Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 11.03

You made it to FRIDAY! If that’s not exciting enough, we’ve got a BRAND NEW Weekly Pinch of Shopping for you too. Does it get any better?

We’ve been busy scouting all the best slimming friendly supermarket must-haves, and found loads of dinnertime delights to pop in your basket this week. Whether you’re trying to eat less meat or craving some comfort food, we’ve got you covered. Anyone like the sound of Cod, Serrano Ham and Red Pepper Fishcakes?

We’re also SUPER excited about the new flavour of fizzy Tango to hit the shelves. And if you need a snack to go with your glass of pop, how about some Wotsits? We’ve spotted a crunchier, spicier version of the classic cheesy puffs and they look INSANE.

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. 

Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, did you know our Quick & Easy food planner includes handy pull-out shopping list pages? It’s ideal for planning your meals and organising what you need to buy (plus there are 26 exclusive recipes inside!).

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. 

Want to make sure you never miss a Weekly Pinch of Shopping? You can sign up to receive the Weekly Pinch of Shopping in your inbox here, so you’ll always be the first to read the new articles. 

**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 Ratatouille – 79 calories per 100g

We love a good freezer find, and this Morrisons Ratatouille is so handy to have in the house for busy days. With 1 of your 5 a day in every 100g serving, it’s a tasty way to get more goodness into your evening meals. 

The veggie mixture is made up of chopped courgettes, aubergine, onion and peppers, in a rich tomatoey sauce infused with thyme. You can cook the ratatouille straight from frozen – just pop it into a hot pan and stir-fry for around 18 minutes. It’s delicious served with some grilled fish or meat. 

We think it’s the perfect side dish for our Tomato and Basil Chicken. Cook the ratatouille while the chicken’s in the oven and you’ll have yourself a super easy, healthy dinner in well under half an hour.

Morrisons Ratatouille is available from the frozen section of Morrisons, priced at £2.00. 

Tango Berry Peachy Sugar Free – 10 calories per 100ml

Dreaming of summer? This new twist on everyone’s favourite orange fizzy drink is sure to get you in the mood for the sunnier days ahead! Tango Berry Peachy Sugar Free is a fruity blend of orange, peach and raspberry flavours, with no sugar in sight. 

This means you can enjoy a glass of the peachy pop without adding too many extra calories into your day – ideal if you fancy something sweet but don’t want to dive into the biscuit jar. 

While it’s still chilly out there, why not warm up with a fruity sweet treat after dinner? This Summer Berry Cobbler is our slimming friendly take on the classic American-style pud – the crunchy, nutty topping is really something special. 

Tango Berry Peachy Sugar Free is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.75 for a 2 litre bottle. 

ASDA Plant Based Chilli Non Carne – 404 calories 

When you don’t have the time, energy or the ingredients to make something from scratch, having a healthy ready meal in the freezer can save you from reaching for the takeaway menu. This Plant Based Chilli Non Carne from Asda is vegan-friendly, and full of fiery flavour. 

The frozen meal includes balanced nutrition in the form of a soya mince and three bean chilli with a side of fluffy long grain coriander infused rice. At just 404 calories for the full meal, it’s a tasty, time-saving choice for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. 

A ready meal might seem convenient, but we promise you can rustle up our Vegan Chilli in just over half an hour. It’s jam-packed with fibre and filling vegetables, and you can make it as spicy as you like!

ASDA Plant Based Chilli Non Carne is available from Asda, priced at £1.75. 

Bio&Me Super Seedy & Nutty Gut-Loving Porridge Pot – 222 calories per pot

It’s not always easy to find on-the-go breakfast options that are nutritious and full of goodness, but this Bio&Me Super Seedy & Nutty Gut-Loving Porridge Pot ticks all the boxes. You only need to add boiling water, give it a good mix up and leave it to stand for 3 minutes, to end up with perfect, creamy porridge. 

All the ingredients are plant based and the recipe has been packed full of nuts, seeds and prebiotics that promote digestion and a healthy gut. Tucking into this is a surefire way to start your day off on the right foot!

