Quick and Easy Tips for a Sulit and Sustainable Holiday Season

Filipinos are known to celebrate the longest and grandest holiday season. More often than not, this comes at an economic and environmental expense, having to spend more on food and gifts – but it doesn’t always have to be like that. Having an affordable and sustainable celebration can be an option and a great way for families to bond together.

Happy family, father, mother and daughter, having dinner together to celebrate the Christmas Holiday together, with sparkler light

Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC Group) shares a few tips on how Filipinos can have a meaningful holiday season- the budget-friendly and eco-friendly way. APC Group General Manager of Corporate Planning and Public Relations Roann Co said, “We, at Ajinomoto, believe that there is no small contribution when it comes to caring for the environment. Through our tips below, we hope to empower Filipinos in giving the gift of sustainability this holiday season.”

Here are some eco-friendly and meaningful ways to celebrate the holidays:

Recycled gift wraps and Do-It-Yourself gifts

Using old magazines and newspapers as an alternative gift wrapper isn’t a new practice to Filipinos. But, it is definitely something that we should further encourage among our families and friends. Not only does it help the environment, it is also easy on the pocket too!

Moreover, if you’re still wondering what gifts you should give, you can check some of the winning DIY projects during the online contest for Ilabas ang SustainAbilidad campaign such as the apron made from the wrappers of used Ajinomoto products and a DIY toy kitchen set for kids who want to learn to cook. You can also try re-inventing some of the projects to make it more creative and more heart-felt.

Solar-powered string lights

Christmas decorations are incomplete without bright lights at home and on the streets. Retire your vintage decors by using solar-powered lights which give you the same merry evenings with less electricity consumption and environmental impact. And since these solar-powered decors don’t add to your electricity bill, you may also consider maintaining this type of ambient lights on your garden and terraces.

Beyond homes, Ajinomoto has also introduced solar energy to its Bulacan factory and it is projected to offset around 865 metric tons of carbon dioxide which is equivalent to reducing 2,352,456 miles in vehicle travel per year.

Prepare delicious, nutritious, and eco-friendly holiday meals

What makes Filipino holidays special is the variety of food options planned and prepared by home cooks. Bring out the flavor of your favorite handaan dishes like Pinoy spaghetti, lumpiang shanghai, adobo, kaldereta, and more with the new AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning 45g paper pack. The new packaging is made from a natural paper material that can be planted, grown, harvested, and then replanted which means you’re not only preparing delicious food for the family but also helping the environment. Continue reading Quick and Easy Tips for a Sulit and Sustainable Holiday Season

Veggie-licious and Nutritious Recipes that Kids Will Enjoy

Building our kids’ health through nutrition is crucial as they go back to school.

Preparing vegetable meals at home is a great way to keep children strong and healthy. This is especially important as the flu season is also upon us. Vegetables are good sources of potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C, and many others.

Aside from its health benefits, with rising prices of pork and chicken, vegetables are also budget friendly. As homemakers face the day-to-day challenge of budgeting while striving to prepare nutritious and delicious dishes, these easy-to-prepare and veggie-licious recipes come in handy.

“In our own way, we aim to provide solutions and equip homemakers with knowledge on preparing affordable, nutritious and delicious meals for the family by sharing thoughtful recipes that take health and budget into consideration,” shares Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC Group) General Manager Corporate Planning and Public Relations Roann Co.

To make it more appealing to kids, these easy-to-prepare vegetable recipes are made tastier with Tasty Boy All Purpose Breading Mix that only costs PHP 11.00 SRP.

Kalabasa Crisps Continue reading Veggie-licious and Nutritious Recipes that Kids Will Enjoy

Swak sa Budget, Swak for Kids! Affordable and Nutritious Recipes

The current increases in food prices contribute to the problem in accessing sufficient nutrition and healthy food choices in Filipino households. With higher prices across different commodities, homemakers now face a greater challenge in budgeting while they strive to prepare nutritious and delicious dishes to help safeguard the health of the family, especially the kids.

“We, at Ajinomoto, understand the struggles that parents