Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 05.01.24
Hello 2024! Let’s kick things off with the FIRST Weekly Pinch of Shopping of the new year…
The festive indulgence over and we know lots of you are feeling ready to get back on track, write a healthy shopping list and plan some slimming-friendly meals this week – as always, we’re here to help!
Whether you’re giving Veganuary a go, or simply looking for some lower calorie meal ideas, you’ll love the Plant Menu No Pork Patties we’ve spotted in Aldi. They’re ideal for creating a slimming-friendly version of your favourite drive-through breakfast order.
And, talking of breakfast, if you like to start your day with some slow-release energy, grab yourself a few of the new Banoffee-flavoured protein oat pots we’ve found. Scroll down to find out everything you need to know!
January is the perfect time for a fresh start, so if you’re thinking New Year, New Plan, make sure you’ve got a fresh Pinch of Nom planner all ready to go! The Family Meal Planner has everything you need to get organised…plus 26 exclusive recipes inside. You can order a copy right here.
Pinch of Nom: Express is out NOW! Thank you SO MUCH for all the love you’ve been showing our brand-new book. It made our year to see how many of you tried and loved the recipes…and we never get bored, so keep those photos coming!
If you’ve made any of the new dishes, we’d love you to share photos with us in our Gallery, on our Facebook group or over on instagram @pinchofnom.
You can order a copy here if you still need to grab one!
You can always 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!**
Plant Menu No Pork Patties – 104 calories per patty
No matter if you’re joining in with Veganuary, or simply cutting down on meat, you won’t feel like you’re missing out with a pack of these Plant Menu No Pork Patties in the freezer. Made with pea protein and fava bean flour, the breakfast sausage-style patties are delicious any time of day – and only 104 calories each.
Ready to be cooked straight from the freezer, you can fry them with a few spritzes of low-calorie cooking spray in just 7 minutes.
Eating vegan-friendly food doesn’t have to mean giving up your favourite snacks! Our easy Vegan Sausage Rolls give the bakery a run for its money, and you only need a couple of ingredients to rustle up a batch.
Plant Menu No Pork Patties are available from Aldi, priced at £1.99 for a pack of 4.
Merchant Gourmet Zesty Coconut Lime Leaf Wholegrain & White Rice – 183 calories per serving
There’s nothing wrong with taking a shortcut in the kitchen, especially when it comes to rice! We love these pouches of Merchant Gourmet Zesty Coconut Lime Leaf Wholegrain and White Rice when we need a side dish in a hurry.
Packed with flavour and fibre, the microwave-friendly rice is ready in minutes, perfect for serving with stir-fried veggies or a Thai-inspired main meal.
We’ll be serving ours with a portion of this creamy Vegetarian Thai-Style Green Curry. It’s fragrant, quick to make and only 170 calories…what more could you ask for?
Merchant Gourmet Zesty Coconut Lime Leaf Wholegrain & White Rice is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.00 per pouch.
Finnebrogue Naked Chicken Chipolatas – 141 calories per 100g
These Finnebrogue Naked Chicken Chipolatas are a handy source of protein, and good for your gut too! The lean sausages are made with chicory fibre, British chicken and a herby blend of seasonings, for a healthy boost to your digestive system.
As well as being slimming friendly and gluten free, these chicken chipolatas are juicy and succulent, making them a versatile ingredient to have stocked in your fridge for January.
Why not throw a few into your slow cooker the next time you fancy a warming, no-effort dinner? You can never go wrong with our Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole.
Finnebrogue Naked Chicken Chipolatas are available from Morrisons, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 10.
Morrisons Sweetcorn & Peppers in Water – 61 calories per 1/2 can
When it comes to your 5-a-day, fresh, frozen and tinned fruits and vegetables all count! If you find you don’t always get through fresh veggies before they start to go off, grab a couple of tins of Sweetcorn and Peppers in Water from Morrisons this week.
