Category Archives: All Things Food

WW Food Shop – Asda 01.06.15

Posted in Food Shopping, Uncategorized by

Hi guys,

Not a massive food shop this week as I’m trying to stick to budget. One thing to try and make sure I was under budget this week, I put all my items through the online groceries bit so I had a vague idea of roughly how much I was going to spend and I came in under budget 🙂

photo 2015-06-01 07.51.40.jpg
Fruit and veg: a bunch of celery, 2 punnets of nectarines, 2 punnets of strawberries, carrots, cherry tomatoes, bananas and spinach

photo 2015-06-01 07.54.22.jpg
Everything else: a small skimmed milk, 2 pots of fat free natural yoghurt, a can of Heinz tomato soup (300g – 5pp), laughing cow extra light triangles, laughing cow light triangles (only had 1 pack of extra light), a pack of turkey mince, 2 packs of bacon, some smoked salmon trimmings, bagel thins and sandwich thins.

Total: £21.84

I also popped to Tesco for 3 packs of frozen fruit salad and frozen butternut squash = £4.70

Overall total: £26.54 

So under budget this week. Hopefully will manage to keep away from any further spending this week.

Until next time.. x

WW Meal Plan – Tuesday 2nd June – Monday 8th June – 2.5lb loss

Posted in Meal Plans by

Hi guys,

Another week, another meal plan. Nothing too hardcore this week. I’ve found it quite nice counting this week so I will be going again, though I’m not sure if my points will drop or not as they did the week before last when I lost 2lbs. We shall see.

Tuesday – 33pp
Breakfast: egg (2pp), 2 bacon medallions (1pp) and a light cheese slice (1pp) on a bagel thin (3pp) = 7pp
Lunch: 100g steamed turkey mince over half a pack of Tilda basmati rice = 9pp
Dinner: jacket potato with tuna in light mayo (guesstimate) = 14pp
Snack: 3 ryvitas (2pp) with 3 laughing cow extra light triangles (1pp) = 3pp

Wednesday – 19pp
Breakfast: half pot of Yeo Valley 0% natural yoghurt (1pp) with fruit = 1pp
Lunch: 60g smoked salmon (2pp) with 30g Phili light (1pp) on a bagel thin (3pp) = 6pp
Dinner: 100g steamed turkey mince over half a pack of Tilda basmati rice = 9pp
Snack: carrot sticks with 30g houmous (3pp) = 3pp

Thursday – 33pp
Breakfast: 2 bacon medallions (1pp) 2 eggs (4pp), spinach, mushrooms and 205g baked beans (5pp) = 10pp
Lunch: 130g salmon fillet with roast carrots and butternut squash = 6pp
Dinner: jacket potato with tuna in light mayo (guesstimate) = 14pp
Snack: 3 ryvita (2pp) and 3 laughing cow extra light triangles (1pp) = 3pp

Friday – 28pp
Breakfast: half pot of Yeo Valley 0% natural yoghurt (1pp) with fruit = 1pp
Lunch: Corned beef hash with roasted carrots = 12pp
Dinner: Steak and kidney pudding (10pp) with roasted veggies = 10pp
Snack: Cadbury’s oat crunch (4pp) with a cup of tea with a dash of milk (1pp) = 5pp

Saturday – 32pp
Breakfast: Egg (2pp), 2 bacon medallions (1pp) and a cheese slice (1pp) on a bagel thin (3pp) = 7pp
Lunch: Corned beef hash with roasted carrots = 12pp
Dinner: 2 thin pork loin steaks (10pp) with salad = 10pp
Snack: 3 ryvita (2pp) with 3 laughing cow extra light triangles (1pp) = 3pp

Sunday – 19pp+
Breakfast: half pot of Yeo Valley 0% natural yoghurt (1pp) with fruit = 1pp
Lunch: Corned beef hash with roasted carrots = 12pp
Dinner: Out for dinner with work colleagues after stock take – not sure what we’re eating so will point on the day and use my weeklies if necessary
Snack: bagel thin (3pp) 30g Phili light (1pp) and 60g smoked salmon (2pp) = 6pp

Monday – 34pp + 4 weekly PPs
Breakfast: half pot Yeo Valley 0% natural yoghurt (1pp) with fruit = 1pp
Lunch: Heinz tomato soup (6pp) with a bagel thin (3pp) and 30g Phili light (1pp) = 10pp
Dinner: takeaway Toby Carvery – going to allow around 25pp
Snack: 2 ryvita (1pp) with 30g Phili (1pp) = 2pp

