Review: Degustabox Best of British (April)

I do love a themed Degustabox and I was excited to find out what was included in the April 'Best of British' themed box. Inside there was a fab mix of some classic brands such as Heinz and Ty-Phoo, alongside a discovery of interesting new products.

About Degustabox:

Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out 10 to 15 specially selected foodie products per box. 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. 

www.degustabox.com/en/

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

Bulls-Eye NY Steakhouse BBQ Sauce: This is a very unique sauce - it's not smooth but has visible onions and peppers. It's essentially a cross between a relish and a sauce. It's also full of flavour and tastes almost homemade with plenty of natural ingredients and spices - it packs a zing at the end with a hint of heat too.

Slim Rice Sushi: This is made using Japanese sushi rice and konjac rice for lower calories. It doesn't need any cooking so can be used straight onto a nori sheet to make sushi. I will probably use it as a replacement for rice the next time I make a stir fry dish.

TyPhoo Tea: Typhoo has been around since 1903 and is a much loved British tea brand. As much as new products are exciting, I also love it when storecupboard essentials are included in the Degustabox - and they don't get much more essential (and British) than teabags!

Robinsons Pressed Pear & Elderflower: This is the perfect combination for a grown-up fruit cordial. My husband especially enjoyed the crisp fruitiness of the pear combined with the refreshing and delicate elderflower. I haven't been a fan of some of the flavours in this range so I was pleased with this discovery.

London Flavours Crisps: These hand-cooked crisps are available in three street food inspired flavours; Pho, Teriyaki & Sticky Ribs - I received the Street Food Pho. All flavours are suitable for vegans. I really enjoyed the texture of these, each chip is thick and crunchy, with a lovely tangy flavour too.

Candy Kittens Wild Strawberry: Ever since I tried these in a previous Degustabox, Candy Kittens have become my favourite brand of sweets. I always treat myself to a bag for movie nights or special occassions. The Wild Strawberry is up there with my favourite flavours, although I also love the Peach and Blueberry varieties too.

Crafted by Cracker Drinks Co: A new brand that I've never tried before. This is a fruit juice drink with no added sugar or sweeteners, packed in an environmentally friendly carton. It's a lovely tasting juice, very a gorgeous tropical flavour and not too sweet. I would definitely buy this again if I was out and about.

Pachamama: These vegan bars are made with a mix of cacao, dates, nuts, grains and seeds. I received two flaovurs; Andean Berries & Raspberry and Cocao & Cashew. The texture is very dense and packed full of ingredients. I preferred the slightly sweeter and fruitier hints of the Andean Berries variety.

Love Corn: These little vegan corn kernals are simply delicious. The barbecue flavour is absolutely delicious and perfectly matched to the natural crunchy corn. This was my favourite snack in the whole Degustabox.

Heinz: I'm sure I don't need to describe either Heinz Baked Beanz or Heinz Tomato Soup as they're both classics. Funnily enough I have never tried the Organic version of the Baked Beanz or the convenient microwavable pot for the Tomato Soup so it was still fun finding these in the Degustabox.

Skinny Food Co - Not Guilty Bites: Interesting little packs of high protein White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate Crispies. These seem to be made with soy flakes and have a similar appearance and texture to traditional rice krispies. Each pack has about six bites and comes in under 99 calories. 

Nestlé Oat Cheerios: Another grocery classic that I buy regularly. Nestlé Cheerios are one of my kids' favourite cereals and we're fans of this Oat variety too.

Once again I enjoyed the selection of surprise groceries in this month's Degustabox - there were plenty of new brands to discover. I was especially happy to find the Love Corn, London Flavours Crisps, and Candy Kittens. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this months Degustabox in the comments below.

For more details:
Degustabox website: www.degustabox.com

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.

Review: Nakd Breakfast Bars including Apple Danish flavour

I was recently sent the delicious looking range from Nakd featuring four of their Breakfast Bars. The flavours are; Cocoa Twist, Berry Bliss, Banana Bread and Apple Danish. I was especially excited about the Apple Danish flavour! These Nakd Breakfast Bars are suitable for vegans and contain oats, dates, raisins, and cashews as the base ingredients. The addition of oats makes these really filling and delicious as a morning snack.

