Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 03.06
It’s June, it’s a bank holiday AND we’ve got a brand new Weekly Pinch of Shopping for you! Fridays don’t get much better than this.
If you’re nipping to the shops to grab a few last minute bits for your bank holiday weekend, we’ve spotted some goodies you’ll want to add onto the list. Need something sweet to take to a buffet? Look no further than the profiteroles we’ve seen in Sainsbury’s – they’re topped with white chocolate fondant (YUM).
And, if you’ve been dreaming of burger night all week, feast your eyes on the new Nacho Cheese Beef Burgers from Iceland. Oh my word…
Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, we’re so excited that our brand new food planner is out on June 23rd! 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 still be one of the first to grab one by pre-ordering a 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!**
Heinz Beanz Houmous Butternut – 112 calories per 1/2 pack
With no chickpeas in sight, this is not your traditional houmous dip! Heinz has declared a ‘Beanvolution’ with this new Beanz Houmous. The Butternut Squash flavour caught our eye, although it’s also available in a classic, unflavoured version.
To lock in maximum goodness, the creamy dip is made from cold-pressed haricot beans, blended up with roasted butternut squash, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary, until it’s silky smooth. Smear some on a pitta, dunk in your carrot stick or spoon some onto a sandwich – it has bags of flavour and it’s good for you too!
Fancy having a go at making your own homemade dip? This Spinach and Pesto Dip never disappoints! It’s super fresh and full of green goodness.
Heinz Beanz Houmous Butternut is available from Ocado, priced at £2.00.
Chipotle & Lime Fajita Kit – 311 calories per serving
If fajita night is always a family favourite in your house, how about giving your dinner a summery makeover? This Chipotle and Lime Fajita Kit is Sainsbury’s fresh take on the Mexican-inspired classic.
Inside the kit you’ll not only get punchy BBQ seasoning and a zingy lime, red pepper and chipotle salsa, there are 8 flour tortillas too. Perfect for serving 4, you can cook some chicken, steak or just veggies in that sizzling seasoning and then wrap it up with all your favourite toppings. Perfect for a midweek fiesta!
If you like your spices mild, wait until you try our Creamy Fajita Chicken. With all the flavour you love, this is a super easy weekday meal that you can serve in loads of different ways – add a scoop of rice or pasta, or even a handful of chips.
Chipotle & Lime Fajita Kit is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.95.
Morrisons Defrost & Serve Couscous Salad – 353 calories per pack
A frozen salad – yes really! This has got to be up there with one of the easiest lunch options we’ve spotted recently. Morrisons Defrost and Serve Couscous Salad does exactly what its name suggests.
Take it out of the freezer at least 8 hours before you want to tuck in, and leave it to defrost in the fridge. Give it half an hour to stand at room temperature before you take that first bite and you’ll have a delicious meal of giant couscous, cucumber, peppers and cherry tomatoes in a tangy tomato dressing (without any cooking, chopping or mixing!). The whole pack comes in at 353 calories, so share it between 2 people if you’re adding some meat or fish, or enjoy the whole thing as a filling, veggie lunch!
When you’ve got a few more mouths to feed, you can always whip up our Jewelled Giant Couscous recipe. It’ll serve 6 as a side dish and it can be made from scratch in under 20 minutes.
Morrisons Defrost & Serve Couscous Salad is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.99 for a 350g pack.
Tesco Coronation Mayonnaise – 38 calories per serving
Even if you’re not planning a big bank holiday shindig, this Tesco Coronation Mayonnaise is something to be celebrated! Lightly spiced with curry powder and garlic puree, it’s an instant burst of flavour for your plate.
Spread a little on a sandwich or squeeze some over your chips for a lovely, mild hit of curry. At 38 calories for a 15g serving, a little bit goes a long way.
For a lighter twist on this classic flavour, our Coronation Chickpeas recipe swaps out mayo for fat free Greek yoghurt. This gives the finished dish a delish, fresh taste without compromising on all those aromatic curried flavours.
Tesco Coronation Mayonnaise is available from Tesco, priced at £1.00 for a 280g bottle.
