Food plays a pivotal role in many celebrations around the world. In most Asian countries, birthday meals symbolize prosperity and good luck, similar to the Filipino tradition of serving pancit or noodles for longevity. For some, food is a family’s treasure, with recipes handed down from one generation to the next. Traditional foods are often prepared for special occasions; such as seaweed soup in South Korea and mochi cakes in Japan on birthdays.
Food brings families together, creates a sense of belonging, and allows people to make effortless and instant social connections.
However, not all of us have ample time to cook for our families, especially working parents who strive to balance job demands while still wanting to prepare a decent meal for celebrating birthdays, awards, and small victories.
In the inaugural Smart Parenting Food Awards 2024, our editors have meticulously reviewed entries and recommendations voted by the moms and dads from the Smart Parenting Squad and the Smart Parenting Village, an online community of more than 100, 000 parents on Facebook. Below are the winners of stress-free food options for celebrations and parties that can be easily prepared, bought, or found.
The Smart Parenting Food Awards 2024 Celebrations Category includes:
Don't hesitate to click on the links and indulge yourself by adding the items to your cart because you deserve quick and easy options for your upcoming celebrations. Let's get that party started!
Smart Parenting Food Awards 2024: Celebrations
Ready-to-cook platters: Premium Choice Signature Roasted Chicken and Premium Choice Delight Belly BBQ
For easy, ready-to-cook, rich, and delectable whole roasted chicken with savory and herbed flavors, Premium Choice Signature Roasted Chicken is the way to go at only P299. Meanwhile, its ready-to-cook BBQ delights are available in pork belly for P318 per 700 gram pack. You can easily cook them in the oven, air fryer, or roaster while setting the table or preparing side dishes. Premium Choice is committed to delivering safe, fresh, high-quality, and best-value meats, following strict food safety and sanitation measures. Other BBQ delights include chicken (in classic and inasal flavor) and pork chops.
Smart Parenting section editor and mom of two, Em Cruz, says, "Premium Choice's ready to cook platters are always a good idea for celebrations at home and even potluck celebrations at school. Their BBQ-marinated meats are tasty, and their roasted chicken is tender, juicy, and perfectly flavored."
Available on their website.
Pasta Noodles : Royal Premium Spaghetti Pasta
A birthday celebration, especially a child's, is practically incomplete without spaghetti. Kids love spaghetti, and what better way to celebrate than with high quality pasta that has been a staple for over a hundred years. Royal Premium Spaghetti is made of hard wheat semolina, ensuring its pasta stay firm even when overcooked for up to 15 minutes, making it ideal for your Royal sweet celebrations.
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Dessert - Ice Cream: Magnolia Gold Label Vanilla Ice Cream
Desserts are essential for every occasion, and ice cream is always a hit at parties and celebrations for both kids and adults. The ice cream of choice for the Smart Parenting community is the Magnolia Gold Label Vanilla Ice Cream. This rich, premium vanilla ice cream has been awarded by Monde Selection for International Quality.
Smart Parenting Editor-in-Chief and mom of three, Ronna Capili Bonifacio, swears on this ice cream. "My children can't resist a thick, creamy vanilla ice cream. This needs no syrup or toppings and can be enjoyed on its own. Vanilla is also a classic flavor that even adults can enjoy. Our family's favorite way to enjoy it is as the topping of a lava cake or chocolate chip cookie skillet."
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Dessert - Candies and chocolates: Hersheys Milk Chocolate Bar
Chocolates, whether as giveaways or dessert bar staples, will always have a special place in children’s hearts (and perhaps adults' too!). The classic Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar, known as “The Great American Chocolate Bar,” is mildly sweet and it has a creamy texture. Hershey's uses farm-fresh milk in its production, giving it a unique taste. In the 1900s, chocolate was a treat reserved for the wealthy, so chocolates for dessert and celebrations are definitely fancy.
Em shares, "Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar is one of my go-to's for my kids' birthday parties. I usually add it to dessert tables, party goodie bags, or even as class giveaways during Christmas or last school day parties. It's always a hit for kids and parents alike."
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Dessert Supplies - Cream: Nestle All Purpose Cream
Nestle All Purpose Cream, the well-loved brand for creamy desserts, is thick and creamy with a fresh cream taste, ideal for desserts and savory applications. Easy to whip and Halal-certified, Smart Parenting contributing writer and mom of one, Riyalyn Grace Pasimio, tells us how this cream transforms a seemingly straightforward dish: “The not-so-secret ingredient that instantly transforms a simple dish into a restaurant-grade meal is Nestle All Purpose Cream cupboard staple in our home."
Nestle All Purpose Cream is not just a dessert necessity, it is also used as an ingredient in savory dishes, beverages, pasta, soups, stews, dips, and sauces. Filipino cold desserts like fruit salad, buko salad, buko pandan, and coffee jelly are incomplete without it. This makes it a staple to add extra yumminess during the holiday season. It's also a base for Pinoy-style carbonara and other creamy pasta dishes—a sure hit for the kids. Mix it with cheese, and it's already topping for budget-friendly baked macaroni or lasagna, or a dip for sandwiches. The options with Nestle All Purpose Cream are endless—you just need to experiment!
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Dessert Supplies - Fruit Cocktail: Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail
Fruit salad is a colorful centerpiece for a vibrant Christmas or Fiesta table spread and is a holiday staple. Birthdays and family get-togethers are no exception. Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail offers a generous serving of real premium, high-quality mix of select fresh fruits without artificial preservatives. Del Monte inspires creativity with delicious, versatile, and refreshing desserts like salad, cakes, and pies!
Smart Parenting Village member Odyssa Del Rosario, shares, “Del Monte Fruit cocktail is my lifesaver! Minsan kasi magkakaroon ako or my kids ng biglaang cravings like Graham Cake, so gagawa talaga agad ako using Del Monte Fruit cocktail. Minsan naman may mga small wins to celebrate, since mahilig kami sa desserts, masaya na kami na kumain ng simple buko salad with Del Monte fruit cocktail. Ito lang talaga ang gamit ko ever since, I don't go for other brands kasi trusted brand ko na ang Del Monte.”
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Dessert Supplies - Condensed Milk: F&N Condensada
Think about fruit salad, buko salad, dulce de leche cakes and pastries, pastillas, and yema—all should taste lusciously creamy and yummy with condensed milk. For such desserts, the Smart Parenting community recommends F&N Condensada, which is also best for leche flan, tres leches cake, halo-halo, mango float, avocado float, mango tapioca, coffee jelly, fruit salad, ube halaya, and more.
"F&N Condensada never fails to make any dessert delectably rich, full, and creamy," Em shares. "Our family uses it for desserts for our family get-togethers: buko or fruit salad, and coffee jelly."
Endless dessert possibilities in a can!
Available on Shopee and Lazada.
Stay tuned for the announcement of Smart Parenting Food Awards 2024 winners in the other categories: baon and snacks, breakfast, ulam, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and baby, and kitchen tools.
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Produced by Em Cruz
Photographs by Paola Aseron
Styling by Lady Badoy
Other props provided by Beaba Philippines
Editor in Chief: Ronna Capili Bonifacio
Shoot assisted by Yuuki Dela Cruz, and Justine Renee Cruz
Video producer: Cherrie Julian
Videographers: Jino Del Mundo, Rolando Pingco Jr.
Editor: Rolando Pingco Jr.
Art Director: Stephanie Ocampo
Socials Media by Zen Arganda
Marketing Specialist: Marie Bilgera
Associate Publisher: Bettina Santos
Publisher: Iza Santos-Cuyos
