Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 17.06
Nothing gives us a Friday feeling quite like a brand new Weekly Pinch of Shopping rolling in. Who else is ready for some tasty finds? From salt and pepper goodies to classic burger sauce, there’s no shortage of flavour on this week’s list.
Have you spotted the cheeky little 12-piece chicken nuggets boxes in Aldi? They’re way cheaper than a trip to McDonalds and fewer calories too (we promise, they’re just as satis-frying!). And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got sweet treats you can relax and unwind with too. How lush does a pear and chocolate mousse sound?
Speaking of doing your weekly shopping, we’re so excited that our brand new food planner is out in LESS THAN ONE WEEK (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!**
Innocent Pineapples Bananas & Coconuts Smoothie – 76 calories per 150ml
The perfect flavouring as we head for warmer weather and bluer skies, this Pineapples Bananas & Coconuts Smoothie from Innocent is a tropical treat for your taste buds. At 76 calories per 150ml, and with no added sugar, it’s light enough to enjoy by the glass without a care in the world. The blend of crushed fruits and juices has fibre and vitamin C too, to leave you satisfied and revitalised for the day ahead.
It’s all about sunshine flavours with our vibrant Sweet Potato and Coconut Tacos as well. Just as colourful as they are flavoursome, each delicately-spiced tortilla wrap taco is filled with sweet potato, creamy coconut and irresistible tangy lime. Summer, we’re ready for you!
Innocent Pineapples Bananas & Coconuts Smoothie is available at Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.30 for a 750ml bottle.
ASDA Classic Burger Sauce – 57 calories per 15g
If a burger isn’t piled high with tasty veggies, cheese and a dollop of tangy sauce sauce, all while making a beautiful mess on your plate, you’re doing it wrong! This Classic Burger Sauce from ASDA is just the ticket when you’re after the messy deliciousness of a loaded American-style burger. For only £1.00 per squeezy tube, you can add punchy mustard, gherkin and dill flavours to your burger bap in a flash.
We LOVE the challenge of rustling up restaurant-like meals at home on a budget, and that’s where mega Fakeaways like our KFC Zinger Burger Fakeaway come in. Zingy, crispy and so simple to make, you’ll never bother with the drive-through again after enjoying our version for a fraction of the takeaway calories. Don’t forget the key (not so secret) ingredient for the burger coating – crushed Doritos!
ASDA Classic Burger Sauce is available from Asda, priced at £1.00 per tube.
Morrisons Chocolate Salted Caramel Rice Cakes – 85 calories per rice cake
We all know that late afternoon feeling, when you could just nibble on something sweet to perk up the remainder of the day. These Chocolate Salted Caramel Rice Cakes from Morrisons are ideal for a quick, fuss-free bite that’ll curb your sweet cravings for 85 calories per rice cake. The combination of sweet milk chocolate and sharp, salty caramel is just the stuff with a cuppa!
We can’t get enough of salted caramel. Our Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Cream recipe has all the salty satisfaction you’d want from a salted caramel bake, for only 122 calories per slice (creamy topping included!). If you rustle up a batch to enjoy over the space of a few days, why not keep things fresh with a different topping each day? We’ll have berries today, bananas tomorrow and Choc Shot the next day, thank you!
Morrisons Chocolate Salted Caramel Rice Cakes are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.25.
This Isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Chicken Pieces – 167 calories per 100g
Whether you’re fully vegetarian or just looking to cut down on eating meat, these This isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Chicken Pieces are some of the most authentic alternatives available. Made from pea and soya protein, these fibre and vitamin-loaded protein pieces are a perfect swap to use in any dish you’d normally find chicken. From pasta and pizza to homemade curry, there aren’t many recipes these tender plant-based pieces won’t work well with.
Our Vegetarian Tikka Masala comes without meat or a meat alternative in sight, and yet it’s just as satisfying as a meaty Tikka Masala. By swapping out double cream for a dairy-free, coconut alternative, we’ve lowered the fat content without losing creaminess! For an ultra-special serving, why not add some ‘This Isn’t Chicken’ into the pan? Talk about spicing things up a bit!
