Shopping Hacks and Best Dishes for Holiday Celebrations!
Finally, it's the most awaited time of the year!
Filipinos love the festive feeling of the upcoming Holiday season, as we put up holiday decorations as early as the start of the Ber months in September. From the handa, or foods served in Noche Buena, to the opening of presents, Media Noche, and New Year fireworks, we love the warmth and spirit of celebrating holidays in the Philippines.
While these holiday feasts can be hefty in anyone's budget, so we've compiled a list of the top ten ways to save money in your Noche Buena grocery shopping:
1. Serving healthier drinks
Instead of serving carbonated drinks, you can blend fruits such as mango, banana, and oranges into shakes using a blender. For an even healthier option, you can choose vegetables, including kale, celery, carrots, spinach, broccoli, and cucumber. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that fight free radicals.
Shop our E&L Frozen Fruits and Vegetables here.
2. Sticking to your budget and ordering pre-made products
Purchasing pre-cooked products for Noche Buena will save you time and money. Instead of buying all the ingredients, you can purchase pre-made products like Puto Bumbong, Bibingka, Sapin-Sapin, Rellenong Bangus, Manok, and Everlasting. Just be cautious of the pre-made products you select; inquire about them first.
3. Buying lesser-popular brands and smaller portions
Choosing cheaper brands with high-quality ingredients is better than buying expensive brands with the same quality. You are not precisely settling for less but just being smart with your choices. Choosing smaller portions of the ingredients is also a clever way to save money. Buying more significant parts is more expensive and not practical. Check the expiration dates as well, for obvious health reasons.
You can shop our variety of E&L frozen good products at shop.enlfood.com instead of mall shopping. Plus, it’s convenient as we deliver it right at your doorstep!
4. Avoid using your credit card
In your Noche Buena shopping, only stick to the budget you have. You can consider mobile payments or wallets such as Gcash, Paymaya, and other cashless apps to easily track your expenses. Calculating the ingredients you need before buying them is also essential.
5. Utilizing your reusable bags during shopping
Instead of buying plastic bags, you can bring your reusable bags when packing your groceries. Reducing the use of plastic bags can help save the environment. Other cities in Metro Manila have already banned plastics, such as Quezon City, Pasig, Muntinlupa, Makati, and Paranaque.
5. Find cheaper ways to travel to grocery stores or wet markets
Deciding where to do your Noche Buena grocery shopping is another way to save money. Riding a tricycle or Jeep is also practical. However, if booking a ride rather than commuting saves you money, you should do so.
To save time commuting and the hassle of long lines in supermarkets and grocery stores, check out our website at shop.enlfood.com for a variety of high-quality frozen goods you can serve on your Noche Buena table.
7. Planning out your menu
Planning your menu is essential, only adding the most favorite or well-loved Christmas dishes to the Noche Buena and Media Noche table. The prices of Noche Buena ingredients increase as the Christmas season goes nearer.
We have narrowed down the foods we love to eat during Noche Buena and Media Noche so you can tick them off your holiday food shopping list.
Lechon
Filipinos' fondness for Lechon started in the 13th century, during the time of Chinese trade missions. In 1920, Cebu, known for its Lechon, introduced the most-loved roasted pig in Talisay. Since then, it has been present in the handa—not just at Christmas but also birthdays, the new year, and other traditional Filipino holiday celebrations.
Because Filipinos love Lechon a lot, they have also invented many variations, including Lechon Manok, Lechon Kawali, Lechon Belly, and Lechon Paksiw.
Shop our E&L Whole Chicken for only P160/900g here. Visit our E&L Pork Meat Selections here.
Filipino-Style Spaghetti & Pancit
Chicken Macaroni
This salad is often served with mayonnaise, raisins, pineapple chunks, carrots, all-purpose cream, cheese, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and sometimes condensed milk. Also, a Filipino favorite, this dessert has other types, including fruit salad, veggie salad, and mixed salads containing poultry, seafood, and other meat.
Shop our E&L Chicken Breast for P600/2 kgs here.
Barbecue
Pinoy barbecue is a popular street food in the Philippines, dipped in soy sauce with calamansi and onions. Because of the Filipinos' love of grilled pork and chicken, barbecue has been a traditional handa during Christmas.
Shop our E&L Chicken Tail BBQ for only P160/500g here. E&L Pork Kasim for P8,750/27.7kgs here.
Christmas Ham
This cured and glazed ham is the most famous handa during the holiday season, dubbed "The Star of the Noche Buena Feast." A study estimated that about 318 million pounds of ham are consumed during Christmas.
Shop our E&L Glazed Ham for only P500/kg here.
Rellenong Manok
Stuffed with meat filling, it's a festive dish to add during the Noche Buena feast. Among the ingredients of Rellenong Manok are onions, garlic, carrots, green peas, lemon juice, soy sauce, raisins, oyster sauce, flour, and seasoned salt and pepper.
Shop our E&L Whole Chicken for only P160/900g here.
Chicken and Pork Embutido
This Filipino-style meatloaf, or Pork and Chicken Embutido is an excellent dish to serve during the holidays. It can also be served best with steamed rice or mashed potatoes. Cooked to perfection, it has a rich, delectable, and satisfying taste.
Shop our E&L Chicken Embutido for only P60/200g here.
E&L Pork Embutido for only P60/200g here.
Crispy Pata
Very crispy on the outside and tender inside, Crispy Pata is a classic Filipino dish and an alternative to Lechon during the Christmas season. Another crowd favorite, it is best paired with soy-vinegar dip.
Shop our E&L Pork Pata for only P260/ 1.2- 1.6 kgs here.
Bibingka and Puto Bumbong
These rice cakes are prepared differently and are continually known as a snack after attending Misa de Gallo or Simbang Gabi. Puto Bumbong and Bibingka are frequently sold near churches and served with hot chocolate or coffee.
Queso de Bola
Last but not least, Queso de Bola is one of the symbols of the Noche Buena Feast. Wrapped in red wax or paraffin, Quezo de Bola has a creamy and salty taste and is commonly eaten with dried fruit or grapes. It is frequently served as part of a cheeseboard and is best paired with wine.