Aldi Foodie Market Veggie Burst Review

It's January and we're all trying to eat healthier. Luckily I tend to be healthy most of the time so I don't really go overboard over Christmas. I'd rather eat in moderation 12 months of the year so I can still have treats in January rather than swing back and forth between dieting and splurging.

One nice thing about everyone else wanting to eat healthily in January though is it means all the shops have loads of tasty healthy snacks in, including Aldi. I spied their take on a Graze box at the tills for the ridiculously cheap price of I *think* 30 something pence. Considering a Graze punnet is over £1, this is really good value.

Like Graze, this is a mix of healthy ingredients (cashews, almonds and edamame beans but with a tasty twist with salt and black pepper cashews and spicy paprika almonds. It's pure, natural ingredients and a really good source of protein with between 5 and 6g per pouch.  It tastes really nice with a good spicy flavour, a good combination of textures and flavours and the portion size is spot on  - filling and satisfying but also energising with a wholesome feel.

The pouch format isn't as nice as Graze's little punnets but at this price , who would complain?!

Bought at: Aldi
Score: 8/10

Graze Supersnacks - Beetroot Crisps with jalapeño chickpeas and sunflower seeds

I used to get Graze boxes loads a few years ago, I loved their interesting and creative mixes of healthy snacks that get the right balance of offering some nutrition but feeling really treaty and special. However, healthier eating is becoming so much easier nowadays and the supermarkets are offering loads of new products, energy balls, crisps alternatives and free from options.

However, Graze have recently launched a range of new supersnacks and being a fan of the company, I re-signed up for a delivery. One thing I love about Graze is the fact it’s a surprise which snacks you’re going to get in a box. It’s like a little Christmas surprise when it comes in the post!

In my box, was one of the new supersnacks, which was a mix of beetroot crisps, jalapeno chickpeas and sunflower seeds. All good, healthy, wholesome ingredients that are completely vegan but actually seem interesting and not too worthy. In addition the pack offers 4g of plant protein and is under 100 calories.

It makes a nice savoury snack and helps curb those cravings when you’re just looking for something to graze on. The beetroot crisps are pure beetroot rather than fried in oil like most veg crisps and aren’t salted so whilst not as crunchy and tasty as proper veg crisps, they are still crisp and are lighterwith more of the beetroot flavour coming through. The jalapeno chickpeas are crunchy with a really nice spicing to them as well and these two elements are very moreish. The sunflower seeds….are just sunflower seeds and to be honest are a little dull but they are very good for you.

The ratio is a bit out for my liking with only a couple of beetroot crisps and a lot of sunflower seeds but overall this makes a delicious alternative to crisps.

Graze Seriously Spicy Sriracha with chilli and garlic

In my Boots meal deal I got this week, I decided to try another one of the Graze punnets. I'm trying to make my snack in the deal savoury rather than sweet at the moment and these looked pretty appealing. It's a mix of peas and half popped corn coated in a spicy thai coating and jumbo crunchy corn pieces as well.

It's a nice little punnet that is just the right size for when you fancy something but aren't really that hungry and at 118 calories, nothing too heavy. When they say seriously spicy, they actually deliver on this. For a snack it is fairly fiery, which I loved with a really moreish chilli hint with lots of powerful flavours of paprika, garlic and chilli. It never gets too hot but keeps building giving your tongue a sligthty nice hot feeling.

All the pieces are nice and crunchy but also feel quite light even though they are satisfying to bite down on. The salted corn pieces pop delightfully in the mouth and the spicy peas are crunchy making for a nice mix of textures, which works well with the spicy taste. It's got the right level of saltiness with a moreish savoury quality that make them really enjoyable. It's probably one of my favourite savoury Graze boxes (although they're all pretty good) and one I'd have again.

