I love food and I love surprises so Degustabox was always something I'd been keen to try and after seeing that their April box containted Kinder chocolate and Nando's crisps, I couldn't resist!!

The box costs £12.99/month including delivery. I was really impressed with the delivery service as I got a text the night before which told me the box would arrive and that I could rearrange this if it didn't suit. On the day of arrival I got a text telling me what time my box would arrive and I could even track where the driver was....little stalkerish but handy!

Within seconds of shutting the door, I ran for some scissors and tore open the box like a young child (me still) on Christmas Day.

Inside there was: 

Sweet Baby Ray's Honey Barbecue Sauce 

Schwartz Honey and Soy Marinade in a bag 

Fentimans Ginger Beer

Fruity 9bar

Daelmans Stroopwafels

Sarsons Balsamic Vinegar

Slim Pasta Lasagne

Maggi Stir Fry

Fuel10K Protibrick

I have to admit that I found the theme a little confused at first...sort of barbecuey but then some health snacks? That didn't matter though because I've found some real gems amongst this bunch!

As a student, I eat a lot of stir frys so I wasn't too excited about these...until I tried them! So much more tasty than your usual stir fry and you just have to add a couple ingredients, making it super easy and quick to make a tasty meal. A great student dish and one I'll be popping in my trolley in the future!

(Just keep scrolling to the next picture to skip the rant)

So the whole Eatwater branding of Slim Pasta hasn't got me sold. I think there's so many fad products out there trying to get us to lose weight (don't even get me started on those detox teas) and I do think the best way to lose weight is a healthy diet and exercise. The pasta is carb, fat, sugar and gluten free which leaves me wondering what is actually left? I haven't tried this yet so I may go back on everything I've just said...

These are one of the gems. Caramel filled Dutch waffles that you warm up on your cup of warm tea or coffee. These are a great afternoon snack! I've been getting through these at an unhealthy rate..just too good! A little different to your standard tea-and-biscuit combo!

I love 9bars! I found that these actually fill me up, unlike a lot of cereal bars out there and they're packed with nutritious seeds and dried fruits. 

Another gem.. I've used this on burgers, chips and even mixed in rice! It's got a mouthwatering tangy sweet honey barbecue all american flavour! Perfect for the barbecue season!

Okay so balsamic vinegar is what it is really...I haven't tried this but I can't say it has me excited.

The Honey and Soy marinade is something else I'll be buying again. It's an  easy way of adding some flavour to your food and feels like a bit of a treat! 

I'm waiting to get through my Weetabix before I try Protibrick which is apparently the same but boosted with proteins which I hope will keep me feeling fuller for longer than normal Weetabix does!!

And to finish off, well I haven't tried the ginger beer yet so I'm just waiting for a nice sunny day to sit out and enjoy that :)

Overall, I'm really impressed with what I got this month, even though I wasn't so sure initially! I think the chocoholic in me was a little disappointed though. Everything in the box is worth more than what I paid for it so you just have to trust that you'll love what they send you. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys trying new foods and drinks which I'm sure by now, you'll realise that I do!!

Have you ever tried Degustabox? Has anything caught your eye?

One for the Tea Lovers

I never thought I'd say this. Not in a million years. I've just always been a Yorkshire tea girl. A nice, traditional, tummy-warming brew. But I think I like this just as much....if not more. There. Said it. 

Williamson tea are a family owned business that have been creating fine teas for over 140 years...so yeah, I think they know what they're doing! I was delighted when they asked if I'd like to try their new flavoured tea range. Until last summer, I always went for a traditional English tea but then one day I had an Earl Grey by mistake and that opened a whole new load of doors of flavoured tea trying!

The range* includes Ginger Grove, Lemon Sunshine and Mint Garden. They all smell deliciously fresh when you open the box and they come in the poshest looking nylon bags! It's the little touches...

Ginger Grove was my favourite which was a surprise as I thought it'd be the one I liked least! I've been drinking it with milk..is that weird? It tastes tea-rrific anyway!!! ( did you love that?)

