26/11/13 - They See Me Grazing

I am a huge snacker.  No matter what I have to eat in a day, I can always sneak in a few cheeky nibbles between meals and unfortunately these snacks tend to be more on the unhealthy side.  This is partly because I am a big fan of crisps and carbs, and partly because it can be tough to find properly healthy snacks that don't feel like a chore to eat.  Sometimes I'm in the mood for chowing down on a bowl of natural yoghurt and banana, but generally a handful of sunflower seeds with a mid-morning green tea feels much more like a punishment than a treat.  Particularly as the weather gets colder, eating healthily can become more of a struggle, as the temptations of Quality Street and mince pies rear their tasty heads.  What to do?

Enter Graze box.  I first signed up to the Graze website a few years ago and have been receiving boxes on and off since then.  For a few pounds, a box of four snack-size portions is delivered right to your door in minimalist and entirely recyclable packaging.  The boxes are tailored to your own tastes; the website displays every snack option which allows you to immediately veto any foods you don't like (for me, that's anything spicy or anything containing dried mango) and also to select which you'd like Graze to 'send soon'.  After each delivery, you're given the opportunity to rate your box which is great for ensuring that each box is full of treats that you'll enjoy!

This box contained three snacks that were new to me and one old favourite which I have permanently marked as 'send soon'.  There's a vast variety of savoury and sweet options, but most of the boxes I've experiences tend to be fairly balanced between the two which is great for making such all cravings are covered.

Raspberry strings, sponge pieces, raspberry
cranberries and almond slices - 131 calories per punnet

I'm normally much more of a savoury girl when it comes to snacking, but I'm a big fan of Graze's mixtures of dried fruit and nuts.  They're occasionally combined with chocolate buttons, tiny biscuits or - as we have here - adorable little drops of sponge.  The raspberry strings tasted like those jelly laces but obviously much less artifical and healthier!  This made a brilliant post-work snack to combat a little sweet craving that I would normally have satisfied with a chocolate digestive or three.

Cheese croutons, tomato baguettes,
and tomato and herb almonds - 115 calories per punnet

This was a revelation and everything about it was perfect for my savoury cravings.  I particularly enjoyed the tomato and herb almonds; I wish they were readily available from supermarkets although it's probably best they're not as I would just eat them ALL the time.

Poppyseed pretzels with chocolate
dipping sauce - 97 calories per punnet

I enjoyed this with a mid-afternoon coffee on my day off and my word, it felt decadent.  The pretzels are cute and the chocolate sauce is nice and thick, not too artifically sweetened.  There also seemed to be a decent pretzel:sauce ratio, which some of the dipping snacks from Graze haven't quite mastered.

Wholegrain oatbakes with caramelised
onion marmalade - 114 calories per punnet

Aah Bonnie Wee Oatbakes, we meet again.  This is probably my favourite Graze box snack of all time and I'm always happy to see it when I open the lid.  I find it to be the best kind of comfort food; wholesome oaty goodness topped with sweet, tangy marmalade.  Can't get better than that.

And, as you can see, not one of these portions exceeds 150 calories with three quarters coming in under the 120 calorie mark.  The snack-sized punnets are my favourite thing about this box, as portion control is something I struggle with.  I managed to make this box last me a week, but even if you barrelled your way through all four over a couple of days there would be no reason to feel guilty.  They're great to pop in your bag to eat at work or on your afternoon commute home, and really pack a punch energy-wise.  I find my hunger pangs satisfied for much longer after one of these snacks than if I indulge in a chocolate bar or bag of crisps.

If you'd like to jump on the Graze box bandwagon, head to their website and sign up using this code: 44QZDY47B - this will allow you to get your first, fifth and tenth boxes totally free as opposed to the usual £3.89!  It's a deal you can't afford to miss out on, especially when you consider the sheer amount of options they have to offer.  There's something for everyone!

And no, Graze aren't paying me or offering me a free box for this review - it's just a service that I couldn't live without and think everyone should experience.  However, if they were offering me something free, I wouldn't be averse to that...

Have you tried Graze boxes?  Are you tempted to try them now?  Let me know in the comments!