Your Slimming Essentials – The Weekly Pinch of Shopping 27.10.23
It’s the most frightful Friday of the year and we’re (trick or) treating you to a hauntingly good Halloween edition of the Weekly Pinch of Shopping! Fear not – if you aren’t planning a spooktacular party, we’ve included some warming lunch and dinner bits you’ll love.
For those feeling ghoulish, you won’t want to miss the creepily cute Halloween cupcakes we’ve spotted at Tesco. It’s not a trick, they really are only 89 calories each!
If you’re more interested in getting cosy and warming up, how about a bowlful of Chicken and Vegetable Broth? And, when you’ve slurped up all that goodness, round things off with the new high protein cheesecakes from The Gym Kitchen – scroll down to find out more!
Don’t forget, our newest cookbook, Pinch of Nom: Express, is now available to pre-order! It’ll be with you on the 7th of December and it’s bursting with recipes that prioritise your time, without compromising on flavour.
Did you see that we revealed 12 of the recipes you’ll find inside Express on Instagram and Facebook last week? The video’s down below…in case you missed it!
Our socials are a great way to keep up with the latest book news. Pre-order now and your copy will arrive right in time for Christmas!
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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!**
Sainsbury’s Bloody Vampire Marshmallows – 82 calories per 1/5 pack
Whether you’ll be snacking in front of a scary film, or handing out goodies to little trick or treaters, these Sainsbury’s Bloody Vampire Marshmallows are frightfully fangtastic.
Each fluffy marshmallow is hiding an oozy strawberry centre – bite in with your gnashers to get to the gooey goodness! Ideal for adding to your Halloween stash, these are up there with the most slimming-friendly sweets you’ll find: you can chomp your way through a third of the bag for only 82 calories.
If you don’t already have some of these Boonanas prepped and in the freezer, you’ve got time to get them ready before your big Halloween bash. They’re super-easy to make, and the kids will love drawing on their spooky little faces!
Sainsbury’s Bloody Vampire Marshmallows are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £1.50.
Morrisons Chicken & Vegetable Broth – 121 calories per 1/2 pack
It’s definitely starting to feel chillier recently, but not to worry – this Morrisons Chicken and Vegetable Broth will warm you right up! With hearty pearl barley in the mix, this super soup is just as filling as it is flavourful.
Made with tender chicken thighs and plenty of seasonal vegetables, it only needs a few minutes on the hob or in the microwave to heat it up. A cosy choice for lunch, you can’t go wrong with a bowlful of broth.
If you’d rather make your own from scratch, we’ve got you covered with this Chicken, Leek and Barley Soup recipe. At just 126 calories per serving, there’s plenty of room to add a crusty bread roll on the side – you’ll want to use it to mop up every last drop.
Morrisons Chicken & Vegetable Broth is available from Morrisons, priced at £1.75.
Asda Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Strips – 161 calories per 1/3 pack
Spotted in the freezer aisle at Asda, these Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Strips can be left to defrost, then reheated or eaten cold. Already cooked and coated in a sweet chilli marinade, they’ll come in handy for everything from salads and sandwiches to stir-fries.
Ideal for keeping food waste to a minimum, you can store the bag in the freezer and only defrost what you need, as and when you need it.
Why not use these defrosted chicken strips to make our Chicken and Pickled Veg Baguettes for lunch this week? Simply skip the steps of marinating and cooking the chicken, and jump straight to the quick pickle.
Loaded into petit pain rolls smothered with sriracha mayonnaise, the sweet, sour and spicy flavours will keep your taste buds guessing!
Asda Sweet Chilli Chicken Breast Strips are available from Asda, priced at £3.00 for a 350g bag.
Starbucks Signature Chocolate Toffee Nut – 178 calories per hot chocolate stick
A midweek trip to Starbucks can set you back a fair few calories, not to mention costing a fortune too! A budget-friendly way to enjoy the taste of your favourite hot drinks at home, this Starbucks Signature Chocolate Toffee Nut is new at Sainsbury’s.
