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^^^ Mini shopping basket, not HUGE snacks 
Finding convenient, tasty snacks that are good to ‘grab and go’ can be difficult.
I like to keep snacks around me at all times… in my bag, in my car, in my desk drawer. I’m a grazer and could nibble away all day plus have two young kids that seemingly want constant feeding.
I’ve been a fan of Graze for years, having had their mail delivery service on many, many occasions. So when they announced a new in-store range, I confess, I was more than a little excited.
Graze Good To Go
Graze’s new Good To Go range are perfectly portioned snacks in handy little package that are ideal when on-the-run. With tempting taste combinations and everything from sweet to savoury and spicy, the hardest part is deciding WHICH one to try?
They are (were!) all so delicious. My favourites being:
– Thai Sweet Chilli Dippers. Mini baked soy ‘crackers’ with a sweet chilli sauce and only 83 calories
– Chocolate Pretzel Dippers. I mean, who can resist little salted pretzels with a creamy chocolate sauce?!
Now, as someone who follows the Slimming World plan I was keen to find out how many syns are in these Graze packs as I’d love to keep a few of these on hand for those snack time emergencies! And the good news is, they all fall within the recommended 5 to 15 syns per day – however, some are clearly way higher than others! I’ve listed the syn values for the Graze packs below so you too can make wise choices next time you are in the supermarket!
How many Syns are in Graze Good To Go snack packs?
- Graze Thai Sweet Chilli Dippers – 4 syns
- Graze Herby Bread Basket – 4.5 syns
- Graze Juicy Peach & Raspberry – 5 syns
- Graze Mini Strawberry & Banana – 6
- Graze Veggie Protein Power – 6.5 syns
- Graze Smoke House BBQ Crunch – 6.5 syns
- Graze Chocolate Pretzel Dippers – 7 syns
- Graze Dark Chocolate Cherry Tart – 9 syns
- Graze Punchy Protein Nuts – 10.5 syns
- Graze Original Fruity Flapjack – 11 syns
- Graze Salted Fudge & Peanut Cookie – 11 syns
- Graze Lemon Drizzle Flapjack – 12 syns
Which ones would you like to try?
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]]>The post Groovy Chicken Masala Skewers on Naan Bread w/Yoghurt and Mint Dressing appeared first on One Busy WAHM.
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Summer temperatures are finally upon us… and with that comes long, lazy dinners in the garden. You’ve gotta soak up the light, warm evenings whilst they last! Finding quick and nutritious dinners the whole family will enjoy can be challenging, and I don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen any longer than necessary. Bursting with flavour and nutrition, this masala and mango marinaded chicken with salad can be on the plate in under 20 minutes. #winner.
I’ve chosen to marinade chicken, but this would also work equally well with a firm white fish, like monkfish, as a tasty glaze to BBQ’d meat or delicious simply served as a dip.
Chicken
- Chicken consists of high-quality protein and a relatively low amount of fat. The fat is mostly of the unsaturated type, which protects against heart disease.
- 100 grams of skinless, boneless breast has 31g of protein – more than half the recommended daily allowance of 46 grams of protein for an adult female.
- A 100g serving of cooked skinless, boneless breast has only one gram of saturated fat and less than four grams of total fat.
Masala and Mango marinade
- Groovy Food’s agave nectar is harvested from the organic Blue Webber agave plant in Mexico. The core of the plant is crushed and the nectar is released and then filtered.
- Agave has 25 per cent fewer calories than refined sugar and is naturally much sweeter (almost twice as sweet) and so much less needs to be used to achieve the same sweetness.
- It has a naturally low GI of 17, meaning the energy release is slow and steady as opposed to refined sugars which can cause sugar highs and lows.
Naan bread
Naan bread can be a secret source of fats and calories, so pay attention to the package you buy. The ones I’ve used here are small (it’s all about moderation). If you are watching your calorie intake, why not switch the naan for a wholemeal tortilla or serve with a side of brown rice instead for a tasty alternative.
