Native Delicacies for your Kid's Baon

Since we are still in the month wherein we celebrate our nation's independence, I thought of suggesting some native delicacies that can be part of your choices for your kid's baon.  This is one helpful way to share or teach them about our culture.

I grew up with my grandmother mainly in charge of our kitchen.  She loves to cook and she was a good cook.  She was the one who helped me and my brother to become familiar and to eventually like Filipino cuisine.  We were not allowed to eat junk food in our household then.  No chips or cheese curls.  No softdrinks.  Our grandmother would usually cook our merienda (snacks) and meals.  My younger brother and I were her little assistants.  If she doen's have the time, she likes to buy kakanin or other native delicacies.

Here are some of the native delicacies I grew up with as influenced by my maternal grandmother, Lola Caring.  (Bless her soul.)

Baon suggestion #1: Puto - There are different kinds, colors and sizes of puto - putong puti, puto maya, puto seco, puto calasiao and the famous puto bumbong, which is usually served during the Christmas season.  I've also seen and tasted puto with butter or cheese on top or salted egg.  I love eating puto with warm dinuguan.  But before I digress from my topic, let me tell you why it is a good baon for your child.  First, it's readily available in stores or markets.  You can even buy them at Goldilocks.  I love their butter puto! :) Second, it's cheap.  Third, it's easy to pack or bring to school.  Fourth, it's easy to eat, not messy.  This would be very easy to eat for kids especially if you choose to buy them the small ones like puto calasiao or the colored ones with cheese on top.  Buying the colored ones makes this snack more attractive to kids.  Fifth, they don't spoil easily.  And finally sixth, they are yummy!  

Baon suggestion #2: Kutsinta - I loved eating this delicacy or kakanin since I was a child.  I remember almost covering my share of kutsinta with grated coconut when I eat it.  My brother and I had fun looking at how it would shake and move (just like jelly) as we dangle it in our fingertips before taking a bite.  Just like puto, kutsinta is a popular delicacy among Filipinos.  I recommend it for your kid's baon for almost the same reasons.  Almost because based on experience with kutsinta, it spoils faster compared to puto.  Still, it doesn't spoil easily. 



Photo source here.

Baon suggestion #3: Suman - Whenever I eat or remember suman, I could not help but remember my Lola Caring.  This is one delicacy she loved cooking for our family.  Thus, I was introduced to many kinds of suman.  Suman sa Ibus, suman sa lihiya and sumang kamoteng kahoy are just some of them.  My favorite among the kinds of suman that my Lola used to make is sumang kamoteng kahoy.  I recommend this delicacy for your child's baon because it's filling and it's a good snack for kids who are very active and who needs to sustain their energy while in school.  Moreover, kids would enjoy unwrapping the suman.  I remember myself happily and excitedly twirling the leaves wrapped around my suman (sticky hands and all) as I bite more and more of this delicious kakanin.  Today, there are stores that sell suman with a wide range of flavors already.  It also takes days before a suman gets spoiled.  And in our household before, the suman doesn't reach it's maximum shelf life because there are many hands who can't help but grab it.

Sumang Kamoteng Kahoy.
Photo source here.

Baon suggestion #4: Fried Saging na Saba - This snack is very quick and easy to prepare compared to the other popular saba recipes like banana cue, maruya or turon.  Plus it's still tastes and looks good even after an hour or hours since it was cooked.  Unlike with turon that loses its crunchiness when no longer warm.  Another nutritious and delicious native snack.

Photo source here.

Baon suggestion #5: Bibingka - Bibingka is very popular during the Christmas season but there are still many Filipinos wo crave for this delicacy even before or after the Christmas.  Thus, it was not surprising that there is now a chain of stores called Bibingkinitan.  This makes it easy to find even outside of the Christmas season.  They sell bibingka that is smaller than the regular serving and that's the serving size I would recommend that you give to your child.  The size would not overwhelm him/her.  He/she can have another serving anyway if he/she wants more.

Photo source here.

There are more yummy delicacies that we can be proud of.  I encourage you to try the other delicacies we have that are not mentioned in this post and tell me if there is one that you would also add to this list of suggestions.

Hmmmm... suddenly I feel hungry...