Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 21.01

It’s finally Friday and that means it’s time for the 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. 

Do you ever feel like you don’t have time to make a healthy breakfast? We’ve found handy individual servings of porridge that you can eat straight from the pot – no need to heat them up. 

And, if you’re obsessed with Biscoff, scroll down to discover a 98 calorie sweet treat that you NEED to add to your shopping list!

Pssst…did you know that our NEW cookbook Pinch of Nom Comfort Food is out NOW! If you haven’t got your hands on a copy yet, it’s FULL of hearty, wholesome, home cooked dishes including Sweet Potato Chilli, Stuffed Pasta Bolognese and Millionaire’s Shortbread. Do we need to say any more?! Get your copy here. 

We’ve also dropped in a reminder of this fortnight’s Super 6. Every fortnight Aldi discounts a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, so we’re giving you the rundown of last week’s selection. 

Please remember that all prices are correct at the time of us writing this article and so they should be used as a guide only.

Make sure that you make a note of your favourite products so that you can pick them up with your weekly shopping. Our new Quick & Easy food planner is perfect for this as it will really help you to plan out your meals and keep track of exactly what you’re eating or need to buy.

Lots of these products have been talked about over on our Facebook Group, so if you’re not a member then make sure that you click here to join now so that you don’t miss out (and don’t forget to share any delicious new products that you come across).

Our Weekly Pinch of Shopping list aims to show you slimming friendly products that are available in a wide range of stores so that you can pick them up during your weekly shop, and to make things really convenient we’ve also listed any relevant nutritional info and the RRP. 

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**A note on our shopping list: 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!**

Warburtons Danish Lighter Wholemeal Bread – 55 calories per slice

Every slice of this Warburtons Danish Lighter Wholemeal Bread is soft, light and airy. Made with wheat bran, it adds a good boost of fibre into your day, so it’s perfect for a filling breakfast or a healthy lunch. 

Why not use a couple of slices to make a sandwich, dip into soup or soak up the delicious gravy from a stew? 

At just 55 calories a slice, it has almost half the calories of a traditional loaf, so you can enjoy all your favourite bread-y dishes and still stay on track. 

How about a tasty BLT Sandwich for lunch? Our recipe is the ultimate take on this classic combo – we’ve even thrown in a couple of fried eggs to make it even more delicious. You’ll need to weigh out your bread if you want to keep the calories exact, and then pile it high with crunchy lettuce, tomato and crispy bacon. 

Warburtons Danish Lighter Wholemeal Bread is available from Asda, priced at £1.00. 

Quorn Vegan Takeaway Buffalo Wings – 179 calories per 3 wings

Who said buffalo wings had to be just for meat-eaters? These Quorn Vegan Takeaway Buffalo Wings have a crunchy, spicy coating on the inside and a meat-free filling that’s not only tasty, but high in protein and low in fat too. 

Whether you’re planning a picky dinner or just fancy a fiery snack, these are so handy to have in the freezer. Pop them into the oven for 16-18 minutes and then get stuck in! We think they’d be delicious dipped in ketchup, mayo or hot sauce if you can handle the heat. 

If you like your spicy snack with a veggie twist, you won’t want to miss these Cauliflower Hot Wings. As long as you use maple syrup rather than honey, you can make this recipe totally vegan. We’re obsessed with the dairy free dip – its cooling flavours are just what you need to tame the heat from the hot sauce. 

Mr Kipling Ice Cream Classics French Fancy – 107 calories per serving

Imagine your favourite cakey treat, in ice cream form! That’s what you get from this Mr Kipling Ice Cream Classics French Fancy. It’s a heavenly tub of smooth ice cream, dotted with bite size pieces of sponge cake and swirled with a fondant flavoured sauce. 

Before you start thinking this sounds way too indulgent, each 95ml serving is just 107 calories. Treat yourself to a scoop after dinner, or save it to enjoy later in the evening in front of the TV. And, if French Fancies aren’t your favourite Mr Kipling cake, don’t worry, these ice creams also come in chocolate and Viennese Whirl flavours. 

Prefer to get your teeth into some actual cake? You only need 4 ingredients to make our much-loved Lemon Drizzle Cake. It’s so easy and perfect with a cuppa. 

Mr Kipling Ice Cream Classics French Fancy is available from Iceland, priced at £3.50. 

Bottlegreen Winter Spiced Berry Cordial – 25 calories per 100ml (diluted)

Not quite ready to say goodbye to festive flavours? It might be January but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a glass of this Bottlegreen Winter Spiced Berry Cordial. 

Inspired by the flavours of mulled wine, this is the perfect way to cling onto the taste of those warming winter spices a little longer. Dilute the cordial with some freshly boiled water and enjoy a comforting hot beverage that will help to curb any sweet cravings, for just 25 calories per 100ml. 

If you’d prefer a frozen fruity treat, our Winter Berry Ice Cream is rich and creamy, with subtle spice from ground ginger to give it a little bit of warmth. Each serving is just 95 calories, ideal when you fancy something sweet at the end of your meal. 

Bottlegreen Winter Spiced Berry Cordial is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £3.40. 

Cadbury Oreo Cake Bars – 110 calories per bar

Chocolate covered cake – what’s not to love? These Cadbury Oreo Cake Bars are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. 