Slimmers! Click here for information on Slimming World syns in Groovy Food Masala and Mango marinade
(The product isn’t yet listed on the SW app or online, but I used the syn calculator to determine the values (see link above). 100g is 7 syns. I used 50g, therefore only 3.5 syns shared between two people).
This masala and mango marinade transforms some simple chicken into a mid-week dinner winner.
A little spicy. Totally saucy.
Try it for yourself: The Groovy Food Company
- 1 chicken breast
- 40g Groovy Food Agave Masala Mango Marinade, plus a little extra for serving
- 2 garlic and coriander naan breads
- Mixed salad
- Yoghurt and mint dressing
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c (fan assisted)
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir through a generous amount of marinade
- Set aside for the flavours to infuse (5 minutes if in a hurry, refrigerated overnight is ideal)
- Thread the chicken pieces onto a wooden skewer and bake for 10 minutes
- Turn the chicken skewers over and cook for a further 5 minutes (or until cooked right through)
- Just before your chicken finishes cooking, add your naan bread to the oven for 3-4 minutes to warm though
- To serve, brush your cooked chicken skewers with some more masala and mango marinade and serve on top of naan bread and salad
- Drizzle with some cool yoghurt and mint dressing
- Enjoy
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary bottle of The Groovy Food Company Masala with Mango Marinade. All thoughts, opinions and post content is entirely my own.
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]]>The post 6 Ways To Save Money On Your Weekly Supermarket Shop appeared first on One Busy WAHM.
]]>Second only to our mortgage, food shopping is the next biggest expense we have as a family. And it’s not like it’s an optional expense either, I mean, we all need to eat! But, there are things you can do as a family to cut the cost of your supermarket shop.
1. Get Organised
Before you even head out to the shops, get organised.
Go through your cupboards, fridge and freezer and see what you already have. Make a note.
How many times have you stood in the supermarket aisle and questioned whether you had a certain ingredient for that nights meal? Unsure, I bet you bought another (just in case) only to discover you had it already when you got home? For that same reason, I have 4 jars of chilli powder in my cupboard right now. That will take years to work through!
2. Plan Your Meals
You may really fancy a particular meal one night this week, but does it make good financial sense if you have none of the ingredients already to hand? Rather than buying what you fancy, try planning around what you already have – and then only buying the few extra ingredients that you need.
If you’re struggling for dinner ideas, I love AllRecipes.com – a great website where you can search for recipes by ingredient.
Aim to do just ONE food shop per week and plan your meals by expiry date. For example, eat your fresh meat and veggies early in the week, with frozen meals and frozen/canned veggies later in the week.
3. Coupons
Personally, I’m not a fan of clipping coupons from newspapers and magazines. It’s time consuming, clutters up your bag and purse, takes additional time at the check out and nearly always results in purchases of stuff you don’t really need. Rarely do you get coupons for fresh produce, it’s usually junk food or non-essentials.
That said, I am an avid user of store loyalty cards and look out for the coupons that are tailored to my personal shopping habits. It’s like their computer is saying, “Hey, you haven’t bought you favourite shampoo for 4 weeks, you must be running out. Here’s a coupon off your next purchase!”
4. Voucher Codes
Voucher codes are like coupons but often found online. They are redeemable online for an instant reduction on your bill. Many supermarkets offer incredible incentives when food shopping online. Check out websites such as My Voucher Codes which set up to help you and you can bag yourself some great deals like £16 off a £60 spend!
4. Shop For Offers Only
If you are flexible with your meal plan, aim to purchase only foods that are on special offer or promotion. If it’s not on offer and you don’t need it in the next 7 days, leave it. There is no point in spending full price on a product you don’t need right now, when it may come on offer at a later date.
5. Top Up Shops
If you planned your meals well, you shouldn’t need to do a mid-week top up shop at all. (Because we all know it’s impossible to pop out and buy just ONE loaf of bread or pint of milk).
If you do find yourself short of a ‘must have’ item mid-week, be sure to buy ONLY that item.
