Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 27.01.23
It’s the final Weekly Pinch of Shopping for January! Whether it felt like it flew by, or you’re feeling glad to welcome February, we’ve spotted some new bits and bobs that’ll get your fridge, freezer and cupboards ready for the month ahead.
If you’ve been struggling with inspiration for slimming-friendly breakfasts recently, there’s a couple of items on the list this week that might help out! Start your day right with Bio&Me’s Apple Cinnamon Gut Loving Porridge for slow-release energy, or tuck into the new Protein Pudding we’ve spotted at Morrisons.
If that’s not enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these Malteser loaded Rocky Road squares. Run (don’t walk) to Asda and pop them in your basket!
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. 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!**
Warburtons Gluten Free Cinnamon & Raisin Sliced Fruity Buns – 174 calories per bun
Why wait for hot cross buns when these Warburtons Gluten Free Cinnamon and Raisin Sliced Fruity Buns are here right now? High in fibre, low in saturated fat and only 174 calories each, these super-soft bread buns are great for breakfast time (and they make for a satisfying mid-afternoon snack too).
Pop these in the toaster to get warm and bring out the sweet, spiced flavour of the cinnamon. Serve with a little reduced-fat spread or smear on some low-fat cream cheese.
If you love the warming taste of cinnamon, why not try it in cake form? These Cinnamon Drizzle Squares are heavenly bites of moist sponge, topped with cinnamon-infused icing. At 67 calories per square, they’re best enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee, to perk you up on a grey afternoon.
Warburtons Gluten Free Cinnamon & Raisin Sliced Fruity Buns are available for Tesco, priced at £3.00 for a pack of 4.
Cook With M&S Cauliflower Couscous – 43 calories per 1/2 pack
Saving on both time and calories, this Cook With M&S Cauliflower Couscous is a handy side dish to have stashed in the fridge. The finely chopped cauli is flavoured with parsley, and perfect for serving hot or cold instead of traditional rice or couscous.
Ideal if you’re keeping an eye on your carb intake, this would be delicious dished up alongside any of our low-carb lunch and dinner recipes.
We’d serve it with this Oven Baked Pasanda Curry for a midweek meal that’s low on effort, low in calories and so tasty that you’ll want it on your menu every week! A one-pot wonder with bags of flavour, the mildly-spiced curry is finished with a sprinkle of flaked almonds, for a lovely golden crunch.
Cook With M&S Cauliflower Couscous is available from Ocado, priced at £1.95.
Aero Peppermint Mini Eggs – 128 calories per 8 eggs
Easter might be a while off, but the supermarket shelves are already brimming with chocolatey goodies. When you can enjoy 8 of these Aero Peppermint Mini Eggs for just 128 calories, there’s no need to wait for the Easter bunny.
Bubbly and light, these melt-in-the-mouth minty treats are ideal when your sweet cravings come calling. We reckon they’d make a great slimming-friendly evening snack (psst…you can find more low-calorie evening snack ideas right here).
Mint chocolate isn’t for everyone, and if you prefer a zesty twist to your sweet treats, we bet you love a chocolate and orange combo. Why not try out your baking skills this weekend and have a go at making your own Jaffa Cakes? At 33 calories each, it’s well worth the effort!
Aero Peppermint Mini Eggs are available from most supermarkets, priced at £1.25.
Plant Menu Ultimate No Beef Burgers – 224 calories per burger
The end of Veganuary is in sight, and if you need one last meal idea, how about putting on a burger-themed fakeaway night? These Plant Menu Ultimate No Beef Burgers from Aldi are juicy, flavourful patties that’ll make sure you don’t miss the meat at all.
Made with pea protein, these vegan-friendly burgers are just 224 calories each. Load them up inside a wholemeal bread roll and add all of your favourite slimming-friendly toppings to create the meat-free burger of your dreams!
If you like to plan a fakeaway night every week, you won’t want to miss this roundup of our favourite burger recipes. Proving that not every burger has to be a meat feast, these Salmon Burgers make for a nice change from beef. They work out at 482 calories each, and that’s including the burger bun and our tartare-style sauce!