When you bite into them you get spongy chocolate cake, a layer of rich vanilla cream and tiny pieces of Oreo cookie, all encased in a smooth Cadbury’s chocolate shell. At just 110 calories per bar, we can’t think of a better mid-afternoon snack!

If you’re looking for more slimming friendly, chocolatey goodies to enjoy with a cuppa, why not try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars? They’re so crispy, with an irresistible chocolate topping, swirled with peanut butter. To keep the calories down, we’ve used powdered peanut butter, but you’d never know – it turns out so rich and indulgent tasting. 

Cadbury Oreo Cake Bars are available from Asda, priced at 90p for a pack of 5. 

Ambitions Chicken Flavoured Pasta – 155 calories per pack

On busy days, you need food that can be ready in next to no time. Rather than reaching for a supermarket sandwich or grabbing something on the go, this Ambitions Chicken Flavoured Pasta is handy to have in the cupboard for speedy lunches. 

Add some boiling water and, in just 5 minutes, you’ll have a warming bowl of pasta that’s packed with 15g of protein, for only 155 calories. If you wanted, you could even throw in some cooked chicken and veggies to bulk this out into a more substantial meal. 

It might take an extra 6 minutes to make our Bovril Spaghetti recipe, but this is a super speedy dish that’s oh-so-satisfying. The rich, meaty Bovril gives the pasta a tasty kick, and you can always add in any vegetables you have in the fridge too. So quick and delicious!

Ambitions Chicken Flavoured Pasta is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.30. 

Garden Gourmet Sensational Vegan Cumberland Sausages – 140 calories per 2 sausages

Veggie sausages are handy to have tucked away in the fridge! Whether you’re vegan or not, they’re a versatile, low calorie ingredient that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch or dinner. These Garden Gourmet Sensational Vegan Cumberland Sausages are no exception – seasoned with black pepper, thyme, sage & nutmeg, they bring plenty of flavour to any meal. 

High in protein and fibre, 2 sausages are just 140 calories. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables, or add them into any of our recipes instead of meaty versions! 

We think these would be great in our Sausages with Creamy Lentils dish – just remember to use a vegetarian stock cube too! You can find more veggie/vegan swaps in our handy article here. 

Garden Gourmet Sensational Vegan Cumberland Sausages are available from Asda, priced at £2.00. 

Young’s Gastro Lightly Dusted Sicilian Lemon & Black Pepper Sole Fillets – 264 calories per fillet

Like any white fish, sole is a great source of protein that’s low in calories. If you fancy a change from cod, these Young’s Gastro Lightly Dusted Sicilian Lemon & Black Pepper Sole Fillets can be cooked straight from the freezer. 

The responsibly sourced, restaurant quality fish is coated in a very light batter, and flavoured with punchy black pepper and tangy lemon. The flaky sole has a delicious, mild taste that’s perfect for pairing with some fresh veggies – the only tricky decision is whether to want to serve it with Homemade Oven Chips or Creamy Mashed Potatoes! 

We love a fish supper and it’s hard to beat our Herb Crusted Cod recipe. The homemade crust of herby, cheesy breadcrumbs is SO tasty!

Young’s Gastro Lightly Dusted Sicilian Lemon & Black Pepper Sole Fillets are available from Iceland, priced at £3.75 for a pack of 2. 

Ambrosia Ready to Eat Porridge Pot Layered Raspberry – 187 calories per pot

A good breakfast sets you up for the day – but what if you’re rushing around and there just isn’t time to make something healthy and nourishing? It happens to all of us! 

Rather than grabbing something sugary from the coffee shop, pop a few of these Ambrosia Ready to Eat Porridge Pots on your shopping list! This layered raspberry flavour has a layer of fruity sauce that you can stir into the creamy oats. There’s no need to boil any water or find a microwave – you can enjoy this porridge straight from the pot. If you’d prefer to eat it warm, just remove the foil lid and pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. 

If time is of the essence in a morning, why not whip up a batch of these Banana and Peanut Muffins on a weekend? They’re perfect for popping in your bag on your way out the door and each one is just 53 calories! 

Ambrosia Ready to Eat Porridge Pot Layered Raspberry is available from Asda, priced at 80p per pot. 

Bliss Blisscoff Whip Bars – 98 calories per bar

We’re still obsessed with the caramelised flavour of Lotus Biscoff, but rather than grabbing a packet of the biscuits, we’ve spotted these new Bliss Blisscoff Whip Bars. How amazing do these sound?

For just 98 calories, you get a delicious chocolatey treat, with a whipped, Biscoff-flavoured centre. High in fibre and gluten free, these snack bars are ideal whether you’re calorie counting or following a diet plan like Weight Watchers. 

Pssst…if you love Biscoff, you need to try our Biscoff Swirls recipe! You’ll only need 3 ingredients, and in less than half an hour you can make a batch that’ll last you all week (if you can resist them!).

Bliss Blisscoff Whip Bars are available from Iceland, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 5. 

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 fortnight’s Super 6 selection:

• White Mushrooms – 22 calories per 100g
• Leeks – 61 calories per 100g
• Salad Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
• Braeburn Apples – 51 calories per 100g
• Cherries – 50 calories per 100g
• Oranges – 47 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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