Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 29.07
It’s officially Friday, so grab your Family Meal Planner and get ready to make a list – the new Weekly Pinch of Shopping is here!
This week we’ve spotted lots of freezer essentials that’ll make it easier to cook a healthy homemade dinner, rather than reach for the takeaway menu. You’re going to love the frozen cubes of soup we’ve found. You can cook a perfect portion in minutes, with no prep and no waste!
Need a pudding for a special occasion? We’ve got two words for you: Toblerone Cheesecake. Trust us, you’re going to want to scroll to the bottom for all the details…
Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, we’re so excited that our brand new food planner is OUT NOW! The Pinch of Nom Family Meal Planner is our most family-friendly food planner yet – it’s ideal for planning your meals and organising what you need to buy (plus there are 26 exclusive new recipes inside!). You can order your copy here.
Don’t forget to let us know if you’ve tried any of the recipes from Pinch of Nom Comfort Food! We’d LOVE to know which dishes are your favourites! If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, you can order yours right here.
You can share your recipes and photos by posting over in our Facebook group, where you’ll also find our members having a good old chat about lots of these shopping items too. You can join the group by clicking here. Make sure to let us know if you spot any yummy looking, slimming-friendly new products on the supermarket shelves – we might just feature them in our next article!
Our Weekly Pinch of Shopping list aims to show you slimming-friendly products that you can find online or in one of your local supermarkets. We try to make it as easy as possible for you to pick up these items as part of your usual weekly shop, and we’ll always include the calorie information and the RRP for you.
Please remember that, although all prices are correct at the time of writing, supermarkets can change their prices often, so this should be used as a guide only.
Along with our favourite new finds from the supermarket shelves, each week we include details of the Aldi Super 6. Every fortnight Aldi discounts a selection of 6 fruits and veggies that you can pick up for a fraction of the price. There’s a fresh selection this week, so scroll down to find out what’s included, along with some ideas on how to make the most of the ingredients.
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**A note on our shopping list: we do not take payment, promotion or gifts for including any of the items mentioned in these articles. We bring them to you because we love them and hope you will too!**
Morrisons Lean Beef Mince 5% Fat – 119 calories per 100g
We all have those nights when we need to rustle up dinner in a hurry. A well-stocked freezer is your best friend on busy days, and you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a bag of this Morrisons Lean Beef Mince 5% Fat tucked away in a drawer.
It’s delicious, low fat British beef that cooks from frozen in just 8 minutes. How handy is that? From cottage pie to lasagne, you’ll be able to easily rustle up a wide variety of hearty, home-cooked family meals.
If you’ve got a couple of spuds, some carrots and a bag of peas, why not serve up this Minced Beef Hotpot for tonight’s dinner? It’s a comforting classic, with golden potatoes on top and a meaty filling with a lovely rich gravy.
Morrisons Lean Beef Mince 5% Fat is available from Morrisons, priced at £4.49 for a 500g bag.
Kind Thins Caramel Nuts & Sea Salt Bars – 93 calories per bar
Made with natural ingredients, you might already have noticed Kind snack bars on the supermarket shelves. Those original versions are made with a mixture of fruits and nuts that are packed with goodness, but also fairly high in calories.
These new Kind Thins Caramel Nuts & Sea Salt Bars are a slimmed-down version of the originals. The thinner, chewy bar is made from 40% mixed nuts and 29% almonds, with a moreish caramel coating. For just 93 calories each, they’re a healthy, nutritious snack that you can take out and about with you.
Have you tried making your own slimming-friendly snacks at home? These Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Bars are so easy to make – and the kids will love helping! The full recipe can be found in our Quick & Easy cookbook.
Kind Thins Caramel Nuts & Sea Salt Bars are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 4.
Merchant Gourmet Ready-To-Eat Green Lentils – 155 calories per 1/4 pack
It’s so much easier to stay on track when you’ve got healthy options in the house that you can cook faster than a takeaway could be delivered. These Merchant Gourmet Ready-To-Eat Green Lentils can be kept in the freezer for a rainy day.
They’re pre-cooked, so you can leave them to defrost overnight in the fridge and then throw them into a salad or heat them up and use them in all kinds of curries and casserole dishes. High in protein and low in calories, lentils aren’t just for vegetarians! We love them in our Sausages with Creamy Lentils recipe – it’s so hearty and filling. You’ll want to serve it with a crusty bread roll to mop up every last bit!
