Baon on a Budget: One Week of Recipes + a Shopping List

When it comes to preparing 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. Baon should also be nutritious and be appealing to eat (especially when it comes to kids!). 

Yummy.ph 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 put together a shopping list for your next trip to the grocery store.

1. Pinoy Bistek


IMAGE Miguel Nacianceno
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


IMAGE Yummy.ph
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


3. Barbecue Chicken Fried Rice 


IMAGE Yummy.ph
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 


IMAGE Patrick Martires
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 


IMAGE Yummy.ph
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

This story originally appeared on Yummy.ph.

* Minor edits have been made by the Smartparenting.com.ph editors.