Price: £1.29
Nutrition per punnet: 118 calories, 4.2g fat, 1.2g sat fat, 1.5g sugars, 0.4g salt

Score: 8/10

Graze Lemon Drizzle Flapjack Review

Although I think these Graze punnets are ridiculously expensive when you think about (£1.29 for a single snack when you can buy a multipack of crisps or cereal bars on offer for £1) I can’t help but be drawn back to them. They look really cool and modern, they’re easy to carry out and they are generally pretty healthy. Well generally. Whereas previous reviews of the veggie protein power or punchy protein nuts have snacks with protein benefits and are low in sugar or the herby bread basket is a snack low in calories, it’s hard to justify a flapjack.

Graze seem to be going for being a source of fibre as it’s health selling point although there are much better sources of fibre out there and with considerably less calories, fat and sugar to boot. But then flapjacks are never a diet food and you could argue it’s a good source of energy. It is also slightly less sugary than most other flapjacks at 28% sugars and also less fat than those made with real butter.

Opening it up you get 3 nice little individually cut pieces, which is quite nice as it means you can spread them out should you so wish. They smelt fairly lemony and zesty upon opening and they certainly deliver on the lemon drizzle promise with a nice drizzle of lemon icing on the top.

The lemon drizzle really comes through here and actually pretty similar to the icing on a lemon drizzle cake. It’s sweet and creamy and really tangy and lemony and just generally delicious. Lemon actually works really well with oats and it makes for a fairly indulgent taste with a delicious buttery lemon curd flavour. The flapjack consistency is slightly firm so it does’t crumble or fall apart but definitely on the softer side with a chewy, melt in the mouth texture.

Although it uses margarine rather than butter it tastes rich and is very satisfying although I could quite easily continue eating after it’s finished. I was ravenous when I ate this and  it did plug the gap nicely. Probably one of the tastiest Graze punnets I’ve tried if not the healthiest!

Price: £1.29

Bought at: Boots

Nutrition per punnet: 239 calories, 13g fat, 4.3g sat fat, 15g sugars, 2g fibre, 2.5g protein, 0.32g salt

Score: 8/10

Graze Herby Bread Basket

I don't think I've ever had a bad Graze box. They always tick the box of being both enjoyable to eat and are a relatively guilt free snack. I do tend to stick to my favourites though so decided to branch out with this herby bread baskeet, which contains a mix of garlic crostini, sweet basil breadsticks and oregano rice crackers. The idea behind it is inspired by Italian classic flavours but with a modern twist. Visually, it's a very attractive little snack and I think they've got the mix spot on with an even amount of all the different elements as some Graze boxes can be a bit one sided.

Every piece in this box tasted great and it's really hard to pick what the stand out bit of the punnet is. The breadsticks were nice and crunchy but also easy to eat with a nice mild sweetness and savoury tomato and herb flavour. The oregano rice cakes offered a completely different texture - light but also crisp with a good umami kick and a good balance of salt with mild sticky sweetness. The garlic crostini were liked nice little mini bites of bruschetta with that crunchy, baguette texture and a good decent strength garlic flavour - although not in any way overly pungent.

Eaten individually they were all delicious and equally nice in any combination. Usually with these types of mixes I work my way around, meticulously planning the order of each bite to get the best tastes at the end but it's impossible here as every element is as good as the last. And at just 90 calories for the punnet, anyone looking for a light munch can get stuck in without any guilt and it certainly is a lot more interesting than a couple of ricecakes

Price: £1.29
Bought at: Boots
Nutrition per punnet: 90 calories, 4.4g fat, 1.8g sat fat, 1.1g sugars, 0.33g salt

Score: 7/10

Graze Veggie Protein Power

I buy the Graze Punchy Protein nuts so often now, they’re delicious, filling and good for you and it’s great to have an alternative to crisps for snacking on that contains so much protein. They also have this Veggie Protein Power punnet which is in the same vein and promises 7g natural protein. This mix contains black pepper cashew nuts, spicy chickpeas and edamame beans. 

As usual, I just left the packaging. Perfect sized portions which are skimpy but just right for a light nibble. They’re easy to carry around and the design is lovely and stands out. Everything is high quality as usual with no damaged, dry, brittle or hard pieces and everything was in great condition.