If you prefer your oats to have a fruitier twist, it’s well worth finding a spare 15 minutes in the morning to make a bowlful of this Coconut, Banana and Maple Porridge. The dairy free coconut milk alternative makes these oats seriously creamy – and it keeps the recipe vegan friendly too!

Bio&Me Super Seedy & Nutty Gut-Loving Porridge Pot is available from Ocado, priced at 67p per pot. 

Sainsbury’s Marine Stewardship Council Cod & Serrano Ham Fishcakes with Roasted Red Peppers – 258 calories per fishcake

Whether for lunch or dinner, a fishcake is a tasty, easy option on days when you’re not sure what you fancy. The combination of soft flaky fish and creamy mashed potatoes makes for a hearty and warming comfort food dish. 

These Cod and Serrano Ham Fishcakes with Roasted Red Peppers are a fancy version of the classic recipe, with a golden parmesan cheese and crispy breadcrumb coating. At 258 calories per fishcake, these are light enough to pair with a handful of chips or some salad and a bread roll. 

We love making fishcakes at home – it’s such a clever way to make your fresh fish go that little bit further. These Melt-in-the-Middle Fishcakes from our Everyday Light cookbook are one of our favourites. You can find the full recipe in the book, which you can get your hands on here.

Sainsbury’s Marine Stewardship Council Cod & Serrano Ham Fishcakes with Roasted Red Peppers are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.30 for a pack of 2. 

Morrisons Cook It Ginger, Coriander & Lime Chicken – 218 calories per chicken breast

Some flavours can’t be hurried, but on busy weeknights there isn’t always time to leave ingredients to marinate for hours on end. With this Morrisons Cook It Ginger, Coriander & Lime Chicken, all the hard work has been done for you. 

The succulent chicken breasts come ready-infused with punchy flavours – a perfectly balanced blend of herbs, tangy citrus and warmth coming from the ginger. This makes dinnertime completely faff-free – just pop them in the oven for half an hour. Flavourful and fast is always a winning combo!

If you can spare an hour or so to let your chicken marinate, you can make these unbelievable Sumac Chicken Thighs from scratch. The sumac gives the meat a lovely, tangy taste that really packs a punch. 

Morrisons Cook It Ginger, Coriander & Lime Chicken is available from Morrisons, priced at £4.00 for a pack of 2 chicken breasts. 

Plant Menu No Pork Streaky Bacon Rashers – 60 calories per 2 rashers

Tempted to eat less meat but not sure you can give up the smell of crispy streaky bacon on a Sunday morning? These Plant Menu No Pork Streaky Bacon Rashers may not be the real thing, but they’re 100% tasty. 

Made from wheat and pea protein, they have a deliciously smoky flavour, and they’re so versatile. Just fry them in a pan for 3-5 minutes and then it’s up to you! Turn them into a mouthwatering meat-free bacon sarnie, or chop them up and sprinkle over a salad or your favourite pasta. 

Why not use these rashers to make a veggie version of our Bacon, Onion and Potato Bake? It’s proper hearty comfort food that you shouldn’t have to miss out on just because you’re eating less meat. 

Plant Menu No Pork Streaky Bacon Rashers are available from Aldi, priced at £2.19 for a pack of 10 rashers. 

Morrisons The Best Oak Smoked Cheddar & Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms – 30 calories per mushroom

If you’re feeling a bit fancy, these Oak Smoked Cheddar & Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms from Morrisons will jazz up your dinner plate. Each one is filled with a dreamy mixture of red pepper, red onion and cream cheese, before being topped with grated smoked cheddar. 

At only 30 calories per mushroom, these make a yummy starter or side dish, with intense flavours and satisfyingly gooey cheesiness. Serve them on the side of your steak dinner or enjoy them as an appetiser before you tuck into pasta or a risotto. 

If you love mushrooms as a side dish, you need to give our Balsamic Mushrooms a try. The sticky glaze of honey, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar is such a treat – it adds a lovely subtle flavour that pairs so well with chicken, pasta or potatoes. 