Nakd Apple Danish: This was my favourite flavour and is the most delicious Nakd bar I've ever had. As a cinnamon fan I appreciated just how gorgeously flavoured this bar is. The tart apple is delicious with the sweet cinnamon and nutmeg spices coming through perfectly. It tastes like an indulgent apple danish but all for under 100 calories. 

Nakd Banana Bread: This banana flavour is the classic Nakd bar flavour but I don't think I've ever reviewed it on the blog before. This is one flavour I always go for - it has such a strong banana flavour that I keep coming back to it.

Nakd Berry Bliss: The Berry Blast is another favourite flavour. It has a tangier taste that is delicious as a morning snack. It really does taste like it's packed full of raspberries and provides a real fruity hit.

Nakd Cocoa Twist: The Cocoa Twist flavour is not really for me but funnily enough it's one of my husband's faves. It has a very strong cocoa flavour but I just prefer the sweeter and tarter fruity flavours!

Overall I love the textures of all these Nakd bars, they're so soft and chewy without being cloying or crumbly. The Apple Danish flavour is definitely one I'll be buying again. Each of these bars is now under 100 calories, which I prefer, but they're also slightly smaller than their previous 35g bars. 

Grocery Gems Verdict: Nakd Breakfast Bars

RATING: 9 out of 10 for the Apple Danish!
Buy It again?: Yes.
Nutrition (per 30g bar): Banana - 94cal, Berry Blast - 99cal, Cocoa - 99cal, Apple - 98cal.
Vegetarian: Suitable for vegans.

PR Samples. 

Review: KIND Bars - Almond & Coconut and Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond

I was recently sent a selection of KIND bars to review. My favourites were the Almond & Coconut and Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond flavours - both very different but packed full of flavour and delicious ingredients.

KIND Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond: This bar is made with 58% whole almonds and is gluten and dairy free, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.  The dark chocolate gives this bar a deliciously rich flavour without any bitterness, whilst the almonds are all super crunchy and full of flavour. The hint of coffee flavour that comes through adds to the deliciousness and is perfect for any coffee fan. 

KIND Almond & Coconut: The almond and coconut bar has a softer and chewier texture compared to the first dark chocolate bar. It's made up of 32% almonds and 27% coconut and is also gluten and dairy free with no added nasties. The crunchy almonds and soft coconut is such a wonderful combination and the flavours work together perfectly to create a deliciously sweet treat.

I'd never tried the range of KIND bars before but I will definitely be buying them in the future. The ingredients list is reassuringly simple but the flavours are all decadent and filling.

Grocery Gems Review: KIND Bars

RATING: Coconut & Almond: 9 out of 10, Dark Choc Mocha Almond: 10 out of 10.
Buy it again?: Yes.
Nutrition: Coconut & Almond: 194 calories, Dark Choc Mocha Almond: 199 calories. 
Purchased: Available at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Amazon and Whole Foods. 
Price: £1.29p.

PR Samples.

Tesco Banana Bliss & Berry Blast Fruity Bars Review

I spotted these new Fruity Bars in the cereal bars section of my local Tesco. They're described on the box as being 'cold pressed fruit and nut bars with dates' that are also milk free. They look like a supermarket version of Nakd bars so I had to give them a try.

The Tesco Fruity Bars are great value (I bought both boxes on a 2 for £2.00p offer) and contain four bars per box. The bars are slightly smaller than a Nakd bar at 26g for the Banana Bliss and 28g for the Berry Blast bars (compared to 30g for Nakd). 

Tesco Banana Bliss Fruity Bar: The main ingredients here are a mix of dates, soy protein crispies, raisins, cashew nuts and banana. Each bar is 87 calories and is high in protein with 5.3g per bar. I really enjoyed the flavour here - it's very sweet with a lovely ripe banana taste. Overall, they're very similar in flavour to my favourite Nakd Banana Bread bars so I'll definitely be buying them again. Rating: 9 out of 10.

