Start them young: Maggi, Panlasang Pinoy teach importance of healthy, tasty and easy-to-make meals to Gen Z, Alpha

MANILA, Philippines — With early exposure to cooking, young Filipinos can be more easily taught the skills and knowledge involved in nutritious eating and making better food choices.

This makes it all the more important for food brand Maggi to reach the young Filipinos—the Gen Zs and Gen Alphas—with its Sarap Sustansya campaign, a collaborative effort that promotes balanced nutrition and encourages a love for food that’s both healthy and delicious.

In partnership with popular food vlogger Panlasang Pinoy, Maggi’s Sarap Sustansya initiative aims to teach younger generations not only the importance of nutritious, delicious and budget-friendly meals but also the skills and appreciation for healthy cooking at an early age.

According to Maggi representative Dhia Hilario, at the heart of this initiative is the belief that the habits formed early in life can shape one’s overall health and well-being. 

As statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show, 74% of Filipino children consume less than three servings of vegetables daily—a gap that Maggi and its partners are working hard to bridge. 

Through innovative collaborations like cooking workshops and school programs, the Sarap Sustansya advocacy is changing the way kids look at food, making vegetables both accessible and appealing, Hilario explained. 

Gulayan sa Paaralan: From school garden to table

One of the key highlights of this movement is the Sarap Sustansya Cook-off, a hands-on activity aimed at public school students from Grades 4 to 10. 

By partnering with the Department of Education and Nestlé Wellness Campus, Maggi was able to engage young students in an interactive learning experience that gave them confidence in the kitchen.

Through the MAGGI Kusinaskwela YouTube series, students learned practical cooking skills via 16 educational modules. These skills were then put to the test in a "gamified" cook-off, where participants cooked nutritious meals while also filming their creations—making the process both fun and rewarding.

A unique aspect of the cook-off is its connection to the Gulayan sa Paaralan program, where students harvested vegetables grown in school gardens and used them in their dishes. Research shows that children who grow their own vegetables are more likely to eat them, making this approach a powerful tool in fostering healthier eating habits.

According to Joselito and Jayanne Tuando, MAPEH Teacher and Wellness Coordinator at Taguig Integrated School, it’s undeniable that many young students are picky eaters.

The Gulayan sa Paaralan program has helped shift this mindset. 

By actively participating in growing and maintaining the plants themselves, students develop a deeper appreciation for vegetables, which in turn encourages them to try these nutritious foods.

Maggi and Vanjo Merano, the culinary expert behind Panlasang Pinoy, recently visited Taguig Integrated School, the first runner-up in the schoolyear 2023-2024 cook-off. 

They taught students how they can make tasty meals such as Pumpkin Cream Soup with Malunggay Pesto, Roasted Eggplant dip and Pinakbet Empanada, with ingredients freshly picked from the school’s urban garden.

By utilizing fresh vegetables from the Gulayan sa Paaralan, kids not only learn about the importance of vegetables but also get to experience the satisfaction of growing and harvesting their own ingredients.

“Nakita niyo naman kung gaano kadali and kasarap ‘yung mga recipes na tinuro ko,” Merano shared with enthusiasm. “Kahit bata ka pa, kayang-kaya mong gawin itong mga Sarap Sustansya dishes na ito.” 

He hopes that this will inspire kids to eat more vegetables and even grow their own at home.

This initiative is not just about teaching kids how to cook. It’s about instilling lifelong habits that improve both their nutrition and overall health, and the importance of planting and sustainable sourcing of food. 

After all, he said, “Masarap talaga ang gulay! Iba ‘yung feeling na mapahilig ko sila sa pagluto at pagkain ng gulay. Gusto ko ma-appreciate nila kung gano kalaking bagay ‘yung may tanim kang gulay—makakatipid ka na, sobrang sarap pa dahil sariwa!”

Panlasang Pinoy on Sarap-sustansya advocacy

Known for his accessible Filipino recipes, Merano is now using his platform to encourage healthier eating habits among Filipino families. 

“I believe I have come to a point in my culinary journey where my work needs to scale beyond recipe-sharing,” Merano stated. “With Maggi, I want to be their trusted partner and assure them that they don’t need to have a big budget or be experienced cooks to make meals that have both sarap and sustansya.”

As a lead advocate of the MAGGI Sarap-sustansya advocacy, Merano sees this as an opportunity to help people overcome daily challenges of meal preparation. By showing that healthy meals can be both delicious and affordable, he aims to improve access to nutritious food for all Filipino families.

His passion for the advocacy is evident in the cooking workshops he conducts. While Merano has led workshops for moms and home cooks in the past, this time, he’s excited to bring his expertise to school kids. 

“I want to demonstrate that it’s never too early to start a profound love for vegetables,” he said. “Whether you’re growing them, cooking them or eating them, vegetables should be a part of kids’ lives as they grow up.”

“I want to be part of the solution that will improve access to healthy food that the whole family will enjoy. This is why I am excited to be a lead advocate in the MAGGI Sarap-sustansya advocacy, sharing recipes that contain more plant-based ingredients, and raising awareness on the benefits of a garden-to-table lifestyle. This blends perfectly with what I wanted to do for Panlasang Pinoy,” he enthused. 

A healthier future by, with and for young Filipinos

The collaboration between Maggi and Panlasang Pinoy is part of a long-term initiative dedicated to fostering healthier eating habits among Filipino children. 

Through initiatives like the Sarap Sustansya Cook-off, educational modules and community workshops, young Filipinos are empowered to actively participate in making informed food choices—choices that nourish their bodies and support their overall development.

By introducing nutritious and easy-to-make meals early in life, along with fostering a greater appreciation for gardening and sustainable food sourcing, Maggi and its partners are laying the foundation for a healthier and tastier future, built by, with and for Generations Z and Alpha.

Editor’s Note: This #BrandSpace story is created with Maggi. It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.