6. Shop Online or In-store?
Personally, I love to shop in-store. With supermarkets now like mini shopping malls, I love to browse the clothes, the homewares, stop for a coffee…
But yikes. ^^^ Expense. Expense. Expense
Supermarkets are strategically planned to make you spend more money and all those ‘extras’ are a distraction to what you are really after. And all those end-of-aisle promotions and mark-downs that you convince yourself are a bargain, are an added expense if you didn’t plan to purchase them anyway.
Shopping online keeps you focused. It’s harder to become distracted by the smell of freshly baked doughnuts when you are working from a shopping list at your computer and you are more likely to buy only what you need.
Do you have any other great tips for saving money at the supermarket?
Leave a comment below and share your best tips with us!
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The post Diet Tips That Save Money, Too appeared first on One Busy WAHM.
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I often hear people complaining that healthy eating is expensive, or using that as a deterrent against switching to a healthier lifestyle. I can confidently call my food choices healthy – at least most of the time – but I also have a strict family budget to maintain. It is possible to eat healthy on a budget, thanks to a few simple swaps – some of which save calories, too!
Diet Tips That Save Money, Too
#1. Plan your meals. Dedicate 15 minutes once a week to sit down and plan your evening meals. Write a shopping list of ingredients and stick to it. That way, once in store, you won’t be tempted with unhealthy meal-deal offers and food you won’t get round to eating.
#2. Check your schedule – Working late or have activities planned for tea-time in the coming week? Plan ahead and cook a double-batch one evening prior. A spare homemade bolognese in the fridge or freezer can be a quick ready meal when plans go awry and will save you reaching for the takeaway menu. You waistline and bank balance will thank you.
#3. Poke around the fridge. How many times have you bought something because you can’t remember if you have it already? (That is the reason I have 3 jars of chilli powder in my cupboards right now). When planning your meals, have a poke around the fridge, freezer and cupboards and take stock of what you already have. When planning your meals, try and incorporate as much of what you already have into the coming week’s menu.
#4. Shop around. Do you tend to stick with just one supermarket for your weekly shop? Shop around! For example, Aldi’s have some terrific prices on their Weekly Super 6 fruits and veggies at just 69p. I struggle to do an entire shop there, but it’s worth a quick trip at these prices.
#5. Buy ingredients, not products. It’s cheaper (and healthier) to buy raw ingredients and cook food yourself than buying pre-packaged meals, snacks, and other food items. The more food you cook from scratch, the more money you’ll save. An added bonus – you know what all the ingredients are, and you can avoid mystery additives, preservatives and an abundance of fats and sugars.
#6. Bulk out meals with extra veggies. Not only will they be extra healthy, but meals stretch further too. Pop that extra portion in the fridge or freezer for a healthy fast-food / microwave meal on nights when you are running late. This is especially easy with meaty / saucey type meals.
#7. Use up leftovers. Having roast chicken on Sunday? Don’t throw away those leftovers! Chicken salad, risotto, pasta bake – are all quick and easy mid-week meals to make the most of those tasty leftovers. Got spare veggies? Think Spanish omelette or bubble & squeak for lunch the next day.
#8 Popcorn. If you avoid the sugary butterscotch varieties, popcorn can be a great low-calorie snack. But why buy overpriced microwave popcorn when you can throw some kernels in a paper bag and zap it in the microwave. Cost: pennies.
#9. Fresh berries can be very expensive, especially when they are out of season. Check out the freezer aisle for frozen fruit – frozen berries cost much less and they’re just as nutritious for you. Frozen fruit is perfect for smoothies and sorbets, as well as in baking homemade muffins etc. Plus, with frozen berries, you don’t have to worry about eating them before they go bad – just take what you want, when you want.
#10. Instant porridge oats. I loved those sachets of golden syrup porridge that you just add hot water / milk to and microwave – until I learned how sugary and expensive they were compared to regular porridge oats. Instead, switch to a far more economical bag of regular oats and make your own. Try overnight oats, too – they’re delicious!
Do you have any healthy money-saving tips to share?
Scroll down the page and leave a comment in the comments below!
