As a single mum on a limited budget, I try to be sensible when it comes to food shopping. (Well, all shopping really, but my shopaholic tendencies aren’t actually the topic here!) I currently do my main weekly shop at Aldi, and I am generally really pleased with the quality of produce that I find there. There aren’t many shops where you can pull off a full weekly shop for approximately £30!
The other day, however, I found myself wandering the aisles of Sainsburys and couldn’t help but notice that there are a whole heap of exciting looking items that you just don’t find in your budget supermarkets. Quite randomly I found myself going on a bit of a haul of luxury beverages. I didn’t realised until I got to the checkout that most of things I had picked up would be finding their way into my tea and coffee cupboard.
Now, I love myself a good haul blog/vlog and so I thought I would indulge myself by talking you through some of the goodies that I came home with.
Twinings Earl Grey Plummy Tea – £3.50 for 12 teabags
Twinings Pluumy Earl Grey TeaEarl Grey tea is by far my preferred hot beverage and so when I caught sight of the very pretty packaging for this new flavour Twinings tea I knew I had to give it a try. The tea was slightly darker and smokier in taste than I would usually go for so I did have to add some sugar to sweeten it. I tried drinking it without any milk, as I wasn’t sure that the plum taste would suit being a milky drink, but I might try it with a splash next time to see what happens. The taste was still quite pleasant though and although I’m not sure I’ll be rushing to repurchase, it did make a nice change from my plain cup of Early Grey.
- Cadburys Instant Hot Chocolate.
This is one of my old faithful hot drinks. Hot chocolate made with milk can be nice, but can also be fiddly and take too long. This baby is real quick and easy. Just whack 3-4 spoonfuls of the hot chocolate mix into some boiling water and voila! Instant hot chocolate ( I guess that’s why they write it on the tub). This is such a yummy drink, not too bitter, not too sickly and it’s great served with marshmallows.
- Choc Shots Chocolate Sauce – £3.50 per bottle
I first saw this Hot Chocolate mix on Helen Anderson’s YouTube channel, in a blog she did about her hot chocolate addiction. Check it out here if you want to see all of her recommendations. When I saw the bottle just sitting there on the top shelf in Sainsburys I decided I would take her advice and give it a try. I don’t think I was particularly blown away. Don’t get me wrong – it was nice. But just nice…. I might try it again with a little more chocolate sauce to give it a bit more oomph. It was a little weak. You can also use the sauce for other things – on desserts and stuff, but I haven’t tried those yet. I’m not sure I’d buy it again but I definitely will be experimenting with other uses for it before I give up entirely.
4. Monin Caramel Syrup – £3.00 a bottle
Monin Syrup CaramelIf I happen to be passing a Starbucks, Costa or any other random coffee shop, you can pretty much guess I will be ordering a Caramel Latte. My best friend introduced me to them years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. However, I usually don’t have time in the morning to find my way to a coffee shop and besides, at roughly £3 a pop it could become a very costly habit. And that is where this little beauty comes in. You can get Monin syrup in a number of flavours – vanilla, gingerbread, but my absolute favourite is the caramel. At just £3 for a bottle, I can easily reproduce my favourite coffee shop drink in the comfort of my own home and for a fraction of the cost – heaven!
5. Twinings Smoky Lapsang tea – £2.50 for 20 teabags
This is a pretty good example of marketing at its best. This packaging is so pretty, all pink and swirly, that it completely drew me in. I don’t even like smoky teas but I really, really wanted to have this in my house. Besides, I do know a few people who do like this tea and it’s always nice to have a variety of drinks to offer people when they come to visit so it wasn’t a completely stupid purchase. Honest.
And that, my friends, is that. I shall enjoy drinking my way through these (not including the lapsang) and will also keep my eyes out of other exciting beverages that might be open for the taking.
So, what’s your hot drink of choice? Leave a comment letting me know in the comments section below.