Celebrating Easter With Degustabox

Having started my ‘food journey’ with Degustabox in January, I was expecting the third box to really knock my socks off. Because it was titled as the ‘Easter Box’, I expected to see an Easter egg or two but the reality was that the box was completely different to what I had expected. There were no Easter eggs in sight and save from chocolate and a few sweets, the theme of ‘Easter’ was not really evident in the ‘Easter Box’. That being said I thoroughly enjoyed the box and it was the first month where I could actually sample all of the food products in the box, since previous versions had items with caffeine /gelatin. While February‘s box had arrived two weeks before my scheduled shoot, March’s box had arrived a few days before the shoot, meaning that I was patient enough to wait before demolishing all the food in the box. Rest assured though I was sorely tempted and as soon as the shoot was over I hungrily dived into my box with gusto.

Heinz Seriously Good Sauces In ‘Creamy Pepper’

While I usually make spicy, chilli tomato based sauces for my meals-which can wreak havoc with my stomach- the creamy pepper made a welcome change and was a wonderful accompaniment to a Quorn Chicken and Broccoli pasta dish, served with sea salt flakes. The creaminess of the sauce was not too overpowering as some sauces can be and while I would have preferred a stronger taste of ‘pepper’ it nevertheless coated the vegetarian pasta dish wonderfully, making the Quorn taste more ‘moist’. Quorn can get a bit dry, so the creamy pepper sauce which is also available in a tomato version helped make the Quorn more moist and tender.

Would I Purchase It Again?

It was a delicious sauce but priced at £1.99 it is rather expensive so I feel I would buy it if there was a sale on and it was reduced to half price. It has however inspired me to create my own ‘pepper style sauce’.

Pipers Crisps In Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt 

I have to admit this was one of the first snacks that I engulfed in one go once my shoot had come to an end and it was like a slice of heaven. I am not a massive crisp fiend but my favourite flavour has always been ‘salt and vinegar’ so I was pleased to see Piper’s in my March box. The cider vinegar created a tart contrast to the sea salt and deliciously fizzled in my mouth, as the crisps burst with unbridled flavour. Quite honestly I am quite critical when it comes to food so believe me when I say that these were the best ‘salt and vinegar’ crisps I have ever tasted in my life. More to the point the generous 150 G portion meant that the bag would be perfect for sharing during a house movie night although for me I quite happily scoffed it all by myself. Whether you are open to sharing or want the bag to yourself, Pipers will leave you begging for more.

Would I Buy It Again?

At £2 it might be on the pricier scale but if you think of it this way, the crisps are home cut and the cider locally sourced, meaning that the crisps only contain premium home grown ingredients. You can really taste the ‘Somerset influence’ and the flavors are strong but not pungent .

Naturelly In Apple and Blackcurrant 

Now this might make you laugh; Naturelly ‘jelly’s’ are targeted towards children that are 2+ but being the thorough ‘reviewer’ that I am, I wanted to test out the fruit jelly for myself and it was delicious. I wouldn’t go as far to say that it was life changing but not only did it contain real fruits but it was also gelatine free and contained  Vitamins A, C, and E. As children develop they need a range of nutrients to grow into a healthy adult and this would be an ideal snack to get kids through the day. My foster sister despite being aged 7 is at the developmental age of a three year old because she has a rare condition that is similar to Downs Syndrome and thus her ‘food tastes’ are limited to ‘ part solids’ like frubes, wotsits, sausages and cereal, with fruit yoghurts to top her up. Naturally the fruit jellies is something I feel my little sister would like as it would still give her the nutrients that she needs as well as being a snack that she would actually enjoy.

Would I Buy It Again?

I will definitely recommend them to my foster mum and see how my foster sister responds to an alteration in her diet. At £1.19 it is fairly inexpensive as well.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo x 2 in Mint & Peanut Butter 

Being an Easter Themed box I was expecting there to be chocolate Easter eggs but these bars of deliciousness were the next big thing. I have always been a big fan of Oreo’s and the original Cadbury Oreo got me through many university study sessions which I am grateful for. The mint flavour reminded me of ‘after eight mints’ and while it was delicious, mint chocolate has never been my favourite flavour so I was more looking forward to the peanut butter oreo bar instead. Anyone who knows me while confirm my love for peanut butter is infamous, especially my friend J who always used to complain about me eating nuts with everything because he was not keen on them. The peanut butter Oreo bar was absolutely divine and melted in my mouth without complaint. The slight crunch of the Oreo blended into the smoothness of the peanut butter perfectly and merged together to create without a question of a doubt the best chocolate bar in the world.

Would I Buy It Again 

I would buy the peanut flavour for sure as it was what I like to call ‘foodgasmic’ but I am still on the fence about the ‘mint flavor’. It was not that I didn’t enjoy the mint bar but more that it wasn’t to my personal preference. Priced at £1.49, the bars are fairly inexpensive and are large bars too.

Maldon Smoked Sea Salt Flakes £1.50

I use sea salt with everything because it creates a much better flavor than regular ‘sodium’ or table salt, especially in dishes like spaghetti bolagnese . The smoked sea salt was unusual and I believe would be probably better suited to BBQ meals like smoked steak or chicken but nevertheless was quite pleasant in a Quorn Chicken salad, lending a subtle smokiness that blended into the salad dressing effortlessly. Either used as seasoning or garnish, the flakes would be ideal for meat based dishes.