~ Natalie
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]]>The post Morrisons… all the ingredients for a perfect Bank Holiday appeared first on One Busy WAHM.
]]>Aaaah, May Bank holiday weekends. Don’t you just LOVE them?!
A teasing hint that summer is on its way, a dose of glorious sunshine (if you’re lucky!), a lazy long weekend with family – and for us – our first camping trip of the year!
So when Morrisons invited me to become a #MorrisonsMum last weekend, I knew instantly what was needed for our Bank Holiday shop. All the ingredients for a PERFECT camping weekend away!
With a budget of £80, we got a car boot full of groceries. All the food necessary for our camping trip and plenty enough for meals next week, school lunch box supplies and even washing detergent and fabric softener. Ugh laundry – the downside to a weekend away!
Now it should be said, I’m more ‘glamper’ than ‘camper’ and there’s no rubbing sticks to create a fire here. We went fully prepared with our little gas stove, bbq and electric cool box. Our supplies were plentiful and enough to feed a small army! Lean burgers, Weight Watchers sausages, bread rolls, salad, eggs, bacon, fruit, yoghurts and drinks – and all the ingredients necessary to make some of our favourite camping meals.
Camp Fire Pizza
Ingredients:
- Morrisons tortilla wraps (6 for 69p)
- Morrisons tomato and basil pasta sauce (500g for 75p)
- Pilgrims Choice Lighter Mature Cheddar (350g for £2.24)
- Galbani mozzarella (125g for £1.35)
- Pepperoni (120g for £1.59)
Method:
- Pre-heat your pan on your camping stove to a medium heat and spritz with Fry Light baking spray
- Place one tortilla wrap in the pan and ‘toast’ until one side is lightly golden. Rotate for even colouration
- Flip your tortilla over and spread with a generous covering of pasta sauce. (Pesto works great, too!)
- Sprinkle with grated cheddar and some bite-sized pieces of mozzarella
- Top with pepperoni (I cut my pieces in half for extra coverage and less fat)
- Cover your pan with a loose sheet of bacofoil to retain the heat and leave until cheese has melted
- Serve quickly
Cost per pizza – £1.18
BBQ’d Chocolate Bananas
Ingredients:
- Morrisons bananas (5 for £1)
- Cadbury Dairy Milk (200g for £1.99)
Method:
- Slit your banana length-ways to create a ‘pocket’ in which to add your chocolate
- Fill with 3 or 4 squares of Cadbury’s Dairy Millk
- Wrap loosely with a double-sheet of Bacofoil and place on camp barbecue (on low heat / dying ashes)
- Leave for 10-15 minutes or until banana feels soft to squish
- Unwrap and enjoy!
Cost per serving – £0.53 (or £1.06 if you accidentally eat 2 )
Toasted Marshmallows
Camp fire marshmallows need no instructions, but if… if you’ve never tried these little beauties before… just stick some marshmallows on a skewer and gently turn over hot charcoal.
The outside develops a delightful crust, whilst the inside goes all warm and gooey. Be warned, this will drip down your chin. And sweater. And jeans.
But don’t take too long toasting, or they will melt and fall off. And you will be very, very sad 
Cost – £1.29 per large bag.
(I will leave it to your discretion as to whether or not you share!)
Shopping at Morrisons
At Morrisons, it was great to see that nearly all the fresh meat and groceries had a long shelf-life. I am not good at planning my meals ahead and there is nothing more disappointing than opening the fridge to discover something you bought only a day or two earlier has already passed it’s Use By date. Thankfully, we were able to stock up well knowing that when we returned home, we would not need to go shopping once again.
I also told the kiddos they could chose one treat each if they were good. I honestly expected them to run to the sweets aisle, instead, Lauren grabbed a bag of sweet clementines and Thomas some Scooby Doo pasta. I consider that a WIN!
Did you all have a great bank holiday weekend? What did you get up to? Enquiring minds want to know
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary shopping vouchers in order to share my #MorrisonsMum experience. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Many thanks to BritMums and Morrisons for reaching out to me to share with my readers!
~ Natalie
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