Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 20.01.23
Our favourite day of the week is HERE…it’s time for a brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping! January is flying by, and we’ve got a brand-new batch of supermarket finds to help you fill your trolley this week.
Along with plenty of new arrivals for anyone sticking to Veganuary (crispy fishless fillets, anyone?), we’ve spotted some 5-calorie Biscuit Melts that are made with real Cheddar cheese. That’s your savoury snack craving sorted!
And, if you’re as obsessed with Biscoff as we are, you’re gonna need to get your hands on the Lotus-infused frozen cheesecake bites we’ve spotted at Tesco. We still think our Biscoff Cheesecake is the best, but there’s no denying these are handy to have in the freezer!
Our Family Meal Planner has everything you need to smash your slimming goals throughout January. It’s our most family-friendly food planner yet – organise meals and jot down what you need to buy with our game-changing freezer tracker! You can order your copy here.
And don’t forget our NEW cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Enjoy, is out NOW! Enjoy is all about turning mealtimes into memories, and it’s brimming with 100 brand-new recipes that you’ll be excited to make, share and eat with family and friends, time and time again.
From fakeaway favourites to midweek wonders, every dish comes big on flavour without taking you off track. Put the food you love back on the menu by ordering your copy 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. This week we’ve given you a reminder of the current selection, so hurry down to Aldi to pick up some bargains before a fresh selection goes on offer next week!
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!**
Slimwell Chicken Satay Lunch Pot – 308 calories per pack
When time isn’t on your side, it’s not always an option to make a home-cooked lunch from scratch. With a couple of these Slimwell Chicken Satay Lunch Pots from Aldi stashed in the freezer, you’ll have an emergency option that’s guaranteed to fit in with your meal plan for the week.
A generous single serving of chicken breast, green beans and sweet potato in a nutty satay sauce, this ready meal is high in protein and low in calories (just 308 per serving). It goes straight from the freezer to the microwave, and it cooks in under 10 minutes. What more could you want from a super speedy, slimming-friendly lunch?
Typically made with lashings of full fat peanut butter, satay-style recipes tend to come in fairly high in calories. With a couple of smart swaps, our Chicken Satay Curry works out at just 293 calories per portion.
It’s just as tasty as the takeaway version, but far cheaper and better for you!
Slimwell Chicken Satay Lunch Pot is available from Aldi, priced at £1.99.
ASDA Plant Based OMV! Fishless Fillets – 204 calories per fillet
Whether you follow a plant-based diet, are joining in for Veganuary or you’re simply looking for more meat-free options, you’re onto a winner with these Plant Based OMV! Fishless Fillets. Spotted in Asda this week, these fish-free breaded fillets are made up of a blend of parsnips, potato and pea protein.
Serve them with Homemade Oven Chips, mushy peas and plenty of salt and vinegar instead of queuing at the chippy this weekend!
If you’re after other vegan recipes to serve with chips, we recommend giving these Vegan Nuggets a whirl. Whether you cook them in the oven or the air fryer, they turn out gloriously golden and crisp.
ASDA Plant Based OMV! Fishless Fillets are available from Asda, priced at £2.25 for a pack of 2.
Aunt Bessie’s Honey Glazed Gammon Joint – 287 calories per 1/4 joint
This Aunt Bessie’s Honey Glazed Gammon Joint will give your usual pub grub order a run for its money. If you can’t resist a plate of gammon, egg and chips, why not try making your own slimming-friendly version at home?
Found in the freezer aisle at Iceland, this whole joint can be cooked straight from frozen (you can even pop it into the air fryer, if you have one). You’ll find a little sachet of honey glaze inside the packaging to add 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. There’s plenty to go around – the joint will serve 4 people, with each portion working out at 287 calories.
We think that Gammon with Parsley Sauce is a match made in heaven. Our lighter version of the creamy sauce is made with semi-skimmed milk and reduced-fat spread, to keep it tasting lovely and luxurious, without ramping up the calories.
Aunt Bessie’s Honey Glazed Gammon Joint is available from Iceland, priced at £8.00 for a 1kg joint.
Sainsbury’s Flourish Smoky Sweetcorn Soup – 175 calories per 1/2 pot
If you’re looking for a lunch that’ll warm you up and deliver 2 of your 5 a day, look no further than this Smoky Sweetcorn Soup from Sainsbury’s new Flourish range. Made with sweetcorn, onion, cannellini beans and smoked paprika, this flavourful soup is low in fat and full of goodness.
At just 175 calories for half a pot, it’s a lighter option for busy lunchtimes. If you’re feeling especially hungry, serve with a wholemeal bread roll – it’ll come in handy for mopping up every last delicious drop!
Did someone say smoky soup? We like to use smoked gammon steak for this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup. It’s ideal if you like your soup to have a bit more substance to it; throw in whatever small pasta shapes you like, and let them simmer in that salty, savoury, smoky broth.
Sainsbury’s Flourish Smoky Sweetcorn Soup is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.25.
Tesco Lebanese Inspired Spicy Potatoes – 92 calories per 1/2 pack
When you need to serve a side dish in a hurry, these Lebanese Inspired Spicy Potatoes from Tesco will save the day. Seasoned with chilli, garlic, coriander and mixed with red peppers, the chunky cubes of potato are ready to heat in the microwave.
Piping hot in just 90 seconds, they have just the right amount of a spicy kick to make your midweek meals more interesting. Plate them up with meat and veggies, or use them to serve your leftovers in a new way.
