How to Meal Prep on a Budget in the Philippines: A Beginner's Guide

Eating out or ordering delivery every day adds up fast. For many Filipino workers and students, food is one of the biggest monthly expenses after rent and transportation. Meal prepping solves this by letting you cook once and eat well throughout the week.

This guide covers the basics of meal prepping with a Filipino budget and palate in mind. No fancy equipment or imported ingredients needed.

What is meal prepping

Meal prepping means cooking multiple meals in advance, usually on a weekend, so you have ready-to-eat food for the week. Instead of deciding what to eat and cooking every day, you spend a few hours once and save time and money all week.

It works for:

Office workers who buy lunch daily
Students living in dorms or boarding houses
Work-from-home professionals who snack too much
Anyone trying to eat healthier without spending more

The goal is not restaurant-quality food. It is consistent, affordable, filling meals that keep you from spending P100-200 on delivery every day.

How much can you save

Quick math for a typical office worker in Metro Manila:

Without meal prep:

Lunch delivery or carinderia: P80-150 per meal
5 days a week: P400-750 weekly
Monthly: P1,600-3,000 on lunch alone

With meal prep:

Weekly grocery for 5 lunches: P300-500
Monthly: P1,200-2,000

That is P400-1,000 in monthly savings just on lunch. Add breakfast or dinner, and the savings grow. The real benefit is predictable food costs instead of impulse spending.

Getting started: the basic framework

A simple meal prep formula:

Protein + Carb + Vegetable = Complete Meal

For example:

Chicken adobo + rice + sauteed sitaw
Giniling + rice + pinakbet
Fried fish + rice + ensaladang talong

Keep it simple. You are not running a restaurant. Three to four different meals for the week is enough variety.

Step 1: Plan your meals

Before going to the market, decide what you will cook. Planning prevents impulse buys and wasted ingredients.

Sample weekly plan:

Day	Lunch	Dinner
Monday	Chicken adobo + rice	Same as lunch
Tuesday	Chicken adobo + rice	Giniling with vegetables
Wednesday	Giniling + rice	Giniling + rice
Thursday	Pork sinigang + rice	Pork sinigang + rice
Friday	Pork sinigang + rice	Flexible (eat out or leftovers)

Notice the repetition. Meal prep is not about variety every meal. It is about efficiency. Most people are fine eating the same thing 2-3 days in a row, especially if it is food they like.

Step 2: Make a shopping list

Based on your meal plan, list exactly what you need. Group by section to make market trips faster:

Protein:

1 kg chicken (thigh or drumstick for adobo)
500g ground pork
500g pork belly or ribs for sinigang

Vegetables:

Kangkong or sitaw (1 bundle)
Sayote (2 pieces)
Tomatoes (4-5 pieces)
Onions (3-4 pieces)
Garlic (1 head)
Gabi or labanos for sinigang

Carbs:

Rice (2-3 kg depending on consumption)

Pantry staples (buy once, use for weeks):

Soy sauce
Vinegar
Cooking oil
Sinigang mix
Salt, pepper, patis

Estimated cost: P500-800 for a week of lunches and dinners for one person.

Step 3: Shop smart

Where you buy matters as much as what you buy:

Wet markets are cheapest for meat and vegetables. Palengke prices are 20-40% lower than supermarkets.
Supermarkets are convenient for pantry staples and when you need specific items.
Buy in bulk for non-perishables like rice, soy sauce, and cooking oil.
Check for sales on proteins. Supermarkets often discount near-expiry meat that is still perfectly good for same-day cooking.

Tip: Shop after eating, not when hungry. Hungry shopping leads to impulse buys.

Step 4: Prep day

Set aside 2-3 hours on a weekend. Sunday afternoon works well for most people.

Order of cooking:

Start with the longest cook time. Adobo and sinigang take 40-60 minutes. Get these simmering first.
Prep vegetables while proteins cook. Chop, slice, and wash vegetables for the week.
Cook rice in batches. A large pot of rice can be portioned for multiple meals.
Saute vegetables last. These cook quickly and are best fresh, but still last 3-4 days refrigerated.

Batch cooking tips:

Double or triple recipes. Cooking 2 kg of chicken adobo takes almost the same time as 1 kg.
Use the same base ingredients. Garlic, onion, and tomato go into most Filipino dishes.
Clean as you go. Waiting for food to simmer is a good time to wash used pots.

Step 5: Storage

Proper storage keeps food safe and tasty:

Refrigerator basics:

Let cooked food cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Hot food raises fridge temperature.
Use airtight containers. They prevent odor mixing and keep food fresh longer.
Label containers with the date. First in, first out.
Most cooked Filipino dishes last 3-5 days refrigerated.

Freezer for longer storage:

Adobo, sinigang, and stews freeze well.
Portion into single servings before freezing. Thawing a whole batch to get one meal is wasteful.
Frozen meals last 2-4 weeks.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.

Reheating:

Microwave works for most dishes. Add a splash of water to prevent drying out.
Stovetop reheating is better for soups and sinigang.
Rice reheats best with a few drops of water and covered in the microwave.

Meal prep friendly Filipino dishes

These dishes hold up well for 3-5 days:

Best for meal prep:

Chicken or pork adobo (actually tastes better the next day)
Giniling (ground pork or beef with vegetables)
Pork or shrimp sinigang
Menudo
Afritada
Paksiw na bangus
Monggo

Less ideal (eat within 1-2 days):

Fried dishes (become soggy)
Dishes with coconut milk (ginataang can spoil faster)
Salads and fresh vegetables

Stick to stews, braises, and saucy dishes. They refrigerate and reheat better than fried food.

Common mistakes to avoid

Prepping too much variety. Start with 2-3 dishes. You can add variety later once you have the habit.

Not accounting for social meals. You will eat out sometimes. Plan for 4-5 prepped meals, not 7.

Skipping the planning step. Going to the market without a list leads to buying things you do not need and forgetting things you do.

Ignoring food safety. Cooked food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours can grow bacteria. Refrigerate promptly.

Making food you do not actually like. Meal prep only works if you eat the food. Cook dishes you enjoy.

Scaling up or down

For one person: The portions above work. You may eat the same dish 3 days straight, which is fine if you like it.

For couples or roommates: Double recipes and split costs. Meal prep is easier and cheaper with a partner.

For families: Scale recipes by 3-4x. The cooking time increases slightly, but the effort per meal drops significantly.

Quick FAQ

Question: Is meal prep safe? Will the food spoil?

Answer: Yes, if stored properly. Refrigerated cooked food is safe for 3-5 days. If you are unsure, freeze portions you will not eat within 3 days.

Question: What containers should I use?

Answer: Any airtight container works. Glass is better for reheating in the microwave. Plastic containers from takeout can be reused, just avoid microwaving them.

Question: I get bored eating the same food. How do I add variety?

Answer: Change the vegetable side dish daily. Use different sauces or toppings. Or accept that weekday meals are for fuel, and save variety for weekends.

Question: How do I meal prep without a refrigerator?

Answer: This is difficult. Without refrigeration, you can only prep for 1 day ahead. Focus on same-day cooking instead.

Question: Can I meal prep if I only have a rice cooker?

Answer: Yes, but options are limited. You can steam vegetables and cook simple one-pot meals in a rice cooker. Invest in a single burner or induction cooker for more flexibility.

Start small. One prepped meal is better than none. Build the habit first, then optimize.