Morrisons The Best Oak Smoked Cheddar & Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms are available from Morrisons, priced at £2.00. 

Maltesers White Ice Cream – 207 calories per ice cream

Imagine this: white chocolate, silky ice cream AND teeny tiny pieces of crunchy Malteaser. Is your mouth watering yet? What if we told you this is a REAL thing? You’re going to want to race to Iceland to get your hands on a pack of these Maltesers White Ice Creams. 

There’s just 207 calories in each one, so they make the perfect easy pudding. Grab one from the freezer in the evening and enjoy that sweet, chocolatey indulgence in front of the telly. These are just too irresistible!

If white chocolate always goes down a treat in your house, why not whip up a batch of our slimming friendly White Chocolate Blondies? They’re rich, sticky and only 69 calories each!

Maltesers White Ice Creams are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 for a pack of 3. 

Walkers Wotsits Giants Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Sharing Snacks – 164 calories per 30g

Your favourite cheesy snack just got crunchier and spicier! We’ve spotted these Walkers Wotsits Giants Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Sharing Snacks and we can’t wait to try them. 

Instead of the usual melt-in-the-mouth puffs, these Wotsits are super crunchy, with a fiery kick of chilli. They’re just 164 calories per serving…so we know what we’ll be snacking on this week! They also come in a ‘Really Cheesy’ flavour if spice isn’t your thing.

Want to make your own crunchy, cheesy snacks? Our recipe for Pizza Twists even includes a Pizza Dip. You can get as creative as you like with the pizza-inspired fillings – load up the twists and then get dipping in that tasty tomato sauce…OOF!

Walkers Wotsits Giants Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Sharing Snacks are available from Asda, priced at £1.25 for a 140g bag. 

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. 

Here’s our rundown of this week’s NEW Super 6 selection:

Spring Onions – 32 calories per 100g

With a much milder taste than regular onions, spring onions make a tasty addition to summer salads and stir-fries. 

You can eat them raw or cooked, and they make a great garnish! Try them in this flavour-packed Stir-fried Beef with Ginger and Spring Onion recipe. 

Courgettes – 17 calories per 100g

From the same family as cucumbers and squash, courgettes are one of the most versatile veggies going. They’re easy to prepare and cook – you don’t even need to peel them. 

With a mild flavour, you can throw a handful into just about any recipe if you want to add some extra vitamins. We love using them to make these Lasagne Courgette Boats. They’re fun, delicious and low carb!

Baby Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g

How cute are these baby potatoes? Harvested before they reach full size, we love using these little potatoes for everything from light salads to the Sunday roast. Boil them, bake them or load them up with flavour like we’ve done in this Chipotle Hasselback Potatoes recipe. 

The key is not to cut the potatoes all the way through – you want them to hold their shape as they roast in the oven. 

Mini Pears – 42 calories per 100g

Sweet and grainy, these mini pears were made for snacking! They’re the perfect size to pop in your packed lunch, nibbling on one of these will help to keep the mid-afternoon sugar cravings at bay. 

Pears are perfect for puddings too. Fancy a bowlful of a warming, fruity crumble for after dinner? This Pear and Ginger Crumble is good, hearty comfort food – and it’s just 177 calories per portion. 

Grapefruit – 42 calories per 100g

Bitter yet sweet, grapefruit is so refreshing! It’s full of vitamin C so it makes a great addition to your breakfast – the shape flavours will wake you up and set you up for the day ahead. 

We love to slice it up and throw it into a vibrant fruit salad where the citrusy flavour helps to cut through the sweetness of berries and other fruits. Try it in this Festive Fruit Salad – it’s way too tasty to only make at Christmas! Despite the name, this dish is delicious all year round. 

Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g

Sweet and juicy, these easy peelers are a great slimming friendly snack. Bursting with vitamin C, they can add a boost of goodness to your breakfast, or be saved as a fruity treat to enjoy with your lunch. 

Why not try adding some of the segments into our Trifle recipe and pairing with orange flavoured jelly for a zingy, zesty sweet treat?

**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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