Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 21.04.23
Nothing gives us a Friday feeling quite like a brand-new Weekly Pinch of Shopping! Grab a cuppa, get comfy and read on to find out which new foods need to go on your shopping list this week…
If you’re ready for summer flavours, you’re in luck – there are lots of fresh, summer-inspired bits and bobs starting to appear on the supermarket shelves. There’s no need to wait for BBQ weather to add the Aldi burger thins into your basket: at 136 calories each, they’re perfect for slimming-friendly sandwiches.
Plus, what if we told you that you could tuck into a soft, buttery steak for only 142 calories? We promise that you won’t want to miss the Frankie and Benny’s Flat Iron BBQ Steaks that we’ve spotted in Iceland!
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. 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!
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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!**
Ashfields Salt & Chilli Chicken Breast Sizzlers – 174 calories per 1/2 pack
The supermarkets are getting ready for summer, with lots of barbecue and buffet bits hitting the shelves this week. Aldi have brought back lots of summer favourites, including these Ashfields Salt and Chilli Chicken Breast Sizzlers, which are perfect for frying, grilling or barbecuing (depending on the British weather!).
The tender chicken fillets are glazed with a mixture of smoked salt and fiery chilli, for a really intense flavour. Pair with the freshness of a crisp, green salad for an easy dinner that’s delicious rain or shine!
For a real taste of holiday, we’d serve this chicken with our Tabbouleh recipe. Not only is it seriously slimming friendly, (just 87 calories per serving) it’s bursting with the vibrant taste of lemon, fresh mint and parsley.
Ashfields Salt & Chilli Chicken Breast Sizzlers are available from Aldi, priced at £3.29.
Fever-Tree Sparkling Cloudy British Apple – 18 calories per 100ml
A blend of British apples and Moroccan mint, this fizzy offering from Fever-Tree is ready to become your new favourite summer drink. Pour the Sparkling Cloudy British Apple over ice and take it outside to sip in the sunshine.
With less than half the sugar that you’ll find in similar apple-flavoured drinks, there are just 18 calories per 100ml. Whether you’re using it as a mixer, or enjoying the minty, apple-y flavours all on their own, you won’t be able to get enough of the refreshing taste.
For a fruity tipple with a grown-up kick, we always recommend giving this Strawberry Daiquiri recipe a try. A frozen mixture of strawberries, lime and white rum, it goes down a treat at parties!
Fever-Tree Sparkling Cloudy British Apple is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.00 for a 500ml bottle.
ASDA Greek Inspired Feta & Soft Cheese Bites – 47 calories per bite
Picnics, parties, buffets or bank holidays, we’ll take any excuse to fill the fridge with tasty picky bits, especially when they’re as slimming friendly as these ASDA Greek Inspired Feta and Soft Cheese Bites.
For 47 calories each, bite into the golden, poppy seed crumb and enjoy the creamy, salty centre. They only need 10 minutes in the oven to heat them through before serving, making them a low-fuss, quick and easy dream.
Everything’s better with feta – even steak! If you need some lunch inspiration this week, look no further than our Balsamic Steak and Feta Salad. On the table in less than 10 minutes, the sweet, tangy dressing and salty feta are beautifully balanced.
ASDA Greek Inspired Feta & Soft Cheese Bites are available from Asda, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 6 (or buy 2 packs for £4.50).
Morrisons Melon Slice Ice Lollies – 53 calories per lolly
When you need a sweet treat that’s nice and low in calories, something fruity and frozen is always a good idea. Pick up some of these Melon Slice Ice Lollies from Morrisons this week, and stock your freezer for spring.
With the refreshing taste of cantaloupe melon, they’re especially delicious enjoyed out in the sunshine. There are only 53 calories in each one, so you can stay perfectly on-plan and keep your sweet tooth happy at the same time!
Making your own lollies at home is such a fun family activity. Everyone is guaranteed to love these Birthday Cake Ice Pops: they’re finished with a drizzle of white chocolate, a crumbling of cake and a sprinkle of hundreds and thousands.
Morrisons Melon Slice Ice Lollies are available from Morrisons, priced at £1.35 for a pack of 4.
Better Naked Plant Perfect Bolognese – 258 calories per serving
Veggie bolognese for dinner this week? This Better Naked Plant Perfect Bolognese we’ve spotted at Tesco sounds so tasty, we’re betting it’ll make a nice change to a meaty version.
The plant-based mince is made from a blend of oyster mushrooms, lentils, quinoa and pumpkin seeds, giving the bolognese a hearty, nutty base. Fry it in a pan and add in the rich, umami, tomatoey paste for a filling and flavourful vegan-friendly meal. Simply serve with any pasta you like!