We’d pair these time-saving potatoes with leftover Chilli Con Carne. If you’ve dished it up with rice earlier in the week, serving it with spuds will give it a new lease of life! Leftover chilli never needs to be boring – discover so many different ways to serve it in this handy article here.
Tesco Lebanese Inspired Spicy Potatoes are available from Tesco, priced at £1.10.
Skyr Bircher With Blueberries – 163 calories per pot
Need to grab breakfast on the go? Rather than an indulgent (but convenient) pastry from the coffee shop, pop this Skyr Bircher With Blueberries into your bag before you leave the house.
Inside each pot you’ll find creamy, high-protein Skyr yoghurt and crunchy apple, cinnamon and honey flavoured Bircher granola. For 163 calories, it’s a balanced breakfast that’s so handy for those mornings when you need to be out of the house bright and early.
Slow down on a weekend and treat yourself to another blueberry-themed brekkie! These Lemon and Blueberry Waffles feel like such a treat, you’d never know they’re low in calories. Freezer-friendly, you could even make a bigger batch and stash a few away for busier days.
Skyr Bircher With Blueberries is available from Morrisons, priced at £2.25 per pot.
Plantastic Millionaire Flapjacks Choc & Caramel Slices -138 calories per flapjack
These dreamy Plantastic Millionaire Flapjacks Choc and Caramel Slices are perfect for vegan-friendly snacking. The golden syrup-infused oaty base is loaded with gooey caramel and topped with smooth plant-based chocolate.
Even without any dairy involved, the caramel layer is deliciously rich and buttery. At 138 calories each, these are well worth stocking up on, whether or not you’re not following a vegan diet.
It’s not always easy to find vegan sweet treats, so we’ve put together a handy roundup of our favourite vegan dessert recipes here. It includes plant-based puds like this Vegan Blackberry and Apple Crumble – it’s so good served hot with a glug of dairy-free custard.
Plantastic Millionaire Flapjacks Choc & Caramel Slices are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.25 for a pack of 5 slices.
Morrisons Savers Grilling Cheese – 95 calories per 30g serving
We’re all for a money-saving hack, and this Grilling Cheese from Morrisons’ Savers range is sure to save a few pennies. A budget-friendly alternative to halloumi, you’ll never know it’s a cheaper version once it’s fried, baked or grilled until golden.
Salty and savoury, we love to plan a halloumi recipe into our weekly menu, and it’s even better when it’s good for your pocket too. This squeaky cheese has a nice bite to it, making it a great substitute for meat.
In fact, one of our favourite ways to serve it is sandwiched inside a burger bun. These Spiced Halloumi Burgers couldn’t be simpler or more delicious. Marinate your halloumi (or Savers Grilling Cheese) in our moreish mixture of honey, harissa and lemon zest before cooking it to perfection.
Morrisons Savers Grilling Cheese is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.59 for 200g.
Good Guys Bakehouse Cheddar Biscuit Melts – 5 calories per biscuit melt
If melt-in-the-mouth, 5-calorie wafer biscuits made with real cheese sound too good to be true, you need to hurry on down to Sainsbury’s. These Good Guys Bakehouse Cheddar Biscuit Melts have hit the shelves recently, and they’re a savoury snacker’s new best friend.
Boasting 60% less fat than similar snacks, each wafer-thin biscuit is super cheesy thanks to a combination of Cheddar cheese and delicate paprika spicing. These seriously light melts are extremely moreish, so it’s a good job they’re so low in calories! Nibble on them mid-afternoon, serve with soup, or dunk them into your favourite homemade dip.
There are few things we wouldn’t dip into this Sweet Chilli Sauce, but we think these cheesy biscuits would be an excellent choice. It’s so easy to make, and much more slimming friendly than a shop-bought version.
Good Guys Bakehouse Cheddar Biscuit Melts are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.75.
English Cheesecake Company Ltd Vanilla With Lotus Cheesecake Bite – 157 calories per bite
We’re still not over the Biscoff craze! If you’re anything like us, you’ll want to be first in line to try these Vanilla With Lotus Cheesecake Bites from the English Cheesecake Company Ltd. The dreamy little bites of decadent cheesecake have been around for a little while now, but this Biscoff-infused flavour is a more recent addition.
Despite being topped with a creamy layer of Biscoff and sprinkled with the crunchy Lotus biscuits, each square of cheesecake is only 157 calories. Designed to be eaten straight from the freezer or left to defrost, depending on your preference, these are a frozen essential.
If you haven’t tried our Biscoff Cheesecake yet, what are you waiting for? It’s been hugely popular over in our Facebook group, and it’s not hard to understand why. It’s a real showstopper of a dessert, loaded with that irresistible, caramel Biscoff flavour.
English Cheesecake Company Ltd Vanilla With Lotus Cheesecake Bite is available from Tesco, priced at £4.00 for a pack of 6.
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:
- Braeburn Apples – 51 calories per 100g
- Baby Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
- Closed Cup Mushrooms – 17 calories per 100g
- Oranges – 47 calories per 100g
- Cherries – 50 calories per 100g
- Lychees – 81 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!**
Love our Weekly Pinch of Shopping articles? Remember to sign up to our newsletter to get first access to the next one.
And if you’re not already part of our Facebook Group then make sure you join as we love seeing all of the new products that you share – not to mention all of the amazing support and motivation!