Served hot or cold, the crunchy medley of corn and red peppers will keep in the cupboard until you fancy adding it to stir-fries and salads or serving it as a side dish. You’ll get 1 of your 5-a-day from tucking into just half of the can.
These tinned veggies will come in so handy the next time you make our Savoury Rice recipe – it calls for sweetcorn and red peppers, as well as peas, carrots and mushrooms.
Morrisons Sweetcorn & Peppers in Water is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.00 per can.
Tesco Chickpea & Apricot Tagine – 173 calories per 1/2 can
Speaking of things you can store in your cupboards for a rainy day, we’ve spotted these cans of Chickpea and Apricot Tagine at Tesco. Mildly-spiced and vegan-friendly, it makes for a quick and easy lunch that won’t take you off track.
The protein-rich chickpeas come in an aromatic, Moroccan-inspired tomato sauce, with apricots for a pop of sweetness. We’re betting they’d taste even better spooned on top of some fluffy couscous!
Even when the clock is against you, this Vegetable Couscous can be whipped up on your lunch break. In just 11 minutes your plate will be filled with colour and flavour – all for just 153 calories per serving.
Tesco Chickpea & Apricot Tagine is available from Tesco, priced at £1.50 per can.
The Coconut Collaborative Cherry & Coconut Dairy-Free Yoghurt – 95 calories per pot
These Cherry and Coconut Dairy-Free Yoghurts from The Coconut Collaborative are so creamy, you’d never know from the taste that they’re 100% plant-based. Super fruity and low in calories, they’ll take the edge off your sweet tooth the next time it’s calling out for a treat!
By using fresh, rich coconut milk instead of dairy, these yoghurts have a lovely, luxurious texture with plenty of calcium and Vitamin D in the mix.
If you can’t resist the tempting sweetness of juicy cherries, you seriously need to give our Cherry Pie Turnovers a try! A bag of frozen fruit will do the job nicely, and there’s no faffing with pastry – we’re using tortilla wraps instead.
The Coconut Collaborative Cherry & Coconut Dairy-Free Yoghurts are available from Tesco, priced at £2.95 for a pack of 4.
Tindle Nuggets – 151 calories per 60g portion
Shhh…no one needs to know there’s no actual chicken in these crispy Tindle Nuggets! New at Morrisons, the frozen nuggets can go straight into the oven or air fryer as a healthier alternative to a trip to the drive-through.
The golden breadcrumb batter will cook to crunchy perfection, with a juicy middle that tastes just as delicious as chicken (even though it’s completely made from plant-based ingredients!).
It’s no secret that we love nuggs! Too good to save for the kids, homemade nuggets for dinner feels like a treat, even when you’re making one of our slimming-friendly recipes. Trust us, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried our Spicy Chicken Nuggets…
Tindle Nuggets are available from Morrisons, priced at £4.00 for a 260g box.
Morrisons Cook It Firecracker Chicken Noodle Pan Fry – 337 calories per 1/2 pack
A new addition to Morrisons’ Cook It range, this Firecracker Chicken Noodle Pan Fry goes from pan to plate in 10 minutes. Faster than ordering from the takeaway, the spicy chicken and noodles bring fiery flavour for just 337 calories per portion.
Ready in 3 simple steps, each pack includes chicken and vegetables, noodles and a sachet of sauce to add at the end. No prepping or chopping required!
If you like the idea of a quick noodle dish, but you’d prefer something a little milder, our Spicy Chicken Noodles are the answer. Since you’re in charge of the cooking, you can decide how much chilli goes into the pan. Use mild curry powder and deseed the chilli to make this recipe nice and family-friendly.
Morrisons Cook It Firecracker Chicken Noodle Pan Fry is available from Morrisons, priced at £5.50 for a pack that serves 2.