Each pack contains 10 sticks of hot chocolate powder, with a moreish hint of toffee nut flavouring. Mixed into 200ml of warm semi-skimmed milk, each serving works out at 178 calories – and you could easily swap this for skimmed milk or a dairy-free milk alternative if you wanted to save a few more calories.
Fancy a snack to enjoy with your hot chocolate? We reckon these Toffee Apple Swirls would be a match made in heaven. They’re beautifully simple to make, and your kitchen will smell incredible while they’re crisping up in the oven!
Starbucks Signature Chocolate Toffee Nut is available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £4.25 for a pack of 10 hot chocolate powder sticks.
The Bakery at Asda Bagel Thins – 126 calories per bagel thin
If you love a bagel for breakfast, brunch or lunch, you’ve probably noticed (and maybe even tried) bagel thins at the supermarket. The slimmer version of a traditional bagel, these Bagel Thins from the Bakery at Asda are far lighter, at just 126 calories each.
Working out at around 35p cheaper than branded bagels, Asda’s own offering is ideal if you’re trying to fill your trolley with food that’s slimming friendly and budget-friendly too.
Pick up a pack this week and rustle up these Bagel Burgers for your Friday night fakeaway. Loaded up with homemade burger patties, crispy bacon, cheese and pickled gherkins, they’re on the table in just 16 minutes.
The Bakery at Asda Bagel Thins are available from Asda, priced at £1.35 for a pack of 6.
McVitie’s Victoria Dark Chocolate Orange Dreams Biscuits – 99 calories per biscuit
If the stash of Halloween sweets is starting to look tempting, pop the kettle on and put your feet up with one of these McVitie’s Victoria Dark Chocolate Orange Dreams Biscuits.
A little taste of luxury, you can enjoy one of the crunchy biscuits filled with zingy orange cream for only 99 calories. Covered in a thin layer of dark chocolate, they’re a beautiful balance of bittersweet and zesty.
For anyone who loves all things chocolate orange, we’ve got the dream breakfast recipe! Our Chocolate Orange Baked Oats are a cosy, warming brekkie for cold mornings – they’ll warm you up, fill you up and keep you going right through to lunchtime.
McVitie’s Victoria Dark Chocolate Orange Dreams Biscuits are available from Sainsbury’s, priced at £2.00.
Tesco Chicken Fajita Taco Cups – 27 calories per cup
It’s officially buffet season! From Halloween parties to bonfire night and festive gatherings, there are plenty of exciting events on the horizon. That means it’s time to stock the freezer with tasty bites and snacks like these Chicken Fajita Taco Cups from Tesco.
Each Mexican-inspired mouthful includes a crunchy taco shell, spicy shredded chicken and mild Regato cheese – all for only 27 calories per cup! Keep them in the freezer until it’s celebration time, then cook them from frozen in just 10 minutes.
If the thought of fajita flavours has set your mouth watering, why not add our Creamy Fajita Chicken to your meal plan next week? Quick to make, and mild enough for the whole family, the oven-roasted cherry tomatoes add loads of flavour and a delicious pop of sweetness.
Tesco Chicken Fajita Taco Cups are available from Tesco, priced at £3.50 for a pack of 10.
M&S Vampire Fangs Cheese Flavoured Corn Snack – 130 calories per 25g serving
Why should sweet snacks steal the spotlight on Halloween? We’ve spied these terrifyingly tasty Cheese Flavoured Vampire Fang Corn Snacks and they’re just what your fright night is missing.
The crunchy, cheesy, fang-shaped crisps are ideal for serving in a bowl on the buffet table, or sharing while you watch a scary film.
Speaking of irresistible cheese-flavoured snacks, we love to have a tray of these Cheese and Pickle Twists prepared before we press play on movie night. They’re crispy and flaky, for just 41 calories a pop.
M&S Vampire Fangs Cheese Flavoured Corn Snack is available from Ocado, priced at £2.00.