Plant Menu Ultimate No Beef Burgers are available from Aldi, priced at £1.99 for a pack of 2.
Nomadic Protein Pudding Chocolate – 162 calories per pot
We’ve spotted a creamy, indulgent-tasting dessert that works towards your protein goal for the day in Morrisons this week. These Nomadic Protein Puddings come in a choice of chocolate or vanilla flavour, with each pot containing 20g of protein for only 162 calories.
Although these are delicious as an after-dinner treat, we see no reason you couldn’t tuck into one for breakfast, or pop one in your bag in case you get peckish during the day.
Imagine adding a dollop of this chocolate pudding over the top of these Oat Pancakes for a decadent yet slimming-friendly weekend breakfast. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, these pancakes are great when you don’t know what you fancy for brekkie – they can be served with so many different toppings!
Nomadic Protein Pudding Chocolate is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.75 per pot.
Tesco Chicken Goujons With Lemon Sauce – 316 calories per 1/2 pack
If you’ve been dreaming of a takeaway all week but don’t fancy splurging the money (or the calories), we’ve spotted a handy solution at Tesco. These Chicken Goujons With Lemon Sauce will sort out your craving for Chinese-style lemon chicken.
The strips of chicken breast are coated in a crispy golden batter, and they come with a pot of sticky, sweet lemon sauce to drizzle over before serving. There are 316 calories in half the pack, making it a great main dish for two, served with some simple fluffy rice (or the M&S cauliflower couscous!).
An even lighter take on the takeaway classic, our Lemon Chicken recipe clocks in at only 201 calories per portion. The recipe is nice and uncomplicated, and (in our opinion!) gives the takeaway version a run for its money.
Tesco Chicken Goujons With Lemon Sauce are available from Tesco.
Rowntree’s YO’GEES – 70 calories per lolly
Even when it’s chilly outside, a fruity frozen treat makes for a tasty, low-calorie snack. These Rowntree’s YO’GEES have a bit more substance than your usual ice lolly – they’re made from yoghurt and real fruit juice.
The pack includes a mixture of tropical and strawberry-flavoured frozen yoghurt lollies, made with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. They’re a juicy 70-calorie treat that you can grab from the freezer whenever you need something sweet.
Made with real strawberries, these Birthday Cake Ice Pops are so much fun to make at home. When they’re frozen, they get drizzled with white chocolate and sprinkled with cake crumbs and hundreds and thousands. Best of all, they’re just 93 calories each!
Rowntree’s YO’GEES are available from Tesco, priced at £2.25 for a pack of 6.
Bio&Me Apple Cinnamon Gut Loving Porridge – 133 calories per serving
If you like to start the day with your best foot forward, get yourself to Sainsbury’s to pick up a box of this Bio&Me Apple Cinnamon Gut Loving Porridge. The individually portioned sachets inside contain prebiotic porridge that’s high in fibre and packed with plant-based nutrients that promote gut health.
Easy to prepare on the hob or in the microwave, using any kind of dairy or plant-based milk, the warming taste of apple and cinnamon is a delicious way to kick-start your day!
If you’re looking for more breakfast inspiration we’d recommend giving this Biscoff and Banana Porridge a whirl. Biscoff for breakfast might feel like a treat, but when each portion is just 260 calories, we wouldn’t judge you for having this every day of the week!
Bio&Me Apple Cinnamon Gut Loving Porridge is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.65 for a pack of 6 sachets.
Batchelors Cup a Soup Thai Green Curry Sachets – 72 calories per cup
There’s nothing new about Batchelors Cup a Soups, but we were pleased to spot a few new flavours recently, including this tasty-looking Thai Green Curry. Along with Thai Sweet Potato and Carrot, and Szechuan Hot and Sour, the newest additions to the popular instant soup range will add some flavour into your day for just 72 calories per cup.
Ready in as long as it takes for your kettle to boil, it’s always handy to have a few Cup a Soups in the cupboard to warm you up, or fill you up in-between meals.