Wibble Raspberry Vegan Jelly Crystals – 20 calories per serving (prepared)
When you need a low-calorie sweet treat, a bowlful of wibbly wobbly jelly is always a good idea. Great for Veganuary (or all year round if you’re vegan!) we’ve found these Wibble Raspberry Vegan Jelly Crystals at Tesco.
Just 20 calories per serving, the low-sugar, plant-based jelly is made from all-natural ingredients. Mix it up with boiling water and leave it to set overnight for a fruity fun pudding the next day!
We’d use it to make our easy-peasy Trifle recipe! Just bear in mind that you’d need to use plant-based yoghurt and aerosol cream if you wanted to keep it vegan-friendly.
Wibble Raspberry Vegan Jelly Crystals are available from Tesco, priced at £1.10.
Harvest Morn Banoffee Flavour Protein Oats – 272 calories per serving
Sometimes it’s just as exciting to spot a new flavour as it is to spot a new product! We love Aldi’s Harvest Morn Protein Oats and now they’re available in a snazzy Banoffee flavour.
Kick-start your day with 13g of protein and plenty of slow-release energy from the oats. As well as being quick and convenient to prepare, they’ll keep you going all the way through to lunchtime without any tummy rumbling!
With a batch of overnight oats on hand, you’ll never need to stop at the bakery on the way to work. These Tiramisu Overnight Oats are our current favourite, especially because they taste exactly like the top tier coffee-flavoured dessert! There’s no better way to start the day.
Harvest Morn Banoffee Flavour Protein Oats are available from Aldi, priced at 85p per pot.
NEW 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 the rundown of this week’s Super 6 offering, along with some recipe ideas for you.
Spring onions – 32 calories per 100g
Whether in a salad or a stir-fry, spring onions add a lovely crunch and a burst of fresh flavour. They’re great when they’re cooked and equally delicious raw, sliced and sprinkled as a garnish.
Grab a bunch while they’re in the Super 6, and use them as an excuse to make our Stir-fried Beef with Ginger and Spring Onion for your next fakeaway night.
Red grapefruit – 42 calories per 100g
Bursting with immune-boosting vitamin C, grapefruit makes a refreshing addition to your breakfast-time routine. It’s known for having a bitter taste, but a sprinkle of sweetener can take the edge off the tang if you like things less sour.
Add a few slices on the side of your brekkie – the citrusy flavour is delicious with the savoury flavours of our Greek-Style Omelette Wrap.
Celery – 14 calories per 100g
Along with onions and carrots, celery is traditionally used as the base for a whole host of sauces, stews and soups. The low-calorie veggie might not be your favourite snack (although it’s delicious dunked in a tasty homemade dip) but you’ll hardly taste it when it’s cooked down into a dish.
Dice up these celery sticks and add them to the pot to make this hearty Ham and Bean Casserole – it’s a tried and trusted winter warmer.
Miniature potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
These little potatoes have a dense texture and hold their shape well when cooked – so they’re super versatile!
If you’re looking for something a little bit different for your roast dinner plate this Sunday, our Garlic and Parmesan Potatoes are a delight. The salty, savoury, cheesy coating gets golden and crispy in the oven, for mouthwatering flavour in every bite.
Avocado – 160 calories per 100g
Full of healthy fats, you can’t go wrong with avocados in your daily meal plan. With a rich, buttery taste and texture, you can always turn them into a tasty toast-topper, or a yummy Mexican-style guacamole dip.
For our fiery Harissa Eggs, we’ve topped crispy wholemeal bread with mashed avocado and a spicy harissa-infused fried egg. If you’d prefer a non-spicy version of this recipe, use red or green pesto instead.
Royal Gala apples – 52 calories per 100g
Royal Gala are pink-red dessert apples with a mild sweet flavour and a crisp texture. They’re perfect for snacking and best eaten raw, although they’re delicious when you use them for our Apple Pie Porridge recipe.
With nutmeg, cinnamon and honey in the mix, you’ll bring out the best flavour from the fruit, turning breakfast time into the tastiest meal of the day!
**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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