Merchant Gourmet Ready-To-Eat Green Lentils are available from Ocado, priced at £3.50 for a 500g bag.
ASDA Extra Special Wensleydale Cheese, Petit Pois & Red Pepper Quiche – 246 calories per 1/4 quiche
You can’t go wrong with a quiche. Whether it’s for lunch or a light dinner, it’s an easy option that doesn’t disappoint. This ASDA Extra Special Wensleydale Cheese, Petit Pois & Red Pepper Quiche proves just how much flavour can be packed in – it’s filled with chargrilled red peppers, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and sweet spring onions.
Despite the rich, buttery, carrot pastry case, this quiche is just 246 calories per quarter, so you can serve a slice with your favourite slimming-friendly side dishes.
Add a handful of our perfect Homemade Oven Chips to your plate of quiche to turn it into a filling, satisfying midweek meal. Whether you cook them in the oven or in the air fryer, they turn out perfect every time.
ASDA Extra Special Wensleydale Cheese, Petit Pois & Red Pepper Quiche is available from Asda, priced at £3.00.
Wicked Kitchen Cool Triangles – 114 calories per 1/4 pack
Looking for some crunchy, savoury snack inspiration? With a refreshing sour cream flavour, these Wicked Kitchen Cool Triangles are just what you’re after! The triangular, lattice-style crisps are made from potatoes and spinach, and they’re only 114 calories for a quarter of the pack.
Perfect if you get peckish between meals, you can nibble on them in the afternoon or use them to scoop up some hummus or a homemade dip.
Our Spinach and Pesto Dip is made for snacking! Whether you dunk in crisps, pitta bread or chopped veggies, it’s a super quick recipe that’s bursting with flavour.
Wicked Kitchen Cool Triangles are available from Tesco.
ASDA Chicken Katsu – 63 calories per 1/4 pack
We can’t say no to the lightly spiced, aromatic flavour of a katsu curry, so it’s no wonder that this new ASDA Chicken Katsu sandwich filler caught our eye! Inside the tub you’ll find tender chicken breast in a creamy katsu sauce – and all for just 63 calories per serving.
Who says this is just for filling sandwiches? We think it’d be delicious spooned into a crispy jacket potato or scooped on top of a fresh green salad for lunch.
If you’re katsu crazy, you need to try these banging Katsu Curry Burgers! You might think they don’t sound very slimming-friendly, but they’re only 328 calories each (and that’s including the burger bun!).
ASDA Chicken Katsu is available from Asda, priced at £1.60 for a 200g tub.
Young’s Omega 3 Fish Cakes – 174 calories per 2 fish cakes
Made with white fish and parsley, wrapped up in golden breadcrumbs, these Young’s Omega 3 Fish Cakes are another freezer-friendly find! A natural source of Omega 3, they’re made without any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives – just good, healthy ingredients.
They cook from frozen in 15 minutes, so you can throw together a tasty home cooked meal, even on the busiest of days.
Don’t forget to add plenty of fresh vegetables on the side! These Garlic Green Beans are our favourite veggie side dish – trust us, they go with everything!
Young’s Omega 3 Fish Cakes are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.50 for a pack of 6.
ASDA Zesty Lime & Lemon Refresher – 17 calories per 150ml
Fresh and fruity, this ASDA Zesty Lime & Lemon Refresher is every bit as thirst-quenching as it sounds! Made with apple, lime and lemon juice, it’s zingy, sweet and low in calories.
Along with having no nasty additives, this brand-new drink even has added vitamins, so you can sip and get your vitamin C for the day at the same time. Now all we need is a little bit of sunshine so we can enjoy a glass out in the garden!
If you like your drinks extra zesty, don’t miss our Homemade Lemonade recipe! It’s easier to make than you might expect, and it’s only 35 calories per glass.
ASDA Zesty Lime & Lemon Refresher is available from Asda, priced at £1.50 for a 1 litre bottle.
Soupologie Pea & Leek Souper Cubes Soup – 113 calories per serving
How do you like the sound of soup with no prep and no waste? You’re going to love this Soupologie Pea and Leek Souper Cubes Soup. Freshly made and flash frozen to lock in all the goodness and flavours, it comes in pre-portioned cubes so you can serve the perfect amount and save the rest for another day.
