Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 17.03.23
Who’s ready for a brand new Weekly Pinch of Shopping? Get ready to make your shopping list for the week ahead! We’ve spotted lots of new sweet and snacky bits on the supermarket shelves that we’re sure you’re going to love.
Along with tasty treats including Lotus Biscoff Kit Kat Bites (just 102 calories for 7!) and Baileys Deliciously Light Cream Liqueur, we’ve spotted a couple of new budget-friendly finds this week.
Inspired by our brand-new, penny-saving paperback cookbook Budget that’s out in June, we’ve popped some handy microwave rice on the list that’s cheaper than the supermarket’s own-brand.
Our upcoming paperback cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Budget, is available to pre-order NOW! It’s filled with 75 recipes (50 brand-new dishes and 25 fan-favourites!) that cut down on costs, without compromising on the Nom flavours you know and love.
Split into two chapters, dinners and desserts, this book is all about turning budget-friendly ingredients and store cupboard staples into food that the whole family will love.
Pre-order your copy today and you won’t pay a penny until it’s dispatched. Pinch of Nom Budget is out on the 22nd of June…we’re counting down the days already!
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!**
M&S Lime & Chilli King Prawns Frozen – 321 calories per 1/2 pack
These M&S Lime & Chilli King Prawns cook straight from the freezer in just 11 minutes. Coated in a light, gluten-free batter, made with mild chillies and zesty lime, these juicy king prawns are perfect for a quick midweek dinner. We reckon there are loads of ways to serve these, from tossing them in a salad to turning them into tacos!
There are just 321 calories in half of the bag and, while they may not be the most budget-friendly addition to your shopping list, they’re a nice little treat if you want to switch up your weekly menu.
Prawns are super slimming friendly, and they make for a lovely starter. If you’re cooking for someone special this weekend (don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday!) why not whip up these Garlic Chilli Prawns as part of a three-course meal?
M&S Lime & Chilli King Prawns Frozen are available from M&S and Ocado, priced at £5.75 for a 250g pack.
Muller Bliss Creamy Smooth Madagascan Vanilla Yoghurt – 138 calories per 100g
This is Greek yoghurt, but not as you know it! Muller Bliss Creamy Smooth Madagascan Vanilla Yoghurt is made from 24% whipping cream, making it far more indulgent than your typical breakfast staple.
Despite the extra indulgence, the vanilla-flavoured yoghurt works out at 138 calories per 100g. Perfect for spooning onto the side of your favourite desserts, it’s a tasty, lighter option than thick double cream.
Imagine how delicious a dollop would be served on top of these easy Oat Pancakes for breakfast this weekend. Spoon on all of your favourite fruits for an extra boost of goodness to kick-start the day!
Find lots more ideas for tasty pancake toppings in this article.
Muller Bliss Creamy Smooth Madagascan Vanilla Yoghurt is available from Asda, priced at £2.00 for a 425g pot.
Morrisons Pea Kale & Ginger Soup – 137 calories per 1/2 pack
We love spotting a new soup on the shelves! While it’s still chilly out there, a warming bowl of soup is firmly on the menu for lunchtime, and this Pea, Kale and Ginger Soup from Morrisons looks to be just the ticket.
Packed with fibre to fill you up and green goodness to give you a boost of vitamins, there’s a hint of ginger, lemongrass and mint in the mix too. With no shortage of flavour, you’ll want to make sure you have a soft wholemeal bread roll to dunk in.
We think that eating your greens should be easy and delicious, and that’s how we came up with this Cream of Spinach and Rocket Soup. At 143 calories per portion, it’s a light lunch that’s jam-packed with nutrition. Add a bit of extra rocket if you’d like the flavour to be a little more peppery!
Morrisons Pea Kale & Ginger Soup is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.99 per pot.
Tesco Crab Pate – 49 calories per 1/3 pot
If you’re bored of the same few snack options, this Tesco Crab Pate might well be a game changer. Made with soft cheese, crème fraiche and a squeeze of lemon, the creamy pate is lighter than you might expect – just 49 calories for a third of this pot.
Spread onto a cracker or smeared onto toast, it’s perfect for slimming-friendly savoury snacking.
If you’re not a fan of shellfish, these Pizza Twists with Pizza Dip might be more your flavour. At 46 calories per serving, they’re a crunchy, cheesy bite that you can enjoy anytime you feel a little peckish.
The twists and the dip are freezer-friendly, so you can cook them in batches for future snack emergencies! Find more batch-friendly snacks in this recipe roundup here.
Tesco Crab Pate is available from Tesco, priced at £1.75.
Kit Kat Bites Lotus Biscoff Chocolate Sharing Bag – 102 calories per 7 bites
If you agree that Biscoff is delicious AND Kit Kats are delicious, you need to hurry on over to Tesco. These new Kit Kat Bites Lotus Biscoff Chocolate Sharing Bags are a must-have addition to this week’s shopping list.