This Isn’t Chicken Plant-Based Chicken Pieces are available from Morrisons, priced at £3.00.
M Savers Golden Vegetable Rice – 236 calories per 1/2 pack
Finding an affordable, store cupboard staple you can rely on for countless mealtimes is always a winner. This Golden Vegetable Rice from Morrisons’ M Savers range packs in seasoned long-grain rice and peas with chopped carrot, red pepper and onion, for only 25 pence per packet. That means you can enjoy a midweek portion of fish or meat served over a fluffy bed of rice faster than you can say, ‘bargain!’.
There’s nothing cheeky about our Nando’s Spicy Rice, even if it does taste just like the restaurant version! To make sure our recipe has all the signature, savoury flavour you’d expect, we’ve combined crunchy peppers and peas with fragrant spices. Our top tip? Make more than you need and stock up the freezer – when you’re on the lookout for a tasty accompaniment to fill out your dinner plate, a ready-to-go portion is a dream!
M Savers Golden Vegetable Rice is available from Morrisons, priced at £0.25 per 120g bag.
ASDA Butcher’s Selection Minted Lamb Kebabs – 104 calories per kebab
When the sun’s out for Father’s Day, it’s only right to crack out the barbecue and prepare a meat feast! These ASDA Butcher’s Selection Minted Lamb Kebabs can be cooked until they’re juicy and flavoursome with minimum effort. They come pre-seasoned and skewered, so all that’s left to worry about is turning them until they’re cooked evenly on all sides. We can’t promise there won’t be a tussle for first dibs, but we can promise that a dollop of Tzatziki on the side will go down a treat!
If you’re looking for more barbecue spread inspiration, look no further than Our Top Homemade Kebab Recipes. From Doner through to Seekh, we’ve got all the Tandoori takeaway favourites covered (and they’re all slimming friendly!).
We can’t look at our Chicken Gyros Kebabs without seeing blue skies. You can always add chips for a more Greek-inspired treat – just be sure to calculate the extra calories, if you’re counting.
ASDA Butcher’s Selection Minted Lamb Kebabs are available from Asda, priced at £4.00 for 8.
12 Chicken Nuggets & Dips – 37 calories per nugget
Aldi aren’t messing around! These 12 Chicken Nuggets and Dips boxes are here to give the golden arches of McDonalds a run for their money, with a cheaper price tag and a lower calorie count. For 204 calories per 100g (versus 302 calories in 100g of McNuggets), it’s well worth taking these crispy-coated, bake-at-home nugs for a dip. Whether you go BBQ or Sweet Chilli, we’re betting the whole family will hardly taste the difference!
It wouldn’t be right to talk about nuggets without chips. For fiery Fakeaway flavour, Salt and Pepper Chips are always our go-to. Using only a handful of ingredients, this surprisingly simple recipe can ramp up as much or as little heat as you fancy – just add or remove chilli flakes to suit your taste.
12 Chicken Nuggets & Dips are available from Aldi, priced at £1.69 for a 300g pack.
Bonne Maman Pear & Chocolate Mousse – 188 calories per pot
At 188 calories per pot, this Pear & Chocolate Mousse from Bonne Maman tastes so much more luxurious than it is. With a silky vanilla base and sharp, fruity hints of pear, this chocolatey decadent dessert will leave you more than satisfied. Take things a step further and serve it up in a bowl with extra pieces of fruit. It’ll help you use up any stray fruits going to waste and give your taste buds something to smile about – what’s not to love?
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and 10 minutes to spare, whipping up a portion of our Chocolate Mousse recipe is never a bad idea. Delicious paired with fruit, waffles or biscuits, you can transform this simple dessert into a showstopper in no time. You can always make your own Bonne Maman-style dessert with added slices of pear!
Bonne Maman Pear & Chocolate Mousse is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.50 for 2 95g pots.