Skipping the meat doesn’t have to mean missing out! Our own Mushroom Bolognese recipe proves that meat-free Monday can taste amazing, while saving you money and calories.
Better Naked Plant Perfect Bolognese is available from Tesco.
Nairn’s Gluten Free Crunchy Oat Bars Belgian Chocolate Chunk – 92 calories per bar
Nairn’s oat-based snacks are a slimming-friendly staple, providing slow-release energy to keep you full between meals. These new Gluten-Free Crunchy Oat Chocolate Chunk Bars are ideal for stashing in your bag in case you get peckish when you’re out and about.
Made with 50% less sugar than the average cereal bar, you get a good crunch of oats and chocolate for just 92 calories per bar. They come in individually-wrapped packs of 2, so you can nibble on one for breakfast and save the other to enjoy with your mid-afternoon cuppa.
Chocolate and oats is a winning combo if you ask us, and that’s exactly why these Nutella Oats are up there with our favourite breakfast recipes. For a weekend indulgence or a special occasion, you won’t find a more delicious way to start your day.
Nairn’s Gluten Free Crunchy Oat Bars Belgian Chocolate Chunk are available from Ocado, priced at £2.70 for a box containing 4 packs of 2 bars.
McCain Sticky Fries Thai Sweet Chilli – 264 calories per 100g
If you’re looking for a side dish for your next fakeaway night, these McCain Sticky Fries from Asda might be just the thing! They come in a choice of Thai Sweet Chilli or Texas BBQ, and they couldn’t be simpler to rustle up.
Bake the fries in the oven until they’re getting nicely golden, then squeeze over the flavour sachet until they’re evenly coated. A few more minutes in the oven and you’re all set – the only question is what to serve them with…
Personally, we’d pair these sweet chilli fries with our Spiced Halloumi Burgers for an epic burger night. Piled high with sweet yet spicy halloumi, crispy salad and a zesty yoghurt dressing, there’s no shortage of flavour here!
McCain Sticky Fries Thai Sweet Chilli are available from Asda, priced at £2.50.
Nakd Cocoa Hazelnut Protein Bar – 190 calories per bar
Vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and made with 100% natural ingredients, these Nakd Cocoa Hazelnut Protein Bars are a little treat that you can feel good about. Bringing natural sweetness into your day, there are 7g of plant-based protein in each one.
In fact, there are so many fruits and nuts squished into this healthy snack that each bar counts as one of your 5-a-day!
When you need a chocolate-y boost in a hurry, pop one of these Chocolate Lava Mug Cakes in the microwave. A super-speedy pud, you’ll only have to wait a few minutes to dig your spoon into the gooey chocolate centre.
Nakd Cocoa Hazelnut Protein Bar is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.30 per bar.
Village Bakery Burger Thins Soft Round Sliced – 136 calories per burger thin
Barbecue season is coming up, and these Soft Round Sliced Village Bakery Burger Thins are the only bread you’ll be needing all summer long. As light and soft as you could hope for, each burger thin is just 136 calories.
We’ll take less bread and more burger any day! The calories you’ll save by choosing these over a regular burger bun can be used to load them up with all of your favourite toppings.
Why not try them out by making this Cheesy Nacho Burger? This might just be our most-loaded burger ever, with peppers, cheesy tortilla chips, guacamole and spicy mayo piled on top of a juicy burger patty.
You’ll only find this recipe in our cookbook Pinch of Nom: Enjoy. You can pick up a copy here if you don’t have one already!
Village Bakery Burger Thins Soft Round Sliced are available from Aldi, priced at £1.00 for a pack of 4.
Frankie and Benny’s Flat Iron BBQ Steaks – 142 calories per steak
Bring the flavours of Frankie and Benny’s into your own kitchen, for a fraction of the cost of eating out! You can pick up these Flat Iron BBQ Steaks from the freezers at Iceland, for £6.00 for a pack of 2.
Pan fry or sizzle on the barbecue until they’re butter-soft and cooked all the way through, then dish them up with a fresh salad, Homemade Oven Chips or any of your favourite sides.
We reckon these Sweet Potato Fries will go down a treat! Baked until they’re crispy, they’ll taste incredible plated up with your steak and some Garlic Green Beans.
Frankie and Benny’s Flat Iron BBQ Steaks are available from Iceland, priced at £6.00 for a pack of 2.
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:
- Salad Potatoes – 75 calories per 100g
- Baby Corn – 26 calories per 100g
- Aubergine – 25 calories per 100g
- Oranges – 47 calories per 100g
- Sweet Pears – 47 calories per 100g
- Mini Apples – 53 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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