The chocolate-covered wafer bites take the flavour up a notch with a gooey filling of smooth Biscoff spread. Despite how incredible that sounds, you can munch on 7 bites for just 102 calories.
By now it’s no secret how much we adore baking with Biscoff! It’s impossible to pick a biscuit-y favourite recipe, but if you haven’t tried these Microwave Biscoff Lava Cakes, you really are missing out (if we do say so ourselves). Ready in 12 minutes, the oozy, melted Biscoff centre is what dreams are made of.
Kit Kat Bites Lotus Biscoff Chocolate Sharing Bag is available from Tesco, priced at £1.35.
Growers Harvest Microwave Basmati Rice – 167 calories per 1/2 pack
With supermarket prices on the up, it’s always nice to spot a budget-friendly new addition on the shelves. These Growers Harvest Microwave Basmati Rice pouches are just 35p each, making them even cheaper than Tesco’s own-brand version.
If you want the convenience of microwave rice without the branded price tag, these are well worth popping into your trolley. As well as basmati, there are pilau, wholegrain and long grain versions in the same range.
Ping your rice in the microwave and serve it with these tasty Hoisin Turkey Meatballs. Our homemade Hoisin sauce will soak into your rice, so you can scoop up every last sweet and salty bit.
Growers Harvest Microwave Basmati Rice is available from Tesco, priced at 35p for a 250g pouch.
McVitie’s Tartlets Chocolate Flavour Biscuits – 36 calories per biscuit
Put the kettle on and sit down to enjoy a couple of these McVitie’s Tartlets Chocolate Flavour Biscuits. At 36 calories each, they’re a surprisingly slimming-friendly find.
Shaped like teeny little pastry tarts, the crumbly biscuits are filled with a layer of white cream, finished with a silky chocolate-flavoured topping. If you prefer fruity flavours, these little treats are also available in a version with a raspberry topping.
The fruity jam filling in our Jammy Hearts biscuits makes them perfect for sorting out your sweet cravings. The cute little heart shapes are lovely for sharing with someone special, and you can even get the kids involved with making them!
McVitie’s Tartlets Chocolate Flavour Biscuits are available from Asda, priced at 75p.
Tesco Ready Rolled Reduced Fat Pastry – 160 calories per 1/5 pack
With this Tesco Ready Rolled Reduced Fat Pastry, you can carry on eating your favourite slimming-friendly pastry-topped foods. Cheaper than other branded versions on the shelf, this is another great choice if you’re watching your budget.
Containing 30% less fat than standard Tesco ready-rolled pastry, this light, flaky version is only 160 calories for a fifth of the pack. Whether you turn it into something sweet or savoury, it’s an easy way to stay on track.
Why not try cutting it into strips and using it to top this Cornish-style Pie? Filled with lean beef mince and loads of veg, it’s a hearty midweek dinner that comes in well under 400 calories per serving.
Tesco Ready Rolled Reduced Fat Pastry is available from Tesco, priced at £1.25.
Baileys Deliciously Light Cream Liqueur – 94 calories per 50ml serving
Fancy a tipple this weekend? We’ve got good news for you! This Baileys Deliciously Light Cream Liqueur is just as smooth and tasty as the original version, with 40% less calories.
At 94 calories per serving you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to open the bottle. Pour it over ice and enjoy the silky Irish cream with rich vanilla and chocolate notes.
When we want a low-calorie cocktail, this Elderflower Gin Fizz is always top of the list. It’s so light and refreshing, and only 84 calories for a glass. Made with prosecco and gin, it’s really easy to mix up, and you can even get a pitcher ready when you have guests coming round.
Baileys Deliciously Light Cream Liqueur is available from Tesco, priced at £16.50 (but right now it’s just £12 if you use your Clubcard!).
Ambrosia Light Less Sugar & Fat Rice Pudding – 96 calories per pot
Ambrosia Light rice pudding has been around for a while now, but we were excited to spot these individual little pots at Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The 125g portions of Ambrosia Light Less Sugar and Fat Rice Pudding are the perfect snack size, and just 96 calories each.
Just as creamy and sweet as the full-fat version, there’s never a bad time to pull back the lid on one of these. Treat yourself to a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or save one for after your dinner.
Rice pudding is an underrated dessert if you ask us! It doesn’t have to be lots of effort to make your own at home – in fact, this Chai Rice Pudding can be left to simmer in your slow cooker. Infused with delicately-spiced chai tea bags, it’s a deliciously unusual twist on the classic pud.
Ambrosia Light Less Sugar & Fat Rice Pudding is available from Tesco and Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.95 for a pack of 4 individual pots.
REMINDER 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 reminder of this week’s Super 6 selection:
- Baby Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
- Kiwi Fruits – 61 calories per 100g
- Easy Peelers – 35 calories per 100g
- Jazz Apples – 56 calories per 100g
- Mini Pears – 42 calories per 100g
- Spring Onions – 32 calories per 100g
**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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