Not too much this week and trying to get the most out of meals so I’m not cooking too much either as I’ll be back at college and this week is going to be crazy busy at work as well so just want to make it as stress free as possible. Hopefully it will cut down on my shopping costs as I overspent last week so it’ll even out a bit 🙂

Until next time.. x

Food Shop – 26.05.15

Posted in Food Shopping, Uncategorized by

Hi guys,

As promised, here’s my food shop from last night. I was a tad over budget (I bought a few things for next week – not sure why!) so I decided I’m going to alter my meals a bit for this week. Instead of KFC on Friday, I’m just going to replicate Monday’s treat dinner so I don’t have to spend any more money this week 🙂 and I forgot to freeze my curry so I’m just using some other stuff I have on hand for a couple of lunches instead.

2015-05-26 21.20.01

Fruit and veg: clementines, mushrooms, 2x strawberries, gala apples, carrots, new potatoes, sweet potatoes, honey dew melon and nectarines

2015-05-26 21.25.56

Everything else: French Fries multipack (2pp/pack), tin of sliced peaches in juice, tin of fruit salad in juice, wafer thin honey roast ham (1pp for 35g), 2x mini cravings cheese (0pp for 1, 1pp for 2 or 3), laughing cow extra light triangles (1pp each), 2x lean corned beef (10pp/tin), pack of 3 houmous stackers (3pp for 35g) crumpets (3pp each or 5pp for two), bacon medallions (1pp each), brown sandwich thins (3pp each), bagel thins (3pp each), Ryvita original (1pp each), mini meringue nests (3 for 1pp), 2x Dairy Milk Oat Crunch (4pp/bar) and Morrisons milk chocolate rice slices (1pp each).

I also bought a pack of frozen peas (2pp for 80g), frozen mediterranean vegetables (aubergine, courgettes and peppers – 0pp) and a pack of 2 Chicago Town deep dish four cheese pizzas (12pp each) which I forgot to photograph as they were defrosting pretty quick when I got home! My total was £42.50 which would have hit my target if I didn’t buy so much cheese or the corned beef or any of the treats >.<

Anyway, it’s still quite a bit less than normal and I shall refrain from any “top up” shops throughout the week!

Until next time.. x

Food Budgeting

Posted in Daily Thoughts, Food Shopping by

Hi guys,

Hope you’re all well after the Bank Holiday and rearing to go – I definitely am!

I spent the day in Knaresborough (near Harrogate) with my family without the OH and we had a lovely day. We did plenty of walking (which was good as I had overindulged a little the night before) and the views are absolutely stunning. I will definitely have to go back and have a good wander and row on the river next time!

Anyhow, I’d forgotten my love for outdoor activities and I have to admit Knaresborough is hilly! I was a bit out of puff whilst climbing a million and one stairs and it’s made me more determined to get my act together. I know I keep saying that but I don’t want to spend anymore of my twenties not feeling confident in myself. With all the issues me and OH have been having with his severe depression, I know I need to be there for him, but I need to make sure I’m doing the best possible for myself too.

This leads on to my blog post today on food budgeting. As me and OH are a bit shaky at the moment, my sister and I have decided to buy a house together next year (with OH living with us). We have a good chunk of deposit between us, but I want to make sure I have a decent amount with some left over for any unexpected stuff. As I live in my Dad’s house in return for managing his tenants and all the rental stuff, I don’t really have much outgoings if I strip away all the non-essentials. So, I am kind of hoping to put away a decent amount in the next few months as my sister’s lease isn’t up until January so we have a bit of time to save. I’m hoping to put away £1K a month for the foreseeable future anyway.

One place which I do spend quite a lot on is my food budget. Even I have to admit that sometimes I just buy things for the sake of it. So much food goes to waste if I’m not focussed on what I actually need (even with a shopping list!) and I just don’t limit myself, which I think may be why I have little willpower at home with all the junk food surrounding me! I am hoping to bring down my food budget by half as I’m no longer responsible for OH’s food. So I will be looking at £30 a week/£130 a month. I have so much food in the cupboards and freezer so I need to run this down as well. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to label some of the meats I received before putting it into the freezer so it might be pot luck when it comes to defrosting things to use the next day.

I think the only thing I will struggle with is probably fruit and veg. Sometimes I go a little crazy as it’s all “healthy” and just grab everything. I’m definitely going to try and be a little more calm and collected. I have my list ready for the shop tonight and there doesn’t seem to be that much on it but I do think I spent around £60 last week on various things so there’s a lot leftover. I will definitely have a post for you in regards to my food shop tomorrow.

