Review: Curiously Cinnamon Churros Cereal UK

Curiously Cinnamon is one of my family's favourite cereals so I was both excited, and indeed even curious, to try the new Curiously Cinnamon Churros. It's great to get a UK version of the American Cinnamon Toast Crunch Churros cereal - and at £2.90 it's definitely cheaper.

The first thing I noticed about the Curiously Cinnamon Churros cereal is just how crunchy they are. To be fair the box does have SUPER CRUNCHY on the front so that should have been a clue. The cinnamon flavour was also slightly disappointing. There is a pleasing enough cinnamon flavour but it's just not as flavourful or sweet as the original Curiously Cinnamon variety. The addition of milk unfortunately made the cinnamon flavour even weaker. Even though it's been awhile since I tried the US version I also remember those as being more cinnamony and sweet.

That's not to say we didn't enjoy these - I would pick up a pack again if they are on special offer. They are enjoyable enough as a snack without milk and I always appreciate a new and fun cereal variety.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Curiously Cinnamon Churros

RATING: 6.5 out of 10
Buy them again?: Probably.
Nutrition (30g): 118 calories.
Vegetarian: YES - Suitable for Vegetarians.
Purchased: Tesco.
Price: £1.50p (on offer regular price £2.90p).

Review: Asda Rainbow Hoops Vs Kellogg's Froot Loops

I couldn't resist reviewing the new(ish) Rainbow Hoops from Asda. This blog has seen more than it's fair share of reviews for brightly coloured hoopy cereal. There was the original  US Kellogg's Froot Loops, the launch of a UK Version in 2012 Limited Edition Kellogg's Froot Loops, which were followed in 2017 by a Unicorn themed variety. These last too are no longer available in the UK so I was pleased to find the Asda Rainbow Hoops to fill the gap. 

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The Asda Rainbow Hoops are the first time I've seen a supermarket own-brand join in. And luckily - I just so happened to have a box of Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops (from Germany!) and a mini box of the American Kellogg's Froot Loops in the house - so get ready for a lots of comparison photos.

Asda Rainbow Hoops: These are made with natural colours so it's not surprising that they are quite pale in colouring. They are also covered in a visible white sugary glaze which makes them even paler. The overall flavour is fine, although not as fruity as I was expecting, and far too sweet. I know this type of cereal is always going to be sugary but these were pushing it even for me.

Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops: I found these in Home Bargains for £1.49. I thought they were a return of the Unicorn Froot Loops from a few years ago, as they look identical, but it seem that these are imported from Germany (and even feature a wordsearch in German on the back). Even though these are also made with natural colours, they are much more colourful than the Asda Unicorn Hoops. The pinks and yellows are especially vibrant. I also preferred the flavour of these Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops, they manage to stay on the right side of sweetness and also have a generic fruity flavour in the background.

Kellogg's Froot Loops (US): Lastly, the craziness that is the original American Froot Loops from Kellogg's. These are packed full of colourings and look super bright next to the paler British versions. Personally, I find the bright blues and greens really off-putting in a food but they are fun as a one-off. The flavour is also the fruitiest and most distinctive. 

Overall, my favourites are the Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops which have the right combination of colourful fun and sweetness (I know fans of American cereals will disagree!). Sadly they don't seem to be available in the UK anymore, but look out for them in bargain shops as they are available in other European countries.

If you've tried any of these cereals, especially the new Asda Unicorn Hoops, then let me know in the comments below.

I'll be back with some more reviews soon so check back.

Katherine @grocerygems

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: New Quaker Oats Pumpkin Spice (UK)

Pumpkin Spice seems to be gaining popularity in the UK and I was excited to finally find the new Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice flavoured oats from Quaker Oats. It's a microwaveable porridge with added pumpkin seeds, sugar and natural flavourings.

The pumpkin spice flavour itself is quite subtle and light. It's not heavily spiced at all (I couldn't really taste any cinnamon or nutmeg), but there's a lovely sweet pumpkin flavour coming through that I found delicious. The overall combination with the pumpkin seeds is both creamy and crunchy, and very satisfying. I have to point out that my fellow taste tester, the Pumpkin Spice Super-Fan Mr Grocery Gems, doesn't really agree with me about the flavour here. He thought the pumpkin spice was too weak and he wanted a  much stronger flavour. However, I like the fact that it's not too overpowering and it's obviously made with extra toppings in mind - get sprinkling some extra cinnamon on there!

At the moment these oats are on offer for £1 a box - I'll be stocking up on a few more boxes of this limited edition for myself. If you've tried the new Pumpkin Spice Quaker Oats then I'd love to know what you thought in the comments below!

Also Spotted is a limited edition Quaker Oats Toffee Apple flavour too - perfect for November!

Grocery Gems Review: Quaker Oats So Simple Pumpkin Spice

RATING: 8 out of 10.
Buy It again?: Yes.
Nutrition (per sachet with semi -skim milk ): 226 calories.
Price: £1.00p for 8 sachets.
Purchased: Asda.

New Review: Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops

A quick post about this awesome limited edition cereal from Kellogg's - Unicorn Froot Loops. Seriously how cute is this packaging? I'm never throwing this box away!

Cute colouring on back of the box.

The cereal itself is the same as the regular Kellogg's Froot Loops (the version in the UK at least) but with different colours - pink, purple and orangeish instead of the previous colours. 

It's not actually that different and it's a shame there are no extra marshmallow pieces but I understand that sugar content is always a concern for kids cereals in the UK. The flavour is sweet but very natural tasting - nothing at all like the American version. There's a hint of fruit that makes them very moreish - I've been eating them as a straight up snack without milk! 

Overall, these limited edition Unicorn Froot Loops are super cute and fun and I'll definitely be picking up another box before they disappear.

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Unicorn Froot Loops

RATING: 9 out of 10.

Buy it again?: Yes.
Purchased: Asda
Price: £2.00p (special offer).

You might also be interested in  - Kellogg's Froot Loops Review (UK version). 

Review: Kellogg's Disney Moana Cereal

A quick review of Kellogg's Disney Moana cereal. It's great to see Kellogg's making a cereal for the latest Disney movie Moana - it makes a change from all the Frozen/Star Wars themed products.

This cereal is described as a 'honey flavoured multigrain cereal'. It certainly looks appealing and my kids loved the whirly design. Initially they were quite excited as they thought the cereal looked like little cinnamon whirls and assumed it would be cinnamon flavoured. Unfortunately the flavour here is quite plain. It's quite similar to the flavour in Kellogg's Multigrain shapes but less sweet. The texture is very light and puffy with a light crunch. It's a nice enough cereal, and my kids did enjoy it, but I think the flavour could have been a little more adventurous.

Just like the Kellogg's Star Wars cereal, the Kellogg's Moana box has a great design with a fun double sided box.

Have you tried this cereal yet? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

Grocery Gems Review: Kellogg's Disney Moana Cereal

RATING: 7 out of 10,
Nutrition:  113 calories (per 30g serving).

Vegetarian: Yes.
Purchased: Co-Op.
Price: £2.00p (370g box).

PR Sample sent for an honest review but I also bought another box from Co-Op. 

Review: Nestlé Shredded Wheat Apple Crumble

My son is a big fan of mini Shredded Wheat so I've been meaning to buy their flavoured versions for awhile now. There's also a Cherry Bakewell flavour available in this range which are now in regular cereal boxes rather than bags.

The Nestlé Shredded Wheat Apple Crumble is described as a bitesized whole wheat cereal with apple filling and a vanilla flavour nutty crumble topping. The nutty topping contains peanuts and 'other nut's'. 

The crumble topping gives each bite a sweet biscuity type flavour. However, I couldn't detect any vanilla (or nuttiness so the addition of nuts seems a bit pointless). The apple flavour is quite strong, despite the small amount of filling in each Shredded Wheat, which adds a tangy fruitiness. The overall flavour is pleasing enough, it's nicely fruity and quite sweet. I think they are slightly disappointing in terms of the 'Apple Crumble' theme as they don't quite have the right flavour. I would have loved to see the addition of cinnamon in the crumble topping and some more apple filling to really boost the overall flavour. 

Grocery Gems Review: Shredded Wheat Apple Crumble

RATING: 7 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Maybe.
Purchased: Ocado.
Price: £2.49p.

Check out my previous cereal reviews:

Nestlé Cheerios Cinnamon Oat Crisp Cereal
Nestlé Spooky Cinnamon Shreddies 

Review: Dorset Cereals Gingerbread Porridge

I don't usually buy flavoured porridge (I find them too cloying and sweet) but I couldn't resist trying this Gingerbread Porridge from Dorset Cereals. Gingerbread is one of my favourite flavours for new products at this time of year and it's warming nature seems especially appealing for a porridge.

The Dorset Cereals Gingerbread Porridge is described as a creamy blend of oats and barley with real gingerbread pieces. There are 10 sachets in each pack and each serving is 237 calories (with 180ml of semi-skimmed milk). The porridge has plenty of dark gingerbread pieces and I could already smell the familiar scent of ginger and spices as I opened the pack. The actual gingerbread flavour is quite subtle once the porridge is prepared, this is certainly not an overpowering gingerbread. The porridge itself is thick and creamy in texture and the gingerbread adds an extra warmth with it's spiced background flavour. I was also pleased to find that the porridge is not overly sweet, in fact, there's not much sweetness here at all which I prefer. 

Overall, it's definitely worth a try for any fans of gingerbread for it's subtle, warming, not-too-sweet flavour - it's very filling too!

Grocery Gems Review: Dorset Cereals Gingerbread Porridge

RATING: 8 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Purchased: Ocado - also available instore exclusively at Waitrose.
Price: £2.59p.

Check out my previous gingerbread reviews:
Alpro Gingerbread Man Desserts
Walls Gingerbread Sandwich Ice Cream

Degustabox August Review & a £7 Discount Code

My August Degustabox actually arrived in early September as I had to delay the delivery (I was on holiday when it was due to arrive). I love how easy it is the reschedule the Degustabox delivery if the time and date isn't convenient. Anyway, as usual the Degustabox was once again packed full of new foodie products that I can't wait to try.  

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 August Degustabox:

Willy Chase's Fit Corn: I've never heard of this brand before but the bright packaging and interesting flavour made it instantly appealing. There were one of four possible flavours in the Degustabox: Apple Cider Vinegar, Smokey Bloody Mary, Goats Cheese, Onion & Thyme or Salted Honey. I'm definitely pleased with the flavour I received! The combination of sweet honey and salty flavours worked together perfectly.

NutriPot: Another new brand to me which I'm always keen to try out. The NutriPot are designed to be healthy and nutritious, with each pot containing 50% of all the 28 vitamins and minerals your body requires every day. I received two flavours that are both simple to make by just adding boiling water. The Aromatic Thai Noodles has a slightly spiced flavour while the Moroccan Couscous is flavoured with sultanas and herbs. 

Clipper Lime & Ginger Green Tea: I've only recently become a convert to lemon flavoured green tea. I'd always assumed it wouldn't be for me but I tried a cup at a friends house and became hooked. This Lime & Ginger flavour works just as well with the lime added a refreshing sweetness and the ginger providing extra warmth. Lemon green tea is still my favourite but I would buy this one if I fancied a change.

Dorset Cereals Bircher Mix: Bircher Muesli is traditionally made in Switzerland by soaking oats overnight in juice and yogurt and adding grated fruit. The Dorset Cereals Bircher Mix came with a little scoop for measuring out the perfect portion, and is then made by adding 60ml of apple juice, a spoonful of yogurt on top and refridgerating for 30mins (or overnight) in the fridge.

The result is an absolutely delicious and creamy muesli that is packed full of fruity flavour. I've never had oats made with apple juice before and now I just can't stop! It's become my favourite breakfast and I've had it every day since I first tried it. I'll be buying this regularly from now on.

Mahou Cinco Estrellas Lager: This lager is produced in Madrid and has a history going back 126 years. It's available in most supermarkets such as Asda, Sainsbury's and online at Ocado. My dad loves this one!

Get More Multivitamins: This drink is made with spring water, natural flavours and no added sugar. There are six different flavours available and I received the Sparkling Lemon & Lime. It's a refreshing drink with a flavour similar to a diet lemonade. I preferred the Still Mango & Passionfruit version which I tried in a previous Degustabox.

Fentimans Sparkling Lime & Jasmine: I'm a fan of Fentimans' botanical drinks, especially their Curiosity Cola. This Sparkling Lime and Jasmine is new to me so I was excited to give it a try. The initial flavour is quite sharp, with the citrus notes kicking in straight away and quite a sour taste overall.

Rakusen's Snackers: Available in Plain and Gluten Free varieties. These Snackers are less than 1% fat and have seven calories per cracker. The ingredients in both are very simple, resulting in quite plain tasting crackers - a bit like water crackers. They're very crunchy which makes them good for dipping and topping.

Geeta's Curry Pastes & Chutney: There were three different products from the Geeta's range in the Degustabox. The curry pastes, a Tikka and a Rogan Josh, are quite small so are ideal for two rather than for family meals. The Premium Mango Chutney is an award-winning chutney that is sweet, tangy and full of flavour.

Tabasco Sauce: My other half was very pleased to find this in the Degustabox. He loves trying out different barbecue sauces - any excuse to fire up the BBQ! This Sweet & Sticky Barbecue sauce and marinade has a rich and smokey flavour and works well on ribs and pulled pork.

Capsicana Latin Flavours: Capsicana Cook Sauces are available in three Latin American inspired flavours; Peruvian Chilli & Lemon, Brazilian Chilli & Coconut, and Mexican Chilli & Honey. This looks like a fabulous new range and the flavours all look really appealing. I'm looking forward to giving these one a try, I'll probably use it with chicken but it can also be used with fish or vegetables. The Capsicana range is now available at Waitrose.

Overall, I really enjoyed the surprise selection in this months Degustabox. There was a wonderful mix of useful items and many new brands. I also received a packet of Oloves which I've reviewed previously here - Oloves Olives Review. My favourites this month were the Clipper Tea, Tabasco BBQ sauce, Chase's Popcorn and the amazing Dorset Cereals Bircher Mix.

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.