Batchelors Super Noodles Pot Salt & Pepper Chicken – 352 calories per pot
There aren’t many flavour combinations out there more beloved than Chinese-style salt and pepper, so we couldn’t miss including Batchelors’ brand new Salt & Pepper Chicken Super Noodles on this week’s list. A salt and pepper seasoned noodle broth that’s ready in 4 minutes, each pot brings fast flavour and even faster convenience for when life catches you without a lunchtime plan.
We can’t resist a warming, slurp-worthy noodle dish, which is why our Drunken Noodles with Chicken is a long-time household favourite! While the name comes from the traditional dish being so hot and fiery it’ll leave you with a thirst, our slimming-friendly version comes milder without compromising on warmly-spiced chicken and veggies. So tasty!
Batchelors Super Noodles Pot Salt & Pepper Chicken are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.00 per 75g pot.
Iceland Salt and Pepper Crunchies – 146 calories per 100g
SALT AND PEPPER HASH BROWNS…If that sounds like something you need to try at home, you’ll want to pick up Salt and Pepper Crunchies from Iceland! These Chinese takeaway inspired potato bites come in nibble-sized chunks, with shredded green peppers, red peppers, onion and a salt and pepper seasoning sachet. Simply bake in the oven until they’re crispy, golden and ready for the all-important seasoning to finish!
If hash browns are your favourite part of an indulgent Full English Breakfast, you need our Hash Brown Pizza’s crispy potato base in your life. Topped with a homemade tomato sauce, mushrooms and cheese on a breakfast-y base, you can start or finish the day with this versatile dish (it’ll be just as delicious, whenever you enjoy it!).
Salt and Pepper Crunchies are available from Iceland, priced at £2.00 for a 450g pack.
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 the NEW Super 6 selection:
Aubergine – 25 calories per 100g
Did you know that aubergines are a fruit? They have a really subtle, mild taste and a meaty texture that’s good at soaking up other flavours. A staple of vegetarian cooking, they’re great for bulking out dishes to make them really filling yet low in calories.
Chop an aubergine into cubes and roast it alongside some other Mediterranean vegetables to make this irresistible Roasted Vegetable Risotto. It’s hearty and comforting yet light enough for a sunny day.
Iceberg Lettuce – 14 calories per 100g
Crisp and refreshing, iceberg lettuce is always handy to have in the fridge to bulk out salads or to add some crunch into sandwiches and burgers.
You can even use the large leaves instead of wraps if you fancy trying out some new low calorie lunch ideas.
How about filling them with our Coronation Chickpeas for a veggie lunch that’s packed with flavour and so good for you?
Oranges – 47 calories per 100g
Whether you’re on-the-go or just after a picky treat you can enjoy straight from the fridge, oranges are an energy-boosting snack you can count on. High in fibre and immune-boosting vitamin C, they’ll leave you feeling full and satisfy your sweet tooth with a burst of juicy citrus.
If it’s satisfying fruitiness you’re after, you need to try our Pork Carnitas with Pineapple and Mango Salsa. We’ve combined the zesty potential of pineapple, orange and mango into lettuce leaf parcels – perfect for a sunny day!
Salad Tomatoes – 20 calories per 100g
True to their namesake, salad tomatoes are the perfect addition to freshen up any salad. With minimum prep required, they’re a quick and easy way to add vitamins to a side dish or light lunch.
You can try them in our super filling BLT Pasta Salad – it’s a tasty option for your packup that’ll have you looking forward to lunch all day!
Nectarines – 44 calories per 100g
Sweet and juicy, nectarines are the less fuzzy version of a peach – and they’re delicious for on-the-go healthy snacking! You can take one with you to bite into when you start feeling a bit peckish, or chop them up and add them to a salad or dessert; the flavour is so versatile!
They make a delicious addition to this Festive Fruit Salad (pssst…it’s way too good to save for Christmas!). We love to make this fresh and fruity recipe all year round.
Cherries – 50 calories per 100g
Juicy, plump cherries are great in desserts or kept in the fridge for a snack. They’re usually expensive, so make the most of these budget friendly fruits while they’re included in the Super 6!
Why not try them at breakfast, sprinkled on top of these Bakewell Baked Oats? They’ll bring out the flavour of the sweet cherry jam.
**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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