Feeling inspired to have Thai-style food for dinner? This Creamy Red Thai Curry is beautifully balanced, with the cool cream cheese working in harmony with the fiery fresh chillies. This creates a mild, creamy sauce that’s perfect served with rice.
Batchelors Cup a Soup Thai Green Curry Sachets are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.60 for a pack of 6. Currently on offer for £1.00.
Maltesers Rocky Road – 219 calories per 42g serving
As if Maltesers weren’t already up there with the best sweet nibbles, they’ve been given a makeover and turned into this tempting Maltesers Rocky Road. The seriously chocolatey treat is loaded with milk chocolate, biscuit pieces, Maltesers and marshmallows.
A dreamy snack to enjoy with a cuppa, each square works out at 219 calories – not bad considering how much chocolate is included in that! Crunchy, chewy and sweet, how could you resist?
For a lighter snack that brings a similar chocolate hit, roll up your sleeves and get to work making these Chocolate Rice Crispy Bites. When you’re done, you’ll have a moreish little treat that’s only 30 calories per bite.
Maltesers Rocky Road is available from Asda, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 4.
NEW Aldi Super 6 Fruit and Veg Selection
We love Aldi’s fortnightly selection of fresh fruit and veggies! They choose different items for a special offer where you can pick them up for much less than the normal price. Here’s the rundown of this week’s Super 6 offering, along with some recipe ideas for you.
Royal Gala Apples – 52 calories per 100g
An apple a day helps you on your way to your 5-a-day! Crunchy and sweet, biting into a crisp apple can stop you rooting around in the snack cupboard in the middle of the day.
Munch on one as part of your lunch, or slice an apple and serve it with your breakfast. Such a versatile fruit, you can cook it into desserts or even use it in your dinner recipes.
Put this bag of bargain apples to good use and make our Apple Pie Porridge for breakfast next week!
Sugar Snap Peas – 34 calories per 100g
Crunchy and ever so slightly sweet, sugar snap peas are an unexpectedly tasty on-the-go snack. We love to eat them raw on their own, or dunk them into a Hummus Style Dip.
Chop them up and mix them into salads, or throw a handful into a quick and easy stir-fry – they’re more versatile than you might imagine!
Why not put this Fakeaway Chicken in Black Pepper Sauce on the menu this weekend? The sugar snap peas give the finished dish a lovely crunch!
Mangoes – 60 calories per 100g
Fresh and delicious, mangoes come jam-packed with satisfying sweetness, and loads of vitamins and minerals. As well as slicing it up for snacking, it can also be cooked into savoury dishes like our Turkey and Mango Curry (trust us, it works!).
Or leave it raw and add a fruity twist to lunchtime with our Chicken and Mango Salad. As packed with colour as it is with flavour, you’ll find juicy mango, zingy lime and lots of other fresh veggies in this snazzy salad.
Kiwi Fruits – 61 calories per 100g
Full of sweet, tangy flavour, kiwis are a juicy pick-me-up fruit you can enjoy at any time of day. Good for digestion and full of immune-boosting vitamins, they’re well worth having in the fridge to reach for when you need a little treat.
We’d recommend adding a few slices on the top of our Fruity Flapjack Pizza. You won’t be able to get enough of the chewy, oaty base and creamy topping!
Mini Pears – 42 calories per 100g
These mini pears might be small, but they’re just as crisp and sweet as the bigger versions. A snack-sized treat, take them on the go with you or chop them up as a sweet porridge topping.
When you cook pears, you release even more of those lovely sweet flavours: which means they’re perfect for bakes like our Pear and Ginger Crumble. You won’t believe it’s only 177 calories per serving!
Little Gem Lettuce – 16 calories per 100g
There are few things as refreshing as a perfectly crisp, fresh little gem lettuce. Crunchy, with a mild flavour, you can add it into a sandwich, shred it into a salad or (our personal favourite) turn the biggest leaves into wraps.
The crisp lettuce cups give this Pork Carnitas with Pineapple such a satisfying crunch to every bite. Give it a try this week!
**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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