The trials and tribulations of blogging with a box obsessed cat around! Pablo couldn’t resist getting in on the first Degustabox* of 2019 action- which you’ll note brings a rather slick new look along with a whole host of brilliant products, mostly focused around recovery from the indulgence of the festive break (which now feels so very long ago!) This is probably one of my favourite boxes to date, I’ve discovered some great new snacks and there was only one item that I haven’t braved trying, read on for my thoughts.

Bob and I love Japanese food and were excited to try out Miso Tasty’s original Ramen Noodle kit (£3.50). It comes with everything you need to create a light and tasty meal- just add your topping/s of choice- in our case it was chicken and mushrooms.

It’s the worst kept secret that I’m big in to my savoury snacks and I’ve been munching on pea based snacks for a couple of years now. Pipers have just launched their own version- Crispeas, and whilst being ignorant to what Matar Paneer was (and to be honest, I still am) I can confirm that these are utterly delicious, I’m already craving another bag and am hoping they hit my local shops soon (RRP £1).

After some tentative experimentation it seems I can eat small amounts of peanut and peanut butter again without provoking a reaction so I was a bit excited to see this product from PBfit in the January box. Powdered peanut butter might sound grim, but it’s ok – it’ll never beat the real thing but it does contain 90% less fat and around 1/3 of the calories and can be used in smoothies, baking or as a toast topper amongst other things. The sachets are exclusive to the USA but you can pick up tubs in many supermarkets.

Yes! Fruit and nut bars have appeared in Degustabox before, back when I was avoiding nuts. I was glad to see them again and give them a try. I wasn’t sold on the lemon and chilli fruit bar, but both of the nut ones are pretty good- the dark chocolate and almond one especially so. I haven’t seen these for sale local to me yet, but I know many major supermarkets sell them for around £1.20 each (or in multi-packs.)

I found these LioBites exceptionally sweet, even for me, but still kind of delicious. I’m on the fence with fruit crisps these days having gone through a phase of loving them, but these are pretty good and pack a hefty flavour punch. They also count as one of your five a day, but do cost around £1.50 a bag.

Bob instantly jumped on these Pick Up bars from Bahlsen. Delicious biscuits play host to a thick slab of chocolate- not in the spirit of a January detox but we all need treats in life! We both love these and the fact they are individually wrapped makes them perfect for taking to work, or out and about with us. RRP £1.69 – keep an eye out for the other varieties too.

No prizes for anyone who guessed this was the product I didn’t brave trying! Willy’s apple cider vinegar will provide you with a daily dose of probiotics, if you can stomach it. I can’t, but I know many people who swear by it. RRP of £3.50

I’ve loved rice cakes ever since my nan introduced me to them when I was about 10- smothered in chocolate spread, of course. I’ve finally got in to the habit of taking lunch to work with me every day and I like to take some kind of cracker to pad out my salad or dip in to my soup. Both of these hit the spot nicely, the protein lentil cakes are a great addition to the Kallo snacking range and I’ll be picking them up on a regular basis.

I have a long and complicated history with sugar free jellies, but I’m finally able to face them again after a very long hiatus. These dessert inspired ones from Hartley’s are a nice addition to the range, although I didn’t find the texture as jelly like as their standard flavours. At 10 calories or less these are ideal for anyone on a January diet- or who, like me, just likes an extra sweet hit during the day on top of their usual boat load of food!

Last but by no means least we have a new(ish) product from Ryvita- protein red quinoa and sesame crips breads. Baked with pea protein and rye- so also packing in some serious fibre, these come in hand snack packs which make a great packed lunch with a mini tub of hummus and some crudites. I also enjoy snacking on these with some cream cheese and marmite because that’s how I roll.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments.

If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £5.00 off of your first box (making it just £7.99!) by entering the code 6HZJ8 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.