Heat up 1 cube for a child’s portion or 2 for an adult – there are just 113 calories per 2-cube serving. Don’t miss the carrot and turmeric flavour of this soup too!
If you prefer to make your own soups from scratch, you won’t regret rustling up our Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Soup one night this week. It’s got bags of flavour and it makes for a ‘souper’ tasty lunch.
Soupologie Pea & Leek Souper Cubes Soup is available from Tesco, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 6 cubes.
Toblerone Cheesecakes – 334 calories per cheesecake
Life’s too short to skip dessert! Being on a slimming journey doesn’t mean saying no to your favourite foods – instead it’s all about moderation. These Toblerone Cheesecakes are well worth working into your weekly meal plan.
An indulgent treat for a special occasion, they have all the flavour of the iconic triangular chocolate bar, with the creamy texture you crave from a cheesecake. We know what we want for pudding this weekend!
If cheesecake is your idea of a dreamy dessert, may we introduce you to one of our most popular recipes…Biscoff Cheesecake. (Pssst…a slice is just 234 calories!)
Toblerone Cheesecakes are available from Asda, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 2.
NEW Aldi Super 6 Fruit and Veg Selection
We love Aldi’s Super 6 selection of fresh fruit and veggies! Each fortnight they choose six different items for a special offer where you can pick them up for much less than the normal price.
Cherries – 50 calories per 100g
Sweet, juicy cherries aren’t just great to look at, they’re also delicious to eat! Keep them in the fridge as a quick grab-and-go snack or enjoy them as part of a scrumptious slimming-friendly dessert. While they can be a little on the pricey side, they’re nice and budget-friendly while they’re in the Super 6 (thanks a bunch, Aldi!). If you love cherry sweetness, you should try our Bakewell Baked Oats in the morning. A fruity breakfast treat, every spoonful will wake you right up – rain or shine!
New Potatoes – 65 calories per 100g
At the heart of a meal or on the side, it’s hard not to love potatoes! Mashed, boiled, fried or oven-baked, they’re a nutritious crowd-pleaser you can count on. Waxy varieties like these early potatoes are perfect for fuss-free dishes like Potato Salad – they’re so easy to throw into the pan with the skin on! Their thin skin adds a satisfying bite that goes so well with our homemade, creamy chive dressing.
Spring Onions – 32 calories per 100g
A must-add ingredient for stir-fries, soups or salads, spring onions will freshen up any dish in an instant. Their satisfying onion crunch is so easy to include in your cooking, and packed with vitamin goodness! They’re even more of a key ingredient in Chinese takeaway inspired dishes like our Beef and Spring Onion Chow Mein. With fresh veggies, tender strips of beef and egg noodles, it’s the perfect family-friendly dish for Fakeaway night!
Mango – 60 calories per 100g
Fresh and delicious, mangos come jam-packed with satisfying sweetness, and heaps of vitamins and minerals. While we wouldn’t recommend eating the skin, you can do (if you want to absorb every last nutrient!). Add a fruity twist to lunchtime with our Chicken and Mango Salad. As packed with colour as it is with flavour, you’ll find juicy mango, zingy lime and lots of other fresh veggies in this snazzy salad.
Avocado – 160 calories per 100g
With their creamy texture and mild flavour, it’s no wonder avocados are a super popular, versatile ingredient. Smashed up, spread over toast or mashed into guacamole, they can make any plateful extra-special in an instant. We love using them to make salsa for our Cheesy Avocado Salsa Wedges. What’s not to love about moreish avocado salsa, melty cheese, spices and sour cream over crispy potato wedges? And for only 361 calories per portion…
Blueberries – 57 calories per 100g
High in potassium and vitamin C, it’s well worth grabbing a juicy punnet of blueberries to enjoy over the course of the week. Full of nutrients and low in calories, they’re a notoriously delicious superfood for good reason. The tartness of blueberries makes for a dreamy combination with sweet peaches in our Peach and Blueberry Tart bake. So quick and easy to make, it only gets better with a drizzle of honey.
**Remember: we do not take payment, promotion or gift for any of the items mentioned in these articles. We bring them to you because we love them and hope you will too!**
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