Tesco Berry Blast Fruity Bar: These are slightly different to the Banana Bliss bars above as they don't contain the soy protein crispies. Instead the main ingredients here are oats, dates, raisins, cashew nuts and cranberries. Each bar has 95 calories. The Berry Blast bars have a denser and drier texture. The overall flavour is very sweet with the  dates and berries coming through nicely. Even though these bars are pleasant enough, I much preferred the softer texture of the Banana Bliss bars. Rating: 7 out of 10.

Overall, it's great to see an alternative option in the fruit and nut bar range and I especially like the fact that these are dairy free. 

Grocery Gems Review: Tesco Fruity Bars Review

RATING: 9 out of 10 (Banana Bliss), 7 out of 10 (Berry Blast).
Buy them again?: Yes - Banana Bliss.
Nutrition: 87 calories Banana Bliss), 95 calories (Berry Blast).

Purchased: Tesco.
Price: 2 packs for £2.00p.

Review: Belvita Soft Bakes - Golden Grain & Red Berries

Belvita Soft Bakes are the newest addition to the popular Belvita range. As the name would suggest, the Belvita Soft Bakes, have a softer texture than traditional breakfast biscuits. Each Soft Bake is made with 5 wholegrains and provides a source of fibre. They're available in three flavours; Chocolate Chip, Golden Grain or Red Berries. 

Each box has five large soft bakes which are all individually foil-wrapped. 

Belvita Soft Bakes Red Berries: This one looks great, with plenty of visible berries and a lovely fruity aroma. The texture is soft, but not crumbly at all, it's more of a chewy softness. There is also an added texture from the inclusion of puffed cereal pieces and the chewier dried fruit. I really loved the fruity flavour here, which is mainly of a gorgeously sweet raspberry. 

Belvita Soft Bakes Golden Grains: The rest of the Grocery Gems household (who are not really fans of dried fruits) preferred the less sweet oaty flavour of the Golden Grains variety. I thought these had quite a strange texture at first. Without the added fruit pieces of the first variety, the crispy, yet chewy, cereal pieces in this Soft Bake seemed to be more prominent. It would have been better if these pieces were crunchier as the chewiness slightly spoils the overall soft texture somewhat. I was hoping the flavour might be similar to an oat flapjack, but since these don't contain any golden syrup they're not as sweet or buttery as a flapjack. The texture is also much lighter than a flapjack, but each Belvita Soft Bake is still very filling for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. 

Grocery Gems Review: Belvita Soft Bakes

RATING: 7 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes - especially the Red Berries variety.
Nutrition:  Golden Grains - 193 calories; Red Berries - 191 calories.
Purchased: Available at Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Tesco. The Chocolate Chip variety is available exclusively at Tesco until Jan 2016.

Price: RRP - £2.79p .

PR Samples.

New Instore: Mini Summer Round Up

Just a very quick post to highlight some new products instore. I've been away for a few weeks but over the summer fellow new product fans have been getting in touch to send me photos. Here's a round up of what I've been missing!:  

Belvita Soft Bakes Red Berries: The latest breakfast biscuit from Belvita are these Soft Bakes which are available in three varieties: Red Berries, Chocolate Chip or Golden Grain. £2.79p per pack at Tesco.

Owl's Brew Coco-Lada: Lucy W. picked up this American Owl's Brew tea crafted for cocktails from Marks & Spencer food hall. The flavour combination sounds amazing - it's a blend of black tea, coconut, chai spices and pineapple. Lucy says it's definitely one she would buy again.

Müller Corner Caribbean Dream Limited Edition: This looks very similar to the Müller Corner Hawaiian Dream yogurt but it's actually slightly different. It's a smooth coconut yogurt with a side portion of coconut clusters coated in milk chocolate. Actually Lucy sent me this photo last month but it still seems to be available so I thought I would include it here! £0.68p at Morrisons. 

