19/09/2026
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐๐ผ, ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ๐
by CMU BSND OJT Alekzhander Luis E. Soliven
For Filipino homes, higher costs for food, fuel and electricity make it harder to cook meals that are both affordable and healthy. However, saving money does not have to mean giving up on good nutrition. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), for a healthy diet, a person must eat a variety of foods, and limit intake of extra salt, sugar, and fats. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) also stated that as of the year 2025, healthy meals are still not affordable for most Filipino families. Faced with these issues, smart ways to prepare meals can help families spend less while still making healthy and nutritious meals.
One of the ways to achieve this is to do ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด. For instance, families can plan what they will eat during the week, make a list of what they need to buy, and purchase only those items. Before going to the store, they can check what they already have in the kitchen to avoid buying things they already have. Planning meals around the products already in the house makes it easier to control costs, lessens the chance of buying food products already present in the household, and also avoids food wastage.
Choosing ๐ฏ๐๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ๐-๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ such as rice, corn, root crops, eggs, beans, fish, and in-season vegetables also help in reducing costs of purchasing since they are most often high in supply and therefore cheaper. According to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), fish, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans and nuts are a good, cheap source of protein, and combining these with in-season vegetables and staple foods can make meals that are full and healthy without needing to spend extra money on expensive ingredients.
Buying ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ, ๐ถ๐ป-๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐ can also help in saving money and add more variety to the diet. Prices for food in the market can vary based on the supply, demand, if the food product is in-season, and where the food was farmed from. So families can change their recipes based on what's cheap and fresh at the market. For example, a dish with vegetables does not always require only those specific vegetables, depending on the price and availability, other types of vegetables can be used as substitutions. This way families can still enjoy healthy and delicious meals and while staying within their budget. It also follows the 10 Kumainmentsโ and the Pinggang Pinoyโs advice to eat a variety of different foods as part of a healthy diet.
Another way is to use ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐. For example, chicken can be cooked as tinola or adobo. Then used in soups, noodles, sandwiches or dishes with vegetables. Leftover vegetables can be used in omelets, soups or fried rice. Families can also cook meals that use leftover meat and mix it with beans, tofu, eggs or vegetables. This makes leftovers more appealing, the meal more filling, less expensive, and helps families get the most out of the food they buy.
Stopping food from going to waste is also very important. When food is thrown away itโs like throwing away money. Families can use the ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ป, ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ (FIFO Method) which involves using the older items first before the newer ones to prevent products from going bad. For example, canned goods, meats, and vegetables should be arranged so that the older ones are by the front and are used first while the newly bought ones are placed at the back and only move forward when the older products are used. Cooked food should also be put in covered containers and put in the fridge as soon as it is not needed right away. The FAO says planning meals, storing food correctly and buying only what is needed are ways to reduce food waste. These habits can help stop food from going bad quickly and ensure food safety.
The ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ can also affect how much money is being spent on the fuel and electricity used for cooking. Batch cooking allows families to make more than one meal every time they cook. One-pot cooking also helps in reducing fuel and food waste since all the food is cooked in one pot. Using the lids on pots helps keep heat in and makes cooking faster. Pressure cookers can also help cook things easier and faster like beans and tougher cuts of meat. Cooked food should not stay out for too long so as to prevent faster spoilage. Proper cooling, storing and reheating is also important to avoid foodborne illnesses.
People should also think about the risks associated with just choosing the cheapest type of product available. A big package may look cheaper but might not be worth it if the food goes bad before it is used. The family or household food purchasers can learn how to read the Nutrition Facts label on food products in grocery and convenience stores to determine how many meals can be made with those products and how healthy it is. They can also pick products that can be used in more than one meal so that itโs less likely to go to waste. With these methods, managing the householdโs money is not always about finding the lowest prices for their needs, but more on making the smarter choice for the health and well-being of their family.
The goal of making affordable meals is not always about spending less, it is about using what is available better while keeping nutrition in mind. By planning meals, choosing foods that are in season, using a single ingredient in many meals, reducing food waste and cooking in a smart way, Filipino families can make healthy meals easier to afford even when prices are high and still rising. Spend and cook smartly, waste less, always make sure that every meal is good for the body, and donโt forget to enjoy the journey towards healthier eating.
(CMU BSND OJT Alekzhander Luis E. Soliven / [email protected] / 09631090198)
References:
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2020). 15 quick tips for reducing food waste and becoming a Food hero. https://www.fao.org/newsroom/story/15-quick-tips-for-reducing-food-waste-and-becoming-a-Food-hero/en
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2025). The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2025. https://www.fao.org/publications/home/fao-flagship-publications/the-state-of-food-security-and-nutrition-in-the-world
Food and Nutrition Research Institute. (2012). Nutritional guidelines for Filipinos: A prescription to good nutrition. Department of Science and Technology. https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/publications/writers-pool-corner/57-food-and-nutrition/204-nutritional-guidelines-for-filipinos-a-prescription-to-good-nutrition
World Health Organization. (2026). Healthy diet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
