Hello Mommies! I will be posting once again, yet another set of week-long budget ulam recipes to help you in planning out affordable meals for your family.

Like the previous post in this budget ulam series, the main dishes featured this week range from P150.00 to Php200.00 for a family of 4-5 members (with kids eating adult-portion sizes).

Before we go over the list for this week, I hope you can also check out our meal plans and recipes section here that could help you map out the dishes you will prepare for up to one month. Having such plan can also guide you on what to buy in the grocery or wet market, making your food budget more cost-efficient. More budget ulam ideas can also be found here.

Seven budget ulam ideas for Filipino families

So without further ado, here’s our list for the week:

1. Sinigang na Bangus — Sinigang na Bangus will always be comforting no matter what pang-asim you decide to use. Some use just overripe tomatoes, other use the usual tamarind, others Kamias, but my mom chooses to use Guava or Bayabas. Either way, it is a good and nutritious soup based ulam that will fill hungry tummies.

2. Tortang Giniling with Patatas — This is one budget friendly recipe that will surely make the kids happy especially when partnered with Banana Ketchup. You will only need 1/3 Kilo of ground pork, about two pieces of potatoes and about 2-4 pieces of large eggs. You can increase the nutritional value of this meal by adding malunggay leaves. Here’s a Tortang giniling recipe we posted before.

3. Chicken Sisig and Cucumber Salad — This is a fun and refreshing food for the family. Leftovers (if there will be any can make for a perfect sandwich filling!) Just use chicken breast for this, some mayonnaise and a bit of oyster sauce and kalamansi, plus onions then you are good to go. Here is a simple Chicken Sisig recipe we posted before. As for the cucumber salad, just thinly slice cucumbers (either round or matchstick size, then prepare a sugar-vinegar-salt-and-pepper dressing. Cheap and cheerful, indeed!

4. Braised eggplant with ground pork. Just the sauce of this recipe will surely make even your kids eat more rice than usual. You will only need about 2-3 pieces of eggplant, 1/4 kilograms of ground pork, and the rest is pantry ingredients already! Fry the eggplants and set aside. in the same pan, saute onion, garlic, and ginger. Add the ground pork and cook throughly. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 beef cube, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Add a cornstarch slurry made of 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water. Wait for the sauce to thicken and adjust seasoning. Add the eggplant and carefully mix. Drizzle with sesame oil if you do have some in your pantry and serve with a smile!

5. Munggo Guisado and Crispy-fried tawilis. Need I say moe? This is the perfect lunch or dinner on a Friday! If your kids are not into Tawilis, then just buy some Pork Chicharon and serve with love!

6. Tokwa and Fish Tausi. This is another nutritious and filling main dish that even kids will enjoy. You can use any fleshy fish, but Bangus slices are fine for this. Check out this recipe.

7. Chicken Sopas. Looking for a hearty lunch? This will surely fill hungry tummies and will leave it warm and happy on a rainy day. USe this recipe minus the hotdogs and you will get a hearty soup and some left overs for merienda for less than P200.00!

Budget ulam recipe series 2023

I hope you get to choose an ulam or two, or even all, for this week’s suggested budget ulam recipes. I hope your family will like them and I pray that I have at least helped you answer one of the hardest questions homemakers face every single day: What’s for lunch or dinner? 😊

Food for the soul

At this point, I hope you could allow me to share with you one of my favorite bible passages. This time it is from the Gospel of St. Matthew:

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Matthew 4:4

Thank you for stopping by and till next post!

A happy homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

https://happypinaymommy.com/2023/06/24/how-jesus-comforts-brokenhearted-mothers/