Oreo Peanut Butter & Golden Oreo: Nathan S. sent me this photo of the new UK release of Peanut Butter flavoured Oreo and Golden Oreo which were released last month. Thanks to Kirk N. who emailed me about these too - it seems from the packaging that they're actually made in Spain. I still haven't tried these yet! £0.54p at Morrisons.

Thorntons Chocolate Caramel Wafer Rolls: Thorntons have extended their range to include biscuits. There are quite a few varieties available: Thorntons Wafer Rolls in either Chocolate Caramel or Double Chocolate flavours; Thorntons Melts in either Mint Chocolate or Double Chocolate flavours; and Thorntons Caramel Squares Biscuits. Let me know if you've tried these! £1.80p a pack in Asda.

Cadbury Heroes new pack: Thank you to Luci J. for also sending me this photo of a new smaller pack size for Cadbury Heroes at 185g (shown next to the 323g size in the photo).

Tesco Finest Scones: In Red Berry or Triple Chocolate flavours - these look delish! Thanks to Richard W. for the photo via Twitter. £1.00p at Tesco for a pack of two.

Milkybar Mousse: Lastly this new Milkybar Mousse which is different to the smooth custard style Milkybar Dessert. Hazel K. sent me the photo above and described the Milkybar Mousse as being creamy, delightful and low in calories so it's a win, win. 

Many thanks again to Lucy, Nathan, Luci, Hazel K. and Richard W. for the photos. If you've spotted any new products instore then I'd love to hear from you - email grocerygems@gmail.com or tweet me @grocerygems.

Review: McVitie's Breakfast Oaty Breaks

A quick review for the new breakfast biscuits from McVitie's - Breakfast Oaty Breaks. They're available in Porridge Oats & Golden Syrup or Porridge Oats, Raisin and Cinnamon flavours. 

Each box has six individually sealed packs with two attached biscuits. The biscuits are made with oats and golden syrup with added vitamins and iron.

They have quite a knobbly, oaty appearance that is not too dissimilar to Hobnob biscuits, but just in a rectangular shape. The flavour is very similar too, and they also reminded me of plain flapjacks with their simple oats and golden syrup combination. The texture however is nicely crunchy and holds it's shape without being too crumbly. They're basically a crunchy version of an oat flapjack!

Grocery Gems Review: McVitie's Breakfast Oaty Breaks

GROCERY GEMS RATING: 7 out of 10.
Buy them again?: I'd try the other flavour.
Nutrition: 190 calories per pack.
Purchased: Sainsbury's.

Price: £1.50p (medium size).

Review: Alpen Light Banoffee Bars

I've been on the look out for the new Alpen Light Banoffee for a few weeks now - is it just me or are these really hard to find? There is also another fairly new flavour Alpen Light Jaffa Cake which I still haven't been able to track down.

I usually keep a couple of packs of Alpen Light Cherry Bakewell and Lemon Drizzle bars in the house just because they are quite low in calories for such a sweet treat. Unfortunately, the Banoffee flavour was ultimately a disappointing one as the dominate flavour is of the sugary sweet toffee rather than banana or even "banoffee". I'm not actually a fan of toffee as a flavour on it's own so I mostly found these bars overly sweet and cloying. The banana flavour comes through weakly in the form of little banana chips, of which there wasn't enough. I would have preferred a lot less of the toffee pieces and more of the banana chips. Having said that, they are still a pleasant enough sweet treat as long as I have a strong coffee to hand!

Grocery Gems Review: Alpen Light Banoffee

RATING: 6 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Probably not.
Nutrition (per 19g bar):  66 calories.

Price: £1.99 box of 5 bars.

Review: Nature Valley Protein Bars - Peanut & Chocolate

I'm a bit of a cereal bar junkie and I've been meaning to review the Nature Valley Protein range. These have been available in the US for ages but are a fairly recent edition in the UK. I picked up the Peanut & Chocolate variety but there is also a Roasted Peanuts, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds flavour available too. 