Until next time.. x

WW Meal Plan – 26.05.15 – 01.06.15 – 2lbs loss

Posted in Meal Plans by

Hi guys,

Feels like forever since I did a food plan for you to read. I will be pointing this week (I have 34 daily and 49 weekly). Bank holiday Monday would usually be in this plan but I’m just going to try and make the right choices and not stress too much about it. Any leftover daily or weekly PPs will probably used for a snack or two here and there!

Tuesday – 29pp
Breakfast: 2 egg omelet (4 pp) with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and a light cheese slice (1pp) = 5pp
Lunch: 60g smoked salmon (2pp) with 30g Phili light mixed herbs (1pp) with a plain bagel (6pp) = 9pp
Snack: carrot & celery sticks with 30g Waitrose organic houmous (3pp), 4 Tesco seafood sticks (2pp), apple, pear = 5pp
Dinner: 150g pork loin steak (7pp) with 150g new potatoes roasted (3pp), roasted carrots, butternut squash and mushrooms = 10pp

Wednesday – 28pp
Breakfast: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Lunch: lamb and vegetable curry (6pp) with half a packet of Tilda microwave mushroom rice (4pp) = 10pp
Snack: 3 ryvita crackers (3pp) with cherry tomatoes and 50g Philadelphia Light mixed herbs (2pp), 4 Tesco seafood sticks (2pp) = 7pp
Dinner: 3 skinless chicken drumsticks (6pp) with 150g sweet potato (4pp), roasted carrots, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes = 10pp

Thursday – 28pp
Breakfast: 4 bacon medallions (3pp) on 2 sandwich thins (6pp) with 3tbsp ketchup (1pp) = 10pp
Lunch: lamb and vegetable curry (6pp) with half a packet of Tilda microwave mushroom rice (4pp) = 10pp
Snack: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Dinner: 1 sandwich thin (3pp) split in half with tomato puree, 50g light mozzarella (3pp), 25g sun dried tomatoes (1pp), spinach, mushrooms and roasted carrot and butternut squash = 7pp

Friday – 34pp, 5 weekly pp
Breakfast: 2 egg omelet (4 pp) with spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and a light cheese slice (1pp) = 5pp
Lunch: 3 skinless chicken drumsticks (6pp) with 150g sweet potato (4pp), roasted carrots, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes = 10pp
Snack: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Dinner: 2 pieces of KFC chicken (13pp), small popcorn chicken (4pp), corn (2pp), regular coleslaw (4pp) and a Pepsi Max = 23pp

Saturday – 29pp
Breakfast: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Lunch: 4 ryvita crackers (4pp) with cherry tomatoes and 60g Philadelphia Light mixed herbs (2pp) = 6pp
Snack: 90g wafer thin ham (2pp) on a bagel (6pp) with 40g Waitrose houmous (4pp) = 12pp
Dinner: lamb and vegetable curry (6pp) with half a packet of Tilda microwave mushroom rice (4pp) = 10pp

Sunday – 30pp
Breakfast: 2 eggs (4pp), 3 bacon medallions (2pp), 1 light cheese slice (1pp) on a plain bagel (6pp) = 13pp
Lunch: 4 ryvita crackers (4pp) with cherry tomatoes and 60g Philadelphia Light mixed herbs (2pp) = 6pp
Snack: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Dinner: 3 skinless chicken drumsticks (6pp) with 150g sweet potato (4pp), roasted carrots, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes = 10pp

Monday – 34pp
Breakfast: 4 bacon medallions (3pp) on 2 sandwich thins (6pp) with 3tbsp ketchup (1pp) = 10pp
Lunch: 4 ryvita crackers (4pp) with cherry tomatoes and 60g Philadelphia Light mixed herbs (2pp) = 6pp
Snack: 150g Yeo Valley 0% fat natural yoghurt (1pp) with strawberries, melon, banana = 1pp
Dinner: Chicago Town deep dish four cheese pizza (12pp), 250g new potatoes 5pp and roasted carrots = 17pp

In the above I only use 5 of my weekly PPs so I have 44pp to play with throughout the week for snacks and random dessert splurges, etc.

Hopefully I’ll get a good loss despite the odd treat here and there 🙂

Until next time.. x

Return to Blogging/Change of Plan

Posted in All Things Food, Monthly Updates, Weight Loss by

Hi guys,

Not sure if anyone’s around to carry on reading posts, but I’m here! Sorry for the prolonged absence. As you know I was going through a very difficult few months and I just felt totally overwhelmed. Unfortunately, something had to give, and that just happened to be blogging and generally looking after myself. So, I am kind of fresh back from my holidays, where I ate a lot of food. Fortunately I didn’t put any weight on (it was Florida after all!). Unfortunately I put a bunch of weight on before I went.