This is another nice mix. The edamame beans are the least interesting element but still tasty with a nice soft crunch and they take on a bit of the chickpea coating. The chickpeas are delicious with a nice mild heat and all were the perfect texture – no overly hard ones to damage your teeth on! The coating is tasty with a nice chilli dusting. The star of this punnet though is the black pepper cashews. Delicious creamy cashews in a peppery coating that is just moreish with a nice savoury hit. I just wish there were more of these in a punnet as it is predominantly the chickpeas and edamame.

It’s a fairly filling little snack for 132 calories and with less salt than your average bag of crisps and the 7g protein, a good choice for a mid morning or mid afternoon snack. Frankly they’re a perfect nibble any time of the day

Price: £1.19

Bought at: Boots

Nutrition per punnet: 132 calories, 6.7g fat, 1.1g sat fat, 6.9g protein, 0.9 sugars, 0.25 salt

Score: 7.5/10

Graze Mini Strawberry and Banana

I tend to often buy the graze punnets as part of the Boots meal deal, particularly the veggie protein power and punchy protein nuts. They're nice sized snacks, much healthier than most snacks and tend to do something a little bit different. This mini strawberry and banana box is essentially just a punnet of dried fruit but whilst typically such packs are mostly raisins and sultanas, this is a little more interesting with chewy banana coins and dried strawberries, blueberries and cranberries.

It contains no added sugar with the dried fruit sweetened with juice instead. It's a lovely mix of colours and a good spread of all the different ingredients. All the fruit is good quality and nice and juicy and sweet with no dried out bits.

However, it's hard to get overly excited about it. Whilst nice, it's just dried fruit. The blueberries are sweet and bursting with flavour, the cranberries nice and tart with a good sour hit, the banana chewy and sweet and the lovely juicy strawberries are refreshing. But I know Graze do more interesting mixes and there are more interesting snacks out there. This is great for sprinkling on yogurt or cereal but a bit dull on its own.

Price: £1.19
Bought at: Boots
Nutrition per punnet: 120 calories, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 21g sugars, 0g salt

Score: 6.5/10

Graze Mince Pie Flapjack

I think everyone must be familiar with the Graze concept by now - 4 tasty and unusual snacks delivered to your door, which can be as healthy or as naughty as you like. Fitting into the latter category, is this limited edition Garze punnet - a Christmas take on a flapjack.



Graze flapjacks in my opinion are one of the tastiest offerings they do (although I have to say pretty much the entire range is delicious and the variety is fab). Their flapjacks have a lovely texture, soft and squidgy and almost like fudge like but with an oaty texture you can really feel and taste. They're sweet but not overly so and are a nice sensible portion.

Like all other flapjacks in their range, these are beautifully coloured and look very appetising. I like the fact they are cut into three slim rectangles to make the snack last a bit longer (and I have on very self conrolled ocassions been known to use this to eat the pieces in seperate snack occasions!).

The flapjack has a nice festive smell, not overly so but you do get hints of cinnamon, ginger and cloves and all those lovely Christmas cake spices. Biting in, the texture was perfect as always. Dense, chewy and satisfying and with a lovely buttery, rich taste. It's slightly gooey and feels like a real treat.

Now, I didn't think the flapjack tasted particularly like mince pie, I guess it's missing the pastry flavour because the base is oats and as it only contains dates (and at just 12%), it's missing that mix of currants and raisins you get in a typical mince pie. But it's not bad at all, in fact it's really rather delicious. It might not taste like mince pie but it is unmistakenly Christmassy.

All the spices blend and complement each other and the sweet, syrupy oats make a great carrier for their sweet, festive flavours. They're not overpowering but you do taste them and it does give a Christmas cake like flavour.

A real winner from Graze for me and worth trying to get hold of one before they disappear

8/10

Available from www.graze.com

Per portion: 234 calories, 11g fat, 3.6g saturated fat and 17g sugars.