When it comes to baon, or packed lunches, many things come into play: the meal should be affordable, easy to pack, easy to eat, and should be able to last a few hours tucked away into a brown bag instead of, like a regular meal, eaten freshly cooked. Baon should also be nutritious and be appealing to eat (especially when it comes to kids!).
We checked prices of ingredients across several groceries and broke down the costs of some of our favorite baon- and budget-friendly recipes. Some cost under 20 pesos per serving to prepare! We also prepared a shopping list for your next trip to the grocery store.
1 Pinoy Bistek
Pinoy-style beef steak, or bistek, is a baon go-to because it keeps well for hours. This is because it’s cooked in soy sauce, an ingredient also known for its preservative qualities. Use thinly-sliced beef to make this dish!
Recipe cost breakdown:
Total cost P175
Recipe yield 4
Cost per serving P44
2 Fusilli with Chicken and Broccoli
This pasta has a good mix of carbs, protein, and vegetables. It’s easy to prep, too! All you have to do is toss everything in a pan until it comes together.
Recipe cost breakdown:
Total cost P149
Recipe yield 4
Cost per serving P20
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3 Barbecue Chicken Fried Rice
Use leftover rice to prep your packed lunches! A barbecue sauce can put everything together—it’s an ingredient that also keeps well for hours.
Recipe cost breakdown:
Total cost P76
Recipe yield 4
Cost per serving P19
4 Roast Chicken Salad Sandwich
This sandwich is a baon classic. One hack we love to use? Instead of making roast chicken from scratch, buy already-cooked roast or rotisserie chicken from your nearest grocery. You can also save the leftovers from your last weekend roast!
Recipe cost breakdown:
Total cost P315
Recipe yield 4
Cost per serving P79
5 Pinwheel Bites
Kids will love these for baon! It’s a creative way to serve the regular ham and cheese sandwich. Don’t forget to use whole wheat or whole grain bread!
Recipe cost breakdown:
Total cost P25.98
Recipe yield 2
Cost per serving P13
Shopping list:
Beef, thinly sliced
Roast chicken
Chicken breast
Calamansi
White onions
Bell pepper
Lemons
Lettuce
Chicken
Broccoli
Mayonnaise
Sliced ham
Sliced cheese
Fusilli pasta
Whole wheat bread
White bread
Pantry staples:
Salt
Ground black pepper
Oil, for frying
Olive oil, for sautéing
Garlic
Soy sauce
Garlic powder
Fish sauce (patis)
Barbecue marinade
Rice
Additional research by Cess Yu
