The Weekly Pinch of Shopping: Slimming-friendly Mexican Fakeaway Finds 21.02.25
Woo, it’s Friday and there’s only one way to celebrate: with a fiesta!! This brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping is jam-packed with slimming-friendly Mexican fakeaway picks that we know you’ll love.
It’s difficult to miss the M&S Collection Purple Flesh Sweet Potatoes. The unusual-coloured spuds aren’t just really healthy, they also put a funky-looking twist on lots of tasty recipes – like our very own Sweet Potato Tacos!
Plus, we’ve found a frozen treat that’s bound to divide opinion: Doughlicious Extra Flamin’ Hot Cookie Dough and Gelato Bites. They’re a weird yet wonderful low-calorie ice cream that’s coated in a layer of smoky chipotle crumb – yes, really!
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Finding the motivation to meal-plan every single week isn’t always easy. We’ve done the hard work for you, by planning out two weeks’ worth of meals, counting the calories and writing out printable shopping lists you can take on the go with you.
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Spotted any yummy-looking, slimming-friendly products at the supermarket lately? Share them with us – they might feature in our next article! You can also join the discussion in our Facebook group here.
Our Weekly Pinch of Shopping highlights budget-friendly, slimming-friendly products available in local supermarkets and online. We include calorie information and RRP, though prices may vary.
Each week, we also feature Aldi’s Super 6 deals – a fortnightly selection of discounted fruits and vegetables – along with recipe ideas to help you make the most of them. This week we’ve given you a reminder of the current selection, so hurry down to Aldi to pick up some bargains before a fresh selection goes on offer next week!
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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!**
1. Iceland Mini Corn Cobs – 80 calories per 100g serving
You can’t have a Mexican-inspired fakeaway feast without corn on the cob! You can pick up a bumper bag of bright yellow Mini Corn Cobs from Iceland for just two quid at the mo – and they’re cracking to have stashed in the freezer.
There are lots of different ways to get them prepped, from steaming to oven-baking. We like to pop them in our air fryer until they’re golden and crunchy.
We use full-sized cobs for our Mexican Corn on the Cob side dish, but there’s nothing to stop you making the most of these adorable minis instead.
You can’t go wrong with our slimming-friendly homemade rub made from fat-free yoghurt, tangy feta, fiery chilli powder and a hint of salt.
Garnish with paprika, coriander and a squeeze of lime to unlock even more flavour.
Iceland Mini Corn Cobs are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 per bag.
2. Gran Luchito Creamy Jalapeno Sauce – 71 calories per 100g
A Mexican feast just isn’t the same without jalapenos. This easy-drizzle Gran Luchito Creamy Jalapeno Sauce adds instant magic to countless meals, from lunchtime salads and wraps to oven-baked burritos, tacos or burgers.
While our hearty Beef and Bean Burrito Bake already has sliced jalapenos on top, there’s nothing to stop you stirring a drop or two inside of each burrito if you fancy taking things up a spice level.
We’ve used thin, spring onion omelettes instead of tortilla wraps for this recipe; it doesn’t just keep the calories lower, it makes every serving gluten-free too.
Gran Luchito Creamy Jalapeno Sauce is available from Tesco, priced at £3.50 per bottle.
3. Heinz Beanz Chilli – 164 calories per 1/2 can
We’ll hold our hands up! These tins of Heinz Beanz in Chilli flavour have been around for a little while, but this is the first time they’ve been part of a range of Mexican-inspired goodies in Aldi’s Specialbuy aisle.
They’ve all arrived just in time to celebrate National Margarita Day on the 22nd of February – cheers to that!
With our Baked Bean Chilli recipe, it’s easier than you might think to rustle up a flavour-filled family dinner without breaking the bank.
Aside from chilli-infused mince and fresh veggies, a tin of baked beans (Heinz Beans Chilli, or normal!) is a must-have ingredient for this humble crowd-pleaser.
You can find the full recipe for this one on pages 124-125 of our Budget book.
Heinz Beanz Chilli tins are available from Aldi in the Specialbuy aisle, priced at 99p per tin.
4. M&S Collection Purple Flesh Sweet Potatoes – 98 calories per 100g
As soon as we heard the buzz around M&S stocking these Purple Flesh Sweet Potatoes, we knew we had to hunt them down. These unique-looking spuds are actually some of the healthiest you can buy, since they’re loaded with healthy antioxidants.
Bear in mind they have a drier, starchier texture than their orange counterparts, so they’ll need a longer cooking time.
As soon as we spotted them, we saw a chance to put a funky-looking twist on our Sweet Potato and Coconut Tacos. These lovely little wraps have a rich and creamy filling that’s low in calories, without compromising on flavour.
We like to serve them with some pickled onions on top for a lip-smacking finish.
M&S Collection Purple Flesh Sweet Potatoes are available from M&S and Ocado, priced at £3.00 per bag.
5. Fiesta Special Wholegrain Spicy Rice – 203 calories per 1/2 pack
Does anyone go to Aldi and stick firmly to their list? Our head is always turned by something unexpected, like these Fiesta Special Wholegrain Spicy Rice packs. They’re newly stocked in the Specialbuy aisle, which means you’ll want to grab them while you can.
A ready-mixed blend of wholegrain rice, sweetcorn, beans and finely-chopped jalapenos, all you need to do is pop them in the microwave and wait for the beep.