Tesco Halloween Fairy Cakes – 89 calories per fairy cake
Get into the spooky spirit this weekend with these Halloween Fairy Cakes we found in Tesco. There are 9 chocolate sponge cakes in each pack, 3 decorated with a scary skeleton face, and 6 topped with green icing and sprinkles.
Kids and adults alike will be reaching for these dreamy little nibbles, and they’ll go down especially well with anyone on a slimming journey – there are just 89 calories in each cake.
If you need more savoury snacks for your Halloween buffet table, you can’t go far wrong with these Halloween Sausage Mummies. Wrap them up in ready-rolled pastry and add those eerie edible eyes to set a spooky scene.
Tesco Halloween Fairy Cakes are available from Tesco, priced at £2.50 for a pack of 9.
The Gym Kitchen Cookies & Cream Cheesecake – 188 calories per cheesecake
Dessert is back on the menu! There’s a new range of high protein cheesecakes from The Gym Kitchen that are ideal for anyone trying to keep an eye on their calories, and get more protein at the same time.
We’ve popped this Cookies and Cream flavour on the list, but you might also spot yummy strawberry and salted caramel flavours on the shelves. The creamy cheesecake comes on a crunchy digestive biscuit base, ready to satisfy your sweet tooth after your meal, or enjoy as an on-the-go snack.
Did you know you can turn leftover pumpkin into cheesecake? Our Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake can be made with tinned or fresh pumpkin that’s leftover from carving creepy jack o’lanterns (just cook it and blitz it until smooth).
The Gym Kitchen Cookies & Cream Cheesecake is available from Tesco, priced at £3.75 for a pack of 2 individual cheesecakes.
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.
Baking Potatoes – 63 calories per 100g
A cold autumn day calls for a jacket potato for dinner. These baking potatoes are the perfect size for roasting in the oven (or popping in the microwave if you want to save some time).
You can’t go wrong with cheese and beans, but there’s something about Chilli Con Carne served inside a piping hot jacket spud, especially if the skin is nice and crispy.
Unwaxed Lemons – 17 calories per 100g
Sweet or savoury, lemons are one of those ingredients that come in handy more often than you’d think. Squeeze the juice into a fakeaway classic like our ever-popular Lemon Chicken recipe, or zest the citrus-y peel to add into this Lemon Drizzle Cake.
Either way, it’s well worth picking up a bag of these unwaxed lemons while they’re included in the Super 6!
Mixed Squash – 41 calories per 100g
These mini mixed squash are almost too cute to eat! You can pick them up to paint or decorate for Halloween, but they’re delicious when roasted too.
Follow the steps of this Butternut Squash Roasties recipe to transform them into a garlicky, herby side dish that you can serve on the side of your Sunday dinner.
Large Flat Mushrooms – 16 calories per 100g
With a deep flavour and meaty texture, flat mushrooms are such a versatile ingredient! Low in calories, they’re ideal for adding into lots of different dishes to bulk them out and make them more filling, while keeping them slimming friendly.
They’re a key ingredient in our vegetarian Mushroom and Spinach Lasagne, helping to make it hearty and filling, without the need to add meat.
Mini Apples – 53 calories per 100g
Mini but mighty, these little apples are often in the Super 6, and we’re always glad to see them there! Pick up a pack of 6 for just 69p and snack on them throughout the week – they’re perfectly lunchbox sized.
Why not serve them for breakfast? This Apple Pie Porridge is one of our favourite ways to start the day, especially if it’s chilly and dark outside when you wake up!
Leeks – 61 calories per 100g
A sweeter alternative to onions, we love to use leeks in all kinds of autumnal soups, stews bakes and roasts. If you cook them low and slow, they’ll caramelise and release lots of lovely flavour into your dish.
Crack out your slow cooker and make a big batch of Ham, Leek and Potato Soup while this versatile veggie is included in Aldi’s special offer. It’ll store and reheat well for lunch day after day.
**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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