So, I’m back, ready to get back into it. I have decided to have a little change though. I decided to join Weightwatchers as I kept going off the rails a bit with Slimming World and thought I could do with a bit more structure to kick myself back into gear. I have to admit that I didn’t have great first impressions at group and the first week was a big mess. This week has been exam week and so I’ve not been counting (Daily PPs: 34, Weekly: 49) but doing WW’s version of SW – filling and healthy. Though I did have a moment the day before the exam and went to Mcdonalds >.< Well, Rome wasn't built in a day I suppose.

I weighed in on 11th May at 15 stone 12lbs. My last weigh in was 18th May and I lost 2lbs (though I had only really been counting for about 3 days due to a massive feck up online). This week isn't boding too well at the moment but my exam was yesterday and I'm going to make sure the rest of this week is up to scratch.

Although I'll be following WW for the foreseeable future (unless something goes horribly wrong or I just decide to go back to SW), I hope you'll carry on following my journey. I will be blogging my food once again and hopefully will be able to squeeze a few shopping posts in. At the end of the day, I feel that WW and SW are fairly similar in that they both advocate healthy eating and so far, it just seems (in my eyes) that WW is more controlled in regards to portion size and at this moment in time, I think that's what I need. I'm sure my food will still largely resemble a SW diet so hopefully you'll get some inspiration and just double check it's SW friendly 🙂

OK, so I think that's all for now.

Until next time.. x

Food Shopping – Asda – 23rd February

Posted in Daily Thoughts, Food Shopping by

Hi guys,

This post is a bit late and without photos but better late than never, right?

Fruit & veg: 2 bunches of celery, a punnet of peaches, nectarines, leeks, grapes, honeydew melon, 2 punnets of strawberries, clementines, carrots, a grapefruit, pears, fine beans, mangetout, spinach, basil, chives, red pepper and passion fruit.

Other: 2 packs of 5% beef mince, almond milk, roast peppers in brine, chickpeas, mackerel in spicy tomato sauce, WW cumberland sausages, frozen black forest fruit mix, quark, cottage cheese, fromage frais and a loaf Kingsmill Great White.

Total came to £53.41.

I’ve tried the houmous recipe on the SW website and it’s not for me which I’m a bit upset about as I was looking forward to a syn free dip! I might just stick to synning the shop bought stuff. Similar views on the leek and potato soup but it’s more edible than the houmous!

I’ve not been totally following my meal plan either but it’s been nice to spend some quality time with my sisters and trying to throw myself back in college life. The past few days have been getting better and I’m taking some time off next week just to catch up on some rest and organise my life a bit more so hopefully I can get back into the blogging swing of things 🙂

Until next time.. x

Meal Plan – Tuesday – Monday (24th Feb – 2nd Mar)

Posted in Meal Plans by

Hi guys,

As promised I’m getting straight back on it. One thing I’ve been obsessed about since I posted at the beginning of the month is Pinterest. I’d been a member for a while but I’ve only just realised how useful it is. I’ve been loving all the organisation pins and when I get some time I’m looking forward to organising my fridge and cupboards! One pin which I want to take on board is where you prep slow cooker meals and then put them in the freezer so you just need to take it out the night before to defrost and bung it in the slow cooker in the morning – something I definitely want to do in the near future!

Tuesday
Breakfast – mackerel in spicy tomato sauce with scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes (s) and ketchup (2 syns) with 60g of Kingsmill Great White (HEB)
Lunch – leek and potato soup with carrot sticks and houmous (Homemade – FREE)
College – jacket potato with baked beans
Dinner – tomato soup

Wednesday
Breakfast – fromage frais mixed with half HEA milk with papaya (s), pear (s) and berries (s)
Lunch – soy salmon with roasted carrots (s), fine beans (s) and broccoli (s)
Dinner – tomato soup with a cheese (half HEA) and cherry tomato (s) toastie using Kingsmill Great White 60g (HEB)

Thursday
Breakfast – Coco Shreddies (HEB) with milk (HEA) with pear and papaya
Lunch – leek and potato soup with carrot sticks (s) and houmous
College – jacket potato with baked beans
Dinner – tomato soup

Friday
Breakfast – bacon, sausage (1 syn), mushroom (s) and spinach (s) omelette
Lunch – beef chilli with rice
Dinner – red pesto pasta (3.5 syns)

