You’re standing at the market stall, looking at your ₱500 bill and wondering how to make it last. Yes, prices for meat and vegetables are higher, but you can still fill your family's bellies with masarap and malusog meals. Coming up with budget ulam ideas is all about choosing the right ingredients.
Of course, if you have ₱500, you won’t be buying seven different types of meat. Instead, buy two to three main proteins (like 1/4 to 1/2 kilo of chicken, galunggong, and some ground pork), and mix them with vegetables.
Whether you’re hit by petsa de peligro or feeling the pinch of inflation, you can serve a balanced plate every day.
Smart Tips for Market Trip
Before you head out, you've got to have a plan because shopping without a list often leads to impulse buys.
- Choose fish like tilapia or galunggong, which are often cheaper than pork.
- Buy vegetables that are in season, so you get them at their lowest price.
- Look for "buy one, get one" deals on canned sardines for emergency meal days.
- Use tofu or beans as extenders for meat dishes to add protein without the high cost.
- Save by buying rice and cooking oil in bulk if you have the storage space.
- Always check what you already have in your pantry to avoid buying duplicates.
Remember: Prices may vary depending on your location and the season. The ₱500 estimate assumes wet market prices and that you have basic pantry staples like rice, oil, garlic, and salt already at home.
7 Budget Ulam Ideas Your Kids Will Love
These dishes are soft, easy to chew, and packed with the nutrients your preschooler needs to grow.
1. Tortang talong with minced carrots
Treat your family to this classic budget ulam idea. Eggplants and eggs are filling and affordable. To make this dish more nutritious, you can mix in finely grated carrots for a boost of vitamin A or add tinapa flakes for extra protein and a smoky flavor.
2. Savory pork menudo with extra potatoes
Make your ingredients go further by using half a kilo of pork kasim and doubling the amount of potatoes and carrots. Adding a bit of ground pork helps create a thicker sauce that goes a long way when mixed with rice. It’s a hearty meal that tastes even better the next day as leftovers for baon.
3. Ginger-rich chicken tinola
Cook a pot of chicken tinola when you want something comforting. Use sayote or green papaya to bulk up the dish. This is perfect for preschoolers because the chicken is soft and the broth is easy to swallow. If you have a malunggay tree nearby, you can add the leaves for extra iron at zero cost.
4. Crispy fried fish with ginisang sayote
Grab a pack of galunggong and fry them until they’re golden. Pair your fried fish with a side of ginisang sayote. This simple combo is quick to prepare and provides a good balance of protein and fiber. You can also turn any leftover fried fish into sarciado the next day.
5. Creamy ginataang kalabasa and sitaw
Use coconut milk in ginataang kalabasa to make a rich sauce that young children will love. You can get a lot of nutrients from squash, including vitamins A and C and beta-carotene. You can toss in some canned sardines (drained) or small dried shrimp (hibe) to add protein. It’s a great way to get your kids to eat their greens and yellows.
6. Hearty monggo guisado with malunggay
Prepare a big batch of monggo guisado for a low-cost protein powerhouse that fills everyone up. You can get mung beans at a very affordable price. Add some tinapa flakes for saltiness and plenty of malunggay leaves. Make it even tastier with a bit of chicharon on top for that extra crunch.
7. Misua soup with patola and meatballs
Add a small amount of ground pork to make small meatballs for misua soup. Patola adds a nice sweetness to the broth, and the thin noodles are very easy for your preschooler to eat. It’s a light yet satisfying meal that works well for lunch or dinner.
How to Stretch These ₱500 Ulam Ideas
With smart portioning, these ulam ideas can be combined to cover meals for one to two days. Instead of cooking everything at once, you can rotate dishes and rely on stews and vegetable-heavy meals to carry over to the next day.
Here’s one simple example using dishes from the list above:
- Day 1: Chicken tinola and tortang talong
- Day 2: Monggo guisado with malunggay and leftover tinola
Dishes like tinola and monggo often taste better the next day and can be stretched further when paired with rice and vegetables.
Ways to Keep Your Budget Meals Healthy
The 2023 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) found that 31.4% of Filipino households—about three in every 10—experience moderate to severe food insecurity. Since 23.6% of children under five still deal with stunting, your choice to marry affordable proteins with vegetables is a powerful way to protect your preschooler's health.
You might worry that saving money means eating less healthily—but you can do both. Follow the DOST-FNRI’s Pinggang Pinoy for a balanced meal with the right proportions of Go, Grow, and Glow foods.
Focus on Glow foods.
Keep your family’s immunity high by including lots of green leafy vegetables. Ingredients like kangkong, pechay, and kamote tops provide essential vitamins for your growing preschooler.
Select Grow foods wisely.
You don't always need expensive beef or pork. You can rely on eggs, tofu, and legumes (like monggo) to provide the protein your child needs to grow tall and strong. These cost far less than most meat cuts.
Avoid processed additives.
You can save money by using natural aromatics like garlic, onions, and ginger instead of expensive pre-made sauces. This keeps the sodium levels lower, which is better for your child’s health in the long run.
You’ve Got This, Parents!
By rotating these ₱500 budget ulam ideas, you ensure your family gets a variety of nutrients. You don’t need expensive ingredients to keep everyone strong and energized; you just need a good plan and a little bit of diskarte. You’re doing an amazing job keeping your family full and happy!
Keep your meal plans exciting by sharing your favorite budget ulam ideas! Join the ParenTeam Moms and Dads Facebook group and connect with other parents to help the community grow!
References
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). n.d. "Food-based dietary guidelines - Philippines." Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.fao.org/nutrition/education/food-dietary-guidelines/regions/countries/philippines/en/.
Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). 2015. “Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes (PDRI) 2015 Summary.” DOST-FNRI. https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/images/images/news/PDRI-2018.pdf.
Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). 2024. “DOST urges stronger partnerships in addressing nutrition challenges at the 2025 National Nutrition Summit.” FNRI eDigest 42, no. 2 (April–June). Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/images/sources/digest/2ndQtr2025.pdf.
Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). 2025. “2025 Menu Guide Calendar: Dagdag Sustansya, Bawas Tapon.” DOST-FNRI. Accessed January 30, 2026. https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/images/images/standardtools/MenuGuideCalendar/MGC-2025.pdf.
World Health Organization (WHO). 2026. "Healthy Diet." January 26, 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet.
