Degustabox - October

Another month, another fun box from Degustabox. I have to say that I've been enjoying the variety of products that come in the boxes. There are always some things I like, some I love, and some I'm glad I got a chance to try for free because I probably won't buy them again.

This month's box included:

Pumpkin Pie Soda from Jones Soda
I'm not a huge soda drinker, but this was interesting. And different. Then again, this company is known for having some odd soda flavors. I thought it might be too weird, but it was good. I don't know if I'd want it on a regular basis, but it's getting to be pumpkin season. It might make a good cocktail with ... bourbon, maybe.

Hometown Bagel Chips
These were nice on their own and also with a cream cheese spread. I love crunchy snacks, so these were right up my alley.

Wasa Thins crackers
I think these were my favorite thing in the box, but then again, I'm a fiend for sesame seeds, and that what these had. They had great flavor on their own, and nice with a thin smear of butter. Good with soup. I need to find these at the grocery store or I'm going to be buying them online.

Barilla marinara sauce
I've bought this before, but I didn't mind getting it in the box. I like to have an "emergency" jar of pasta sauce for those days when I don't want to cook. Good for basic pasta, but also for simmering meatballs or for the sauce on something like chicken or eggplant parmesan.

Barilla ProteinPlus Pasta
Although I've tried Barilla pasta before, I never tried this variety. It didn't taste any different from regular pasta, which is exactly what you're looking for with an enhanced sort of noodle. If you're trying to get more protein and fewer carbs, this is is certainly an easy way to make it happen. Of course there are still carbs - just fewer than regular pasta.

Numi Tea
This was a nice little sampler of teas. I liked some, loved others, and some weren't my cup of tea. But that's kind of the point of having a sampler. You can try different ones to see what you like, or have a variety onhand for visitors. The one I wasn't crazy about was the one with chamomile. I've never really cared for chamomile, but I don't mind having a packet on hand in case guests like it.

Lovely Candy
Not too sweet, and not too tart, with real fruit flavors. The flavors were cranberry, raspberry, and blueberry, so these might be more adult flavors than typical candies. They're a little chewy, but not the sort of chew that will rip out a filling. Or they dissolve.

Energems
These are little chocolate-flavored energy supplements with vitamin B, D, and caffeine. I haven't tried them yet because I haven't needed an energy boost. I've got them set aside for now.

Palo Popcorn
The white cheddar popcorn was good, but the bacon cheddar was freaking amazing. I was sad when the little bag was empty. To be honest, I didn't think I'd be that crazy about it, since it's cooked in coconut oil (and I'm not crazy about coconut) and I thought the bacon flavor might be weird. But the bacon added a nice smokiness that I loved.

La Tortilla Factory low-carb tortillas
This was the one item that I wasn't crazy about. If I was seriously going low-carb and denying myself regular tortillas, these might be a miracle to have on hand. But I had a bag of regular tortillas sitting on the counter, and these just didn't stack up. I've bought other La Tortilla Factory tortillas before, and I've liked them, so it's not the brand, just this particular variety of tortilla. The hand-made style that are a blend of corn and wheat are my favorites from them. They're not like any other tortillas I've tried, and I buy them quite often.

Crown Nut flavored almonds
Nuts. I love nuts. These were pretty spicy, but that's to be expected when they're flavored with sriracha, right? If you don't like super-hot stuff, they might be a bit much all by themselves, but they'd be pretty good added to a mix. Or used for cooking.

I received this box from Degustabox at no cost to me. I included links to Amazon for products sold there, or links to manufacturers, so you can find more information about the individual items.