Saturday
Breakfast – Coco Shreddies (HEB) with milk (HEA) with berries (s) and pear (s)
Lunch – red pesto pasta (3.5 syns)
Dinner – spinach (s) and sausage (2 syns) pasta

Sunday
Breakfast – baked beans on 60g Kingsmill Great White (HEB) with berries (s) and grapes
Lunch – beef chilli and rice
Dinner – red pesto pasta (3.5 syns)

Monday
Breakfast – Coco Shreddies (HEB) and milk (HEA) with berries (s), pear (s) and grapes
Lunch – leek and potato soup with carrot sticks (s) and houmous
Dinner – spinach (s) and sausage (2 syns) pasta

Until next time.. x

Meal Plan & Food Shop – Asda 2nd Feb

Posted in Food Shopping, Meal Plans by

Hi guys,

Just a really quick one whilst I’m taking a break from ratios and group accounts! Meal plan is as follows:

Tuesday – EE
Breakfast: 30g granola (HEB) with 250ml semi skimmed milk (HEA) with strawberries (s) and melon (s)
Lunch: mushroom (s) and spinach (s) risotto
College: jacket with cheese (6 syns) and beans
Dinner: carrot (s) and coriander soup

Wednesday – SP
Breakfast: mackerel in spicy tomato sauce with scrambled eggs and cherry tomatoes (s) with 2 slices of 400g wholemeal toast (HEB)
Lunch: carrot (s) and coriander soup with a wholemeal bread roll (HEB)
Dinner: soy salmon stir fry

Thursday – EE
Breakfast: 30g granola (HEB) with 250ml semi skimmed milk (HEA) with strawberries (s) and melon (s)
Lunch: soy salmon stir fry
College: jacket with cheese (6 syns) and beans
Dinner: carrot (s) and coriander soup

Friday – SP
Breakfast: breakfast muffins with cheese (HEA) and clementines (s)
Lunch: soy salmon stir fry
Dinner: steak with broccoli (s), roasted carrots (s)

Saturday – EE
Breakfast: breakfast muffins with cheese (HEA) and clementines (s)
Lunch: pulled chicken with a wholemeal bread roll (HEB)
Dinner: mushroom (s) and spinach (s) risotto

Sunday – SP
Breakfast: 30g granola (HEB) with 250ml semi skimmed milk (HEA) with strawberries (s) and peach (s)
Lunch: mackerel, tomatoes (s) and courgette (s) spaghetti
Dinner: 4 ryvita (HEB), 4 extra light laughing cow triangles (4 syns) with ham and cherry tomatoes (s)

Monday – EE
Breakfast: vegetable omelette
Lunch: butternut squash soup
Dinner: possibly dinner out

Weekly Shop

As I was swamped with revision, OH kindly did the food shop for me so I don’t have any photos to show you this week. It’s actually better when he goes as he sticks a lot more firmly to the list than I do – I’m so easily swayed!

Fruit and veg: clementines, butternut squash, oranges, mandarins, peaches, plums, cherry tomatoes, celery, strawberries, mushrooms, tenderstem broccoli, stir fry mix, carrots, coriander.

Others: baked beans, eggs, mackerel fillets, wholemeal bread, ham

Total: £35.05

Until next time.. x

Food Shop – Asda – 26th Jan

Posted in Food Shopping by

Hi guys,

So I fancied a change from Morrisons and decided to go to Asda as I hadn’t been in a while. Went a bit crazy as I got everything on my list and got distracted with some extra fruits and non-edible stuff.

2015-01-26 15.11.28

Fruits and veggies: bag of carrots, large cauliflower (so expensive!), onions, yellow plums, courgettes, celery, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, new potatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, large honey dew melon, large citrus, cabbage and baby spinach

2015-01-26 15.19.58

Meat, dairy, other: 5% beef mince (250g for £2), reduced fat cumberland sausages, cathedral city lighter, worcester sauce, dairylea light triangles, 0% natural yoghurt, Kraft light herb and garlic dressing (1 syn/tbsp), pudding rice, quark, sliced ham, weight watchers dessert yoghurts, bacon, passata, almond milk, semi skimmed milk, mackerel in spicy tomato sauce, pickled beetroot, chicken and beef stockpots, smart price coleslaw (2.5 syns/100g), jalapeño houmous (2.5syns/tbsp), french fries (4 syns/19g pack), 36 eggs.

2015-01-26 15.28.10

Non-food items: 2 sensitive pampers baby wipes (for wiping off face masks), sistema small split box, sistema quaddie and sistema 3 section lunchbox

So because of all the extras, shopping was a bit higher than usual – £89.26, but just food came to: £75.76

Until next time.. x