The Nature Valley Protein range is described as having 15% of your daily protein needs, with 30% less sugar compared to the average adult cereal bar. The lower sugar is definitely evident in the flavour of this bar, it's nowhere near as sweet as most other cereal bars, almost to the point of blandness. The peanut flavour was also disappointing in these bars with a bitter edge rather than a little salty kick. I didn't really enjoy the chocolate chips either, they didn't seem to add any sweetness or flavour. The overall texture of these bars was also lacking as they were quite hard and brittle rather than chewy. 

I don't know enough about protein to recommend these bars on that basis, but when it it comes to flavour there are far tastier cereal bar options out there. 

Grocery Gems Verdict: Nature Valley Protein Bars

RATING: 5 out of 10.
Buy It again?: No - although I still want to try the Nature Valley Protein Granola cereal.
Purchased: Tesco.
Price: £2.89p (5 bars). 

Nakd Protein Crunch Bars (Natural Balance Foods)

I'm already a fan of the Nakd range of raw fruit and nut bars from Natural Balance Foods - their Christmas Pud variety was one of my favourite new products from last year. I was lucky enough to be asked to review the Nakd Crunch range of Protein bars which come in four appealing flavours; Banana Crunch, Apple Crunch, Strawberry Crunch and Cocoa Crunch. 

All four varieties are dairy, wheat and gluten free, are 100% vegan, and contain soya crunchies for extra protein. The addition of the soya crunchies, not only adds extra crunch, but also makes the texture lighter and less dense than the original Nakd bars. They contain plenty of slow releasing energy with 5.5g (18%) of added protein creating a satisfying and filling sweet snack.

Nakd Banana Crunch: This is my favourite of all the Crunch varieties - the ripe banana flavour is just so sweet and strong here. It suits the crunchier texture and sweet fruit and nut base perfectly, creating a lovely treat for only 104 calories.

Ingredients: Dates (43%), Soya Crunchies (18%), Cashews, Raisins, Banana, Apple Juice concentrate, hint of natural flavouring. 104 calories, 5.5g protein per 30g bar.

Nakd Apple Crunch: There are large pieces of dried apple throughout this bar, as you can see in the photo above. The apple flavour is quite subtle, with the base flavours of dates, raisins and cashews being stronger than the apple itself. It's perhaps the most simple tasting of all the four flavours but I still enjoyed this one in the morning or with a cup of tea.

Ingredients: Dates (43%), Soya Crunchies (18%), Cashews, Raisins, Apple, Apple Juice concentrate, hint of natural flavouring. 108 calories, 5.5g protein per 30g bar.

Nakd Strawberry Crunch: Like the Banana Crunch, the Strawberry Crunch has a lovely strong fruity flavour. The added strawberries provide lots of natural fruity flavour and sweetness. This one was a favourite with the Mini Grocery Gems testers and I'll definitely be buying it in future. 

Ingredients: Dates (43%), Soya Crunchies (17%), Cashews, Raisins, Strawberries, Apple Juice concentrate, hint of natural flavouring. 109 calories, 5.5g protein per 30g bar.

Nakd Cocoa Crunch: This one is slightly different to the rest, with it's darker cocoa base and a less sweet flavour overall. The cocoa adds an earthy dark chocolate flavour and works particularly well with the texture of the soya crunchies. It's a great bar that satisfies a chocolate craving whilst also being a filling snack.

Ingredients: Dates (43%), Soya Crunchies (17%), Cashews, Raisins, Cocoa, Apple Juice concentrate, hint of natural flavouring. 106 calories, 5.5g protein per 30g bar.

Overall, I was impressed by the delicious flavours and crunchier texture of the Nakd Crunch bars range. If you've tried Nakd bars before and found them too dense, or just not been a fan, then it's worth giving the Crunch bar range a try - I enjoy both but my husband much prefers these bars. They manage to be healthier than many other cereal bars/snacks whilst also being full of flavour. I love how filling they are too, especially for just over 100 calories each. 

www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk

PR Samples - products sent for an honest review.