They’re great to have on standby for speedy midweek dinners, or they’ll make a filling addition to your lunchbox.
The bursts of spice from jalapeno would pair amazingly well with our slimming-friendly Chicken Burritos for an easy fakeaway tea.
We’ve bundled them up with spiced chicken, black beans and Basmati rice, tangy cheese and (most importantly) plenty of punchy guacamole.
Fiesta Special Wholegrain Spicy Rice is available from Aldi in the Specialbuy aisle, priced at 75p per pack.
6. M&S Pulled Fajita Spiced Chicken Thighs – 323 calories per serving
From Gochujang chicken to BBQ beef brisket, there are a variety of new, ready-to-cook boxes to choose from in M&S this week. These M&S Pulled Fajita Spiced Chicken Thighs bring restaurant-like flavours home, and they’re so easy to prepare.
Simply leave the thighs to bubble in the rich, tomatoey sauce until they’re fall-off-the-fork shreddable. You get the benefit of flavour like they’ve been slow-cooked for hours – served in just 45 minutes!
It’s no secret that we love a creamy chicken dish at Pinch of Nom. This Creamy Fajita Chicken never gets boring, since you can serve it with pasta, rice, or even potatoes for a hearty, warming dinner.
Reduced-fat cream cheese brings the creaminess, while fajita seasoning has the subtle spices covered.
M&S Pulled Fajita Spiced Chicken Thighs are available from Ocado and M&s, priced at £16.00 for a pack that serves 4.
7. Fiesta Chilli Taco Bowl Kit – 120 calories per 1/5 pack
It’s hard to miss this Fiesta Chilli Taco Bowl Kit in the Specialbuy aisle at Aldi. The wraps, salsa and seasoning are already sorted, you’ll just need to add minced beef, a pepper and an onion to your basket too.
The recipe recommends using a muffin tin to scrunch your tortilla wraps into shape, but we know from our own slimming-friendly Slow Cooker Chilli Bowls that you can also use regular bowls – as long as they are safe to go in the oven!
At only 345 calories, our version makes for a light midweek dinner option that’ll soon become a warming family favourite. Why not throw in a few extra veggies with a tasty side-serving of green beans?
Fiesta Chilli Taco Bowl Kits are available from Aldi in the Specialbuy aisle, priced at £2.29 per kit.
8. Crème Caramel Milk Desserts with Caramel Sauce – 110 calories per pot
Finishing a Mexican-inspired fakeaway feast calls for something light and creamy, and these Crème Caramel Milk Desserts with Caramel Sauce tick both of those boxes – for only 110 calories per pot!
You don’t need to microwave or prep them; just keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to dig in with your spoon.
Just when you think these Creamy Lime and Coconut Pots can’t get any dreamier, you’ll reach the crunchy base of crushed Lotus Biscoff biscuits.
We’ve used nifty reduced-fat swaps to make our cream thick and smooth, and swirled it all together with a key fiesta staple: zingy lime juice.
Crème Caramel Milk Desserts with Caramel Sauce are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.25 for a pack of 4 pots.
9. Specially Selected Chipotle Mayo Handcooked Crisps – 157 calories per 30g serving
We realise we’ve mentioned Aldi a lot this week, but it’s hard not to when they’ve got so many yummy goodies in stock, and these bags of Specially Selected Chipotle Mayo Handcooked Crisps are no exception.
If you love a savoury snack with a crunch, you can’t go wrong picking these up. They’re crinkle cut and coated with a blend of sweet yet spicy chipotle-mayo flavours.
Go on, treat yourself to a big shareable plate of our vibrant Honey and Lime Pork Nachos!
Topped off with spicy-honey pork mince, melty cheese and salsa, they’re the ultimate snack for a family film night. Just don’t forget to whip up the dip!
Specially Selected Chipotle Mayo Handcooked Crisps are available from Aldi in the Specialbuys aisle, priced at £1.15 per pack.
10. Doughlicious Extra Flamin’ Hot Cookie Dough & Gelato Bites – 102 calories per piece
Chances are you’ve never tried anything like these Doughlicious Extra Flamin’ Hot Cookie Dough and Gelato Bites before! Whether that’s a good or bad thing, we’ll let you be the judge.
We’re talking about balls of ghost chilli infused ice cream, coated in a smoky layer of chipotle crumb cookie dough.
At 102 calories per doughlicious bite, we’d say they’re well worth a go – if you think you can handle the heat.
A batch of Sweet Tacos might sound strange, but trust us, these ones are scrumptious! We’ve used soft tacos and coated them in a sweet, cinnamon-infused mixture, before baking them in the oven until they’re golden and crunchy.
There’s no better way to end a Mexican-style menu!
Doughlicious Extra Flamin’ Hot Cookie Dough & Gelato Bites are available from M&S and Ocado, priced at £4.00 per pack.
REMINDER Aldi Super 6 Fruit and Veg Selection
We love Aldi’s fortnightly selection of fresh fruit and veggies! They choose different items for a special offer where you can pick them up for much less than the normal price.
Here’s our reminder of this week’s Super 6 selection:
- Brown Onions – 40 calories per 100g
- Baking Potatoes – 63 calories per 100g
- Chantenay Carrots – 35 calories per 100g
- Large Flat Mushrooms – 16 calories per 100g
- Royal Gala Apples – 52 calories per 100g
- Garlic – 5 calories per clove
**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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