Chupa Chups Strawberry and Cream Ice Cream – 149 calories per lolly
Ready for a tasty treat that’ll bring back some memories? Your favourite lollipop is now an irresistible ice cream! We spied these Chupa Chups Strawberry and Cream Ice Creams at Iceland and we just couldn’t help ourselves.
We’re talking silky smooth strawberry and cream flavoured ice cream with little bits of strawberry caramel candy mixed in, finished with a white chocolate topping. Anyone else suddenly very hungry? At 149 calories per ice cream, these are the perfect after-dinner treats for sunny evenings in the garden.
What if we told you that you could recreate these delicious flavours at home with just a few, simple ingredients? Our Strawberry Cheesecake Frozen Yoghurt is every bit as creamy and indulgent-tasting (without any real cream in sight). That sprinkle of crumbly biscuit is the perfect finishing touch.
Chupa Chups Strawberry and Cream Ice Cream is available from Iceland, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 4.
Oakhurst Cook From Frozen Chicken King Kebab Peri Peri – 301 calories per 1/4 pack
What’s for dinner? If you like the sound of succulent chicken roasted in a hot and spicy peri peri marinade, you need to pop to Aldi! This Oakhurst Cook From Frozen Chicken King Kebab is just as fuss-free as it sounds. It goes from freezer to oven, and you can even finish it off on the barbecue if the weather’s nice.
The tender pieces of chicken leg come ready-marinated and threaded onto wooden skewers, making this the ultimate low-effort meal. Serve with salad, rice or chips for a kebab that’s quicker and cheaper than nipping to the takeaway.
Double up on fiery flavours by pairing your chicken with this Nando’s Spicy Rice. It’s on the table in just half an hour and it tastes almost exactly like the restaurant version!
Oakhurst Cook From Frozen Chicken King Kebab Peri Peri is available from Aldi, priced at £4.99.
Strawberries & Cream Flavoured Infusion Tea Bags – >1 calorie per serving
If you love a cuppa, even when the sun is shining, we’ve got a box of tea bags that you can rely on all summer long. These Strawberries & Cream Flavoured Infusion Tea Bags can be served hot or over ice, so they’re just the ticket, whatever the weather!
The delicate flavour comes from a delicious blend of strawberry, apple and hibiscus, with a hint of vanilla cream to sweeten it all up. Put the kettle on, grab your favourite mug and sip that summery taste!
If you like your strawberry-flavoured drinks with a grown-up twist, dig out the rum and make our Strawberry Daiquiri recipe! The frozen mixture makes this more of a slushy, but you’ll definitely want to keep it away from the kids!
Strawberries & Cream Flavoured Infusion Tea Bags are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.50 for a pack of 20 tea bags.
Mister Free’d Tortilla Chips Avocado & Guacamole – 104 calories per serving
It’s hard to beat a good scoop of guacamole on the perfect crunchy tortilla chip. These Avocado Mister Free’d Tortilla Chips have combined the flavours into one tasty snack, so you can enjoy the taste of guacamole, without the added calories!
High in fibre, gluten free and vegan-friendly, this crunchy treat ticks all the boxes. At just 104 calories for a 20g serving, they’re a healthy choice when you fancy something to nibble on in front of the TV.
Can’t resist dunking your chips in a creamy dip? Our Spiced Edamame Bean Dip has a fraction of the calories you’d find in guacamole, and it’s lighter than shop-bought houmous too! You’ll find the full recipe in our Comfort Food cookbook.
Mister Free’d Tortilla Chips Avocado & Guacamole are available from Tesco, priced at £1.75 for a 135g pack.
Nacho Cheese Beef Burgers – 197 calories per burger
You heard it here first – these are ‘nacho’ usual beef burgers! Spotted in the freezer section at Iceland, it’s no surprise these Nacho Cheese Beef Burgers made it into this week’s shopping list.
You get perfectly seasoned beef patties, with an oozy, spicy nacho cheese centre. Imagine building the Mexican-inspired burger of your dreams; a soft bun, crispy lettuce, juicy tomato and melty cheese beef burgers. You could even throw in a couple of tortilla chips for extra nacho crunch. Yes please!
Cheesy, beefy nachos are always a winner in our house, and these Cheeseburger Nachos go down a storm every time. They can be shared as a snack, or simply serve a bigger portion as a main meal.
