Thinking about what to cook for your kids every day can be challenging, and that’s literally only the beginning of it! After deciding on your menu, there’s still the groceries, prepping, and actual cooking to do, and all too fast it can become overwhelming.
This is where meal prepping can come in handy; knowing in advance what you’re going to cook — and being able to make batches big enough for the whole family + leftovers so you can repeat the ulam later in the week — can be a game changer. Not only is it a one-time-big-time effort (albeit a once-a-week one, more or less); it can help you save time and budget, too.
If your kids like pork, you’re in luck: you can get a big piece of pork belly or pork liempo and turn it into their favorite ulam dishes!
Is Pork Belly Healthy For Kids?
Here’s the good news: pork belly is rich in B vitamins, zinc, and other nutrients. Because of its lean-to-fat-meat ratio, it’s also one of the most versatile cuts of pork! It’s lean enough to be filling when eaten, and it’s got just enough fat and marbling to make it easily flavorful and juicy.
Like all food groups, pork belly is best eaten in moderation. This is especially important because while it’s one of the most budget-friendly cuts in the supermarket, it also packs less protein than other cuts and can have a higher calorie count due to its fattiness as well. That being said, you can always choose pork belly pieces that have a thinner fatty layer on them, or simply cut off some of the fat before using the pork belly or liempo in your recipe!
Pork Belly Recipe Ideas
We’ve put together pork recipes that use the pork belly or pork liempo so you can always come back to this list whenever you’re looking for some menu-planning inspirations for your family.
You’ll find three categories below:
- Tomato-based Pork Stew Recipes
- Adobo Recipes + Twists
- Lechon Kawali Recipes + Twists
- Pork Sinigang Recipes + Twists
- Grilled Pork Liempo Recipes
- Braised Pork Belly Recipes
Tomato-based Pork Stew Recipes
Let’s settle the great debate on which Filipino ulam it is here: pochero is the one with saba. While afritada and mechado both have the potatoes and carrots, afritada is the one with hotdogs, while mechado is the one with the green peas. But honestly, who’s going to know if you accidentally-on-purpose add hotdogs to your mechado or green peas to your pochero? Whichever you choose to cook, you’ll end up with a hearty tomato-based pork stew that will keep your kids full and keep in the refrigerator for days (or freezer for weeks)!
1. Classic Pochero Recipe
This recipe uses both pork and beef, but you can simply omit the beef or replace it with pork belly. Click here to see this classic pochero recipe on Yummy.ph.
2. Pochero with Pork and Beans Recipe
Who knew adding a can of pork and beans could add such a sweet twist to the already amazing pochero? Click here to see this pochero with pork and beans recipe on Yummy.ph.
3. Pork Afritada Recipe
You can also swap out the more traditional red hotdog with chicken or beef hotdogs! Click here to see this pork afritada recipe on Yummy.ph.
4. Pork Mechado
Adding the green peas is also an easy way to add more veggies in your dishes. Click here to see this pork mechado recipe on Yummy.ph.
Adobo Recipes + Twists
How can we talk about pork belly recipes without mentioning adobo? It’s the ultimate Filipino ulam dish when it comes to everyday cooking. The best part: if you’re in a hurry, cut your pork belly into smaller chunks and you cut down on cooking time, too.
5. Pork Adobo Recipe
You can't go wrong with the classics. Click here to see this pork adobo recipe on Yummy.ph.
6. Adobong Baboy Na Tuyo Recipe
Not a fan of sarsa? Then this "dry" adobo is perfect for you. Click here to see this adobong baboy na tuyo recipe on Yummy.ph.
7. Adobong Puti Recipe
This adobo doesn't use any soy sauce; instead, it gets its saltiness from plain old salt! Click here to see this adobong puti recipe on Yummy.ph.
8. Adobo With Pork And Beans Recipe
The saltiness of adobo is balanced by the sweetness of the pork and beans in this version of adobo. Click here to see this adobo with pork and beans recipe on Yummy.ph.
9. Adobo de Campesino Recipe
The sitaw add color and a hefty serving of veggies to this pork dish. Click here to see this adobo de campesino recipe on Yummy.ph.
Lechon Kawali Recipes + Twists
The downside of making lechon kawali is that it does involve several steps (marinating, boiling, letting the meat dry, and then deep frying) to get that perfect bite. The positive, though? You can make big batches of these and freeze them before you deep fry, and simply fry ‘em when you’re ready to cook.
You can also freeze them after frying and simply pop them in the air fryer to get the skin crispy again. Then, you can try our lechon kawali recipe twists below and no one will be the wiser that you’ve essentially been cooking the same dish.
10. Classic Lechon Kawali Recipe
This lechon kawali recipe is a classic for a reason: both kids and kids-at-heart will love it! Click here to see this lechon kawali recipe on Yummy.ph.
