What a month this has been. There’s always something that turns all plans upside down. I’m quite glad to still have a reason to be at home and not have to go out. Usually, you might think of picnics being in a park or on the beach, but we also enjoy having them in our own garden (or our backyard beach). With a heavy emphasis on snacks in this month’s picnic Degusta Box, you’ll be set for picnics far and near.
Please note that as reviewers, we often receive most or all of these variations so we can try them all out and share our thoughts with you (I will note this where applicable below). We received this Degustabox in exchange for our honest review.
Let’s start with the contents of the June Degustabox before moving on to our top picks. Each monthly box contains between 10-15 products; some aren’t yet available in the shops which gives you the first chance to try them out! The short version of this month’s box is that there are 16 items; 10 snacks, 3 beverages, and 3 meal items. The long version is….
The Picnic Degusta Box Contains:
- £1.65 Newman’s Own Italian
- £1.50 Attack a Snak
- £0.75 x2 Lizi’s Granola
- £1.29 x2 NINE seed bar
- £1.00 Maynards Bassetts Superfruit Jellies
- £1.50 Olly’s Olives Basil & Garlic
- £1.69 BARU Chocolate Marshmallow Bar
- £1.00 HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs
- £1.00 x2 Le Joli sparkling water
- £0.69 x2 Gregory’s Tree fruit twists
- £1.49 Noisy Snacks
- £9.00 Blossom Hill Gin Fizz
Picnic Degusta Box Top Picks
Each month we feature our top picks in the box. Of course, these choices are based on our own tastes, and I’d love to hear what your favourites are, just pop them down in the comments at the end of this post.
On those hot sunny, summer days of summer, sit back in the garden, relax, and enjoy Blossom Hill Gin Fizz. It’s a nice mix of fizzy wine infused with rhubarb and a dash of gin. The more of this I had, the more I liked it! And there isn’t an overbearing juniper aroma like some gins, but you can taste the gin, don’t worry about that. Truly enjoyed by the adults in the house.
Ah, if you’re looking for ‘giant corn’ (Japaneses name), or ‘corn nuts’ (the Canadian version, then pick up a pack of Noisy Snacks; large wee pieces of corn puffed slightly and crisped and coated with flavour. There are other flavours and cripy veggies available such as broad bean, too. Ours was flavoured with Jamaican Jerky that had a tangy lemon flavour in there, which worked very well. These are just crunchy enough not to be able to eat without anyone else hearing you, but not so hard that you’ll break a tooth. I really like these a lot and will be looking for them soon when they make their appearance in the supermarkets.
Both Tristan and I were keen to try out Olly’s Olives Basil & Garlic. I’ve never met a kid who likes olives as much as he, and because of him, I’ve grown a taste for them, too, so we made a little lunch out of them to share with the family. We’re both fans of garlic, and having that and the basil take the tartness out of the olives and make them so much better. I’d happily have these at any picnic.
The Kids’ Top Picks
My children were happy to see HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs make a return appearance this month. Even Kallista, who in emphatic that she doesn’t like chickpeas, loves Hippeas. The 22g bag is vegan as well as organic, and contains 90 calories. The puffs are very light and slightly curled like a little grin – maybe that’s why kids smile while eating them, too.
My children love oats and Lizi’s Granola is packed full of them, of course. The High Protein Granola is a little more traditional with its sweetness and little clumps of product that are roasted together. This was my favourite. The Low Sugar Granola is more loose in the packet and a little more like oatmeal. Both would be very good over yoghurt, but my kids have been sprinkling them over a homemade fruit salad for lunches for a little variety.
Gregory’s Tree fruit twists are very sticky and hold a big flavour punch. They’re like little Canadian Twizzlers, but made from real fruit and without added sugar. It’s a good thing there are two in a packet because one just wouldn’t be enough. Made from Blueberry, Raspberry, and Strawberry, kids will love them better than sweets, but keep a wipe handy because they’re even more sticky.
More Picnic Products
We received 2 NINE seed bars in the picnic Degusta Box. One was a Cocoa Orange Seed Bar. It’s packed full of a mix of seeds and cocoa, and also has a layer of cocoa flavoured with orane. It’s pretty good, and very seedy, indeed. Perhaps not a bar for those with dentures, but the younger set will like it. The Salted Caramel Seed Bar is softer and not as dense. It’s a little chewier and has the salted caramel mixed throughout, without the extra top layer. The sunflower and sesame seeds are abundant and the caramel is almost a little too sweet, but it’s not bad.
What is a picnic without a salad. Everyone has different tastes, so it’s always a good thing to have the dressings on the side. Newman’s Own Italian is one that is always a hit at our picnics. I’ve tried many brands of dressing in the UK, and I’ve found that Newman’s is the closest to the flavours of Canada, so that’s a thumbs-up for me.
Le Joli sparkling water is light and refreshing. I’m currently drinking Mexican Lime & Mint; the flavours are subtle and neither overtakes the other. The Scottish Raspberry is also very nice.
BARU Chocolate Marshmallow Bar has a gourmet bourbon vanilla bean marshmallow (yum) and a chai latte topping (also yum), and is smothered with a coating of milk chocolate just because it can. To be clear, I’m not generally a fan of marshmallows but this got the attention of my taste buds. This isn’t a children’s snack, this must surely be for adults only for a luxurious break in a busy day working from home.
Attack a Snak is making a reappearance in the picnic Degusta Box, and would make a good picnic item. The Chili Heat Nachos are good on their own, but you also have the option to liven things up by dipping them in the smokey chipotle dip (think barbecue sauce), or use the sour cream and chive sauce if you like a more creamy and calm chip. Personally, I much preferred this version over the previous one we tried.
Maynards Bassetts Superfruit Jellies aren’t bad, with 30% fruit juice, in cranberry, blueberry, pomegranate, and papaya. I like that they have different flavours from the rest of the bunch. Tristan and I agree, however, that they are a slight bit too soft, which means they’re gone too soon.
There you have it! The full run-down of the BBQ & Snacking Degustabox – the ups and downs and in-betweens. Have you tried a Degustabox yet? Give it a whirl and see what delights are in the next box! Use Code ZPH3A and save £3.00 off your first box!
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Have a peek into previous boxes:
