3 simple hacks to unlock tasty and balanced meals

MANILA, Philippines — Eating healthy is not and shouldn’t be a luxury. In Filipino cuisine, there are plenty of nutritious and tasty dishes that are very easy and affordable to make such as the classic chicken adobo, tortang talong, pinakbet and so much more.

Still, it is a challenge for many homemakers to ensure that every meal is balanced while also meeting the personal preferences of everyone at the dining table, sticking to a budget and managing other tasks at home and at work.

But don’t worry! Here are some practical tips you can follow to create tasty and balanced meals for your family that are also quick and cost-effective.

1. Try out meal planning

Everyone has likely experienced the dilemma of not knowing what to cook or not having enough time and ingredients to fix up something in the kitchen. One way to avoid this is through meal planning where you’ll be able to plot your weekly menu and your grocery list ahead.

Aside from saving you time and helping you stick to your budget, having a meal plan enables you to be creative in coming up with nutritious meal combinations to achieve a balanced diet, and also try new recipes you haven’t cooked before.

You can create budget-friendly meal plans and discover healthy and delicious recipes when you use the latest nutrition service innovation from Nestlé, the Nestlé Goodnes platform.

Their My Menu Planner can help you plan for a whole week’s worth of dishes that you can personalize for your budget and preferences.

2. Incorporate vegetables and fruits to your meals

Side dishes add nutritional value and variety to everyday meals. It’s a great way to integrate more vegetables and fruits to your family’s diet, which helps in balanced eating.

Now, don’t think that preparing side dishes on top of cooking the main dish will take a lot of time and energy. It could be as simple as adding a spoonful or two of atchara to your silog meals or fixing a fruit bowl! Other tasty and healthy Filipino side dishes that you can try are misua with patola soup, kangkong stir fry, and all sorts of salads or ensalada.

Another way to ensure that you’re getting your daily dose of veggies is by preparing dishes that contain both meat and vegetables like our beloved soup dishes nilaga, sinigang and tinola. You can also add meat or fish to vegetable dishes such as pinakbet and ginisang munggo to make them more balanced.

Already have the vegetables but don’t know what to make with them? Find a dish that uses it in the Nestlé Goodnes recipes section. Just type in up to three ingredients that you want to use and the tool will recommend a wide assortment of dishes that can use those ingredients.

3. Make your personal cookbook

Having a cookbook on hand when you’re racking your brains for what to cook or add to your meal plan is handy and time-saving especially if that cookbook is something that you made yourself. It doesn’t have to be fancy!

Try out the Nestlé Goodnes My Cookbook feature where you can quickly save your favorite recipes in personalized cookbooks that make finding a tried and tested recipe a breeze.

In building your cookbook, you can include beloved family recipes, your spouse and/or kids’ favorite dishes, recipes you’ve seen on TV that you want to replicate, recommendations by friends, and personal ideas, among others. Make it your own and share with your loved ones as well!

These simple and practical hacks demonstrate that with the right motivation, creativity and resourcefulness, you can achieve a balanced diet and unlock goodness in every meal.

Editor’s Note: This press release is sponsored by Nestle. It is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.