11. Lechon Kawali Kare-Kare Recipe
Yet another way to introduce vegetables to an otherwise meat-forward dish. Plus, it comes with a delicious kare-kare sauce! Click here to see this lechon kawali kare-kare recipe on Yummy.ph.
12. Lechon Kawali Binagoongan sa Gata Recipe
The briny, umami-filled flavor that bagoong brings is balanced by the coconut milk or gata in this recipe. Click here to see this lechon kawali binagoongan recipe on Yummy.ph.
13. Lechon Kawali Paksiw Recipe
All you need is a bottle of lechon sauce to spruce up your leftover lechon kawali and turn it into paksiw. Click here to see this lechon kawali paksiw recipe on Yummy.ph.
Pork Sinigang Recipes + Twists
Pork sinigang is one of the best one-pot dishes. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it kind of soup, and there’s so many ways to make it different every time you make it! These pork sinigang recipes are not only perfect for rainy days; they’re one of our best comfort food recipes that your family will surely keep asking for.
14. Sinigang na Baboy Recipe
You don't have to wait for a rainy day to enjoy this super hearty, classic Filipino soup. Click here to see this pork sinigang recipe on Yummy.ph.
15. Crispy Pork Sinigang Recipe
The crispiness of the pork adds an interesting texture to the already perfect sinigang. Click here to see this crispy pork sinigang recipe on Yummy.ph.
16. Kimchi Pork Sinigang Recipe
You'd think adding kimchi will make this sinigang overly sour, but trust us: it really doesn't, and this sinigang is really delicious. Click here to see this kimchi pork sinigang recipe on Yummy.ph.
17. Pork Sinigang sa Mangga Recipe
This fruity twist to the classic sinigang is a great way to enjoy green mangoes! Click here to see this pork sinigang sa mangga recipe on Yummy.ph.
Grilled Pork Liempo Recipes
Okay, we know it says “grilled” but we also know you may not have time to actually set up a whole grilling station in your backyard! This is why we’re offering two (2!) helpful hacks: you can either air fry your pork liempo, or bake them.
To air fry these “grilled” liempo recipes, simply pop them in the air fryer at 180C for 10-15 minutes on one side, then flip and air-fry for 5-10 minutes.
To bake these “grilled” liempo recipes, pre-heat your oven to 190C. Then, lay out the liempo on a baking sheet or grill, and bake for 15-20 minutes. If you’re baking on a sheet, you can flip the liempo after 15 minutes and bake for another 5-10 until both sides are toasted. Flipping may be optional if you’re using a grill rack.
18. Grilled Pork Belly (Inihaw na Liempo) Recipe
You miss out on the smoky flavor from a charcoal grill, but air-frying still yields flavorful, juicy liempo! Click here to see this grilled pork liempo recipe on Yummy.ph.
19. Spiced Pork Liempo Recipe
"Spiced" here doesn't mean it's hot; this recipe is still kid-friendly! It just means we've used herbs and spices like cumin, oregano, and cinnamon in our pineapple-based marinade. Click here to see this spiced pork belly recipe on Yummy.ph.
20. Liempo with Garlic Honey Marinade Recipe
Sick of the usual liempo marinade? Try this savory and sweet take on grilled pork belly! Click here to see this garlic honey liempo recipe on Yummy.ph.
21. Grilled Korean Pork Belly with Kimchi-Apple Slaw
The kimchi-apple slaw can really be an all-around side for other dishes, and you're going to feel like you're in a high-class samgyeopsal restaurant with the pork belly. Click here to see this grilled Korean pork belly recipe on Yummy.ph.
Braised Pork Recipes
Braising is a method of cooking where you brown the meat (in this case, the pork belly chunks) over high heat and then you add enough liquid to cover the meat and boil it until the meat is tender. It’s a nice way to add a depth of flavor to your pork belly recipe, and once you’ve seared the liempo and added your aromatics and liquid, there’s really not much left to do except wait for the pork to get tender (See also: now you have time to take a break or catch up on other errands)!
22. Asian-Style Braised Pork Belly Recipe
It's like adobo, but instead of it being salty and sour, it's sweet and savory! Click here to see this Asian-style braised pork belly recipe on Yummy.ph.
23. Tender Chinese Braised Pork Belly Recipe
These Chinese-style braised pork dish will melt in your mouth. Click here to see this Chinese braised pork belly recipe on Yummy.ph.
24. Japenese-Style Braised Pork Belly Recipe
This Japanese-style braised pork belly is served with soft-boiled eggs, which is a great way to add proteins to your family's diet. Click here to see this Japanese-style braised pork belly recipe on Yummy.ph.
25. Braised Five-Spice Pork Liempo Recipe
The simple addition of fivespice really makes a difference in this braised pork recipe. Click here to see this braised five-spice pork recipe on Yummy.ph.
Need help figuring out how to plan your family's meals? Check out these meal planning tips.
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