Nacho Cheese Beef Burgers are available from Iceland, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 4.
Sainsbury’s Jubilee Profiteroles – 209 calories per 3 profiteroles
If the long bank holiday weekend isn’t a good enough reason for a little chocolate-covered treat, we don’t know what is! From street parties and garden buffets to a simple family meal, you can’t go wrong with these Jubilee Profiteroles from Sainsbury’s.
With sweetened cream inside each little pastry puff, you get a bitesize taste of indulgence – and it’s made even better by the rich white chocolate fondant on top. Believe it or not, you can enjoy 3 of these for just 209 calories, so they make the perfect party pud!
Feeling up to a bank holiday bake off? Whip up your very own batch of Profiteroles using our slimming-friendly recipe (psssst…they’re just 30 calories each!).
Sainsbury’s Jubilee Profiteroles are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 6.
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.
You can grab all of this week’s fresh fruit and veggies for an extra-special Jubilee price of £0.70! Here’s our rundown of the bank holiday’s NEW Super 6 selection:
British Rhubarb – 21 calories per 100g
Aldi’s kicking off its celebratory selection with bright and colourful British rhubarb. This veggie is mostly treated like a fruit in the kitchen; you can bake it, pickle it or add it to salad – there’s no shortage of options! If you’re looking for a pud you can easily make a family-sized portion of over the Jubilee weekend, why not rustle up a fruity crumble? You can add rhubarb pieces to our slimming-friendly Apple Crumble recipe, or swap out apple altogether. The sweet, punchy flavours will be just the ticket in the bank holiday sunshine!
Romaine Lettuce – 17 calories per 100g
Packed with vitamins and high in calcium, romaine lettuce is a great way to add some nutritious goodness to your plate. With a satisfying crunchy texture, romaine lettuce leaves can liven up any salad dish in an instant. The perfect choice for a BBQ spread, you can always use them for a pop of green in our BLT Pasta Salad recipe. It’s so easy and quick to make, there’s no need to be cooped up in the kitchen missing out on all the fun – winner!
Jersey Royal New Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
Everybody loves potatoes! Whether they’re at the heart of a meal or served as an accompaniment, these nutrient-filled, carby root veggies can really make a dish. Easy to throw into the pan with the skin on (no need to chop them up!), waxy varieties like Jersey Royals are perfect for fuss-free recipes like Potato Salad. Their thin skin adds a satisfying bite that goes so well with our homemade, creamy chive dressing.
Looking for more potato-based inspiration for the long weekend? Take a look at our guide on different types of potatoes and how to cook them.
Large Flat Mushrooms – 16 calories per 100g
Flavourful and low on calories, mushrooms are a nutritious ingredient you can use to stodge out any dish. With their filling, meaty texture, they’re an ideal substitute to replace meat entirely in a variety of dishes. Made with flat mushrooms, fresh spinach and creamy ricotta, our Mushroom and Spinach Lasagne is so packed with Mediterranean-inspired deliciousness, there’s no way you’ll miss the meat! Why not ramp up the indulgence with a slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread on the side?
Regal Vine Tomatoes – 18 calories per 100g
Bright, vibrant and full of nutritious goodness, it’s hard to miss vine tomatoes in the supermarket aisle. Full of rich, tomatoey flavour that’s high in vitamins and low in calories, we can’t think of an excuse not to throw them into a tasty midweek dish like our Black Pepper and Parmesan Spaghetti with Garlic and Thyme Tomatoes. Simple to make and ready in just 15 minutes, toss them in with herbs and veggies for only 370 calories per portion.
Asparagus Tips – 25 calories per 100g
If you’re looking for flavour with a crunch, asparagus tips are the way to go! Steamed, grilled or roasted, these mildly-flavoured greens add nutritious goodness to a variety of dishes. In our Creamy Garlic Prawns recipe, asparagus tips provide a delightful pop of green alongside juicy prawns, tomatoes and mushrooms. Packed with garlicky goodness in an indulgent-tasting creamy sauce, this light, seafood dish is yummy enough all on its own or you can serve it on a bed of rice.
**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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