I drink tea almost constantly throughout the day so having a range of flavours helps to mix it up a bit! I also find the flavoured ones a little more refreshing!

Those lovely lot also sent me this gorgeous Elephant Caddie* full of their Afternoon Tea blend. I've been parading her around a bit, she is too pretty to be sitting in my cupboard all the time - my little tea guardian!! (Tea is sacred after all.)

 It's been ideal for sipping away at during revision! If you're a Yorkshire tea fan then you'll like this, trust me. 

Tea doesn't fix everything but it helps a lot. Who doesn't love a hug in a mug?

The Williamson tea website can be found by clicking just HERE. You should check out all of their Elephant caddie designs!!

My favourite blogs

I've wanted to write this post for months but just never got round to it. I hope you find some new favourites from this great bunch!

Milkbubbletea

Becky's lifestyle blog is full of pretty pink pastel photography and her room gives me major bedroom envy! I've found so many pretty items through reading Becky's posts as well as my 'go to' foundation.This is the blog that inspired me to write my own blog!

The Londoner

Rosie's photos are incredible! I love her mouthwatering recipes and restaurant reviews. Her photos are so big, I just want to grab the food from the screen. Her posts about the Maldives were amongst some of my favourites - she's been to some incredible places! Rosie's witty puns always have me smiling whilst reading.

Hearting

If you like making your nails look pretty, then Ioanna's blog is for you! She has a real mix of posts - her reviews of beauty products tend to be my favourite but I do love blogs with a bit of variety. I've followed Ioanna since the beginning and have loved watching her blog and photography grow.

Tealight Sky

This summer I'm going to try and attempt as many of Tashiana's recipes as possible - they really are something else! As well as being a great baker and photographer, Tasha is a comical writer! It's hard to find blogs with a good individual writing style, but this is one of those special gems!

Little Miss Katy

Katy and I share a love of food and I relate to so much of what she says! Her blog has a real mix of posts which appears to be a common factor amongst all these fab blogs I've listed! I love a good restaurant review and seeing what people ordered - just nosey like that.

The Love Cats inc.

If I'm looking for a decent beauty product, Helen's blog is where I'll head to. I've come to trust her opinions and recommendations. She also writes a lot of useful 'tips and tricks' posts which I've learnt a lot from. 

So there they all are, in no particular order! What are your favourite blogs?

300 Followers Cake Celebration and giveaway!

It may not seem like much to some, but reaching the 300 followers milestone is a big deal for me. Back in August when I wrote my first blog post, I genuinely didn't think that anyone would read ALF, so I really do appreciate all your follows and comments! Especially when the same people come back and comment time and time again...it doesn't go unnoticed trust me!

When Baker Days asked me if I'd like to review one of their cakes, I saw this as a great opportunity to celebrate my little milestone and also as a way to say thank you to you lot (more on that later!)

I got a letterbox cake which means you don't have to be in to receive the package, making it such a lovely surprise to come home to! I mean, who wouldn't want cake through their letterbox!? But they also do lots of various sizes and cupcakes too, all of which you can personalise either using their designs or adding your own photos!

I sent my blog banner to them and said what I wanted written on the cake and left them to make it look good and I'm so so impressed with how pretty it looks! They really did make an effort to make it fit in with my blog :) 

I wasn't expecting the cute cake tin, balloon, candles and card either! I would LOVE to receive this for my birthday or any other special event, it's like moonpig but better because you can eat what you're sent! 

I'm not a huge fan of icing usually but this actually tastes amazing! Very fresh and light. I can't believe the cake stayed so perfect despite my housemate saying the postman fired it through the letterbox!

Here I cut a slice for you...

Okay, sadly sharing of food through a screen isn't possible...but what you can do is enter my giveaway* below for a chance to win your very own letterbox cake! :) I'm a big food lover so to me, this is the best way I can say thank you to you all for reading my blog and making my day with your comments!

*UK entries only - sorry!

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