with a satisfying topping of smooth Italian chocolate. The front of the pack says '82 calories per serving' but be careful as the small print on the back says that this pack is actually two servings! 

Emily Fruit Crisps Crunchy Banana: This is another brand that I've been wanting to try for a while. And oh my these are so good - thank you Degustabox! Each banana piece has a wonderfully crunchy and crispy texture, whilst the flavour is super sweet and creamy. I'll be trying out more from this range for sure.

Mrs Crimble's Gluten Free Pasta with Sauce: A packet of gluten free Fusilli pasta with a gourmet mushroom and cream sauce. It's easy to cook in around 10 minutes without much effort at all. I had to pass this one onto Mr. Grocery Gems as I've never been fond of creamy sauces on pasta. He really liked the strong mushroom flavour here and found it a very filling and quick lunch.

Get Fruity Pineapple, Coconut & Lime Bar: Get Fruity is an award-winning fruit and oat bar that has a high percentage of the named fruit. It's made with gluten free oats and virgin coconut oil with no added refined sugars. I tried the Get Fruity Strawberry Bar in a previous Degustabox and I absolutely loved the combination of oats and fruit. This Pineapple, Coconut & Lime flavour is just as delicious as I was expecting - so softly fruity and very filling.

Overall, I really enjoyed the surprise selection in this months Degustabox. Once again, there was a wonderful selection of new foodie treats. My favourites this month were the Get Fruity Bar, Cape Drinks, and the delicious Emily Fruit Crisps.

For more details on Degustabox:

Degustabox website: www.degustabox.com/en

Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DegustaboxUK

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DegustaboxUK

I received a Degustabox in order to provide an honest review.