Would I Buy It Again 

With Quorn chicken pieces the sea salt flakes were nice but there was not enough surface area to create a more intense impact on flavour. I would like to try it out with Quorn Chicken Fillets and create a ‘Durban style Curry.

Weetabix On The Go In Vanilla 

I have never been one for the breakfast type drinks as despite their testimonials that claim to boost your energy levels and leave you feeling more energized, it has never made me feel ‘energized’. Nevertheless as a keen ‘vanilla’ flavour lover I was curious as to how the vanilla weetabix flavour would taste. Because I get up at 5 Am most days more often than not I don’t eat breakfast which ‘as the most important meal of the day’ can potentially have a negative impact on my day. The vanilla flavour was creamy and smooth and paired beautifully with the Belvita yoghurt biscuits I had waiting. The flavour reminded me strongly of tiramisu and was a delicious start to my morning.

Would I Buy It Again?

100 %. While I didn’t feel a massive increase in my energy levels, the delicious flavour alone and the fact that it is filled with nutrients is enough to make me give its £1.39 price tag a whirl!

Weetabix On The Go Protein In Blueberry and Raspberry – £1.99

I have to admit I am the world’s biggest advocate of ‘blueberries’ because I think they are blooming delicious. I was however sorely disappointed, the protein element of the drink overpowered the ‘berry element’ of the drink and made it taste a little like gone of milk which naturally I am not keen on. Nevertheless for those who would want to incorporate more protein into their diets, the ‘On the Go Protein’ would be a quick fix .

Would I Buy It Again?

Unfortunately not but I would definitely buy the non-protein version, I am sure it would taste much nicer!

Whitworths Cacao Raw Bars – £1.50

Raw cacao bars have for some reason created a divide in the ‘food world’ and we have become split into camps of either ‘loathers’ or ‘lovers’ and I was firmly in the latter. It felt moist and not dry at all which many raw bars can taste like, so I was glad that I didn’t have to contend with it tasting like ‘sawdust’! The bar was soft and melted in the mouth but the slight grainy texture might be a matter of individual preference.

Would I Buy It Again 

It is a little pricey when I would spend less on a bar of chocolate but I do like that it is a healthier alternative I can reach for once the Easter season is over.

onepoundsers Chocolate Eclairs – £1

Seeing the bag of chocolate eclairs reminded me of summers down at my foster mums caravan, where in the village nearby there was old fashioned sweet shops and two penny machines. I remember playing a game where I would close my eyes and choose three different types of sweets or chocolates to take back with me and one particular time there were chocolate eclairs. They made my gums hurt because they were so chewy but they were tasty nevertheless. Now as an adult I was excited to try them again and was pleasantly surprised by the juiciness of the ‘onepoundsers’. The eclairs were large and contained a flavoured centre that burst in your mouth with ecstasy. 7

Would I Buy It Again?

I loved reliving my childhood memories but was also pleased at how it was both great value for money and also genuinely delicious.

The Jelly Bean Factory Fairtrade box – £1.49

I had always been hesitant to try ‘jelly beans’ because of its gelatine content but I was surprised that this box was ‘vegetarian society’ approved. Containing over 36 flavours, the jelly beans were another favourite of mine, especially the tangerine and popcorn flavour. While the liqorice jelly beans were not to my personal taste, the rest of the mini box was rather delicious and made a sweet treat that helped me through some agonizing deadlines. It does of course also tie in with the theme of Easter so I was pleased that there was at least a few products that did relate to the Degustabox March theme.

Would I Buy It Again 

Yes, it was absolutely delicious and I found it great fun working out what all  the different flavours were in my jellybean box.

Westons Cider – 2 x £1.99

Cider is a wonderful, crisp alternative to wine and cocktails so I was pleased to see two cans of cider in this months box. While I see no relevance to Easter, the ciders were nevertheless refreshing.  The ciders were tart but there was an underlying sweetness that created a perfect balance for an alcoholic beverage and contained  5 %, higher than the average alcoholic cider. The original taste was a welcome change from the ‘fruit’ based alcoholic drinks that I normally consume and at £1.99, it wasn’t a bad price at all.

Would I Buy It Again?

It was refreshing and not too sweet, which in my eyes makes the perfect alcoholic beverage. Plus it was  a great way to get me in the party mood before I went clubbing with friends.

Rebel Kitchen Chocolate Mylk – £1.89

Chocolate milk is something I have always had fond memories of, especially since I was a big fan of Nesquik growing up. But Rebel Kitchen’s version was dairy , wheat and nut free so naturally I wasn’t looking forward to trying their chocolate mylk. Unfortunately my fears were proven right, the coconut milk and water blended base was not creamy but rather watery and trust me chocolate water is not great. It wasn’t to my personal taste but I have a friend who is allergic to dairy and stated that she quite enjoyed it.

Would I Buy It Again?

Unfortunately not as it wasn’t to my personal taste.

Gusto Organic Lemon Energy – £1.50

I love how clean and sterile lemon feels and that is exactly how I feel when I drink or eat it too. The Gusto drink was not only organic but unbelievably did make me feel more productive, even if the energy boost was short lived. The lemon flavor was carbonated but nevertheless still tasted refreshing.

Item of The Month: It was a toss up between the creamy pepper sauce and Dairy Milk Oreo Peanut Butter but as it is the ‘Easter Box’, the chocolate won this months coveted top spot.

Rating: 9/10

(Use my discount code 0V84X to receive the box for £5.99 instead of £12.99.)

*PR Samples 

Please note I was given this post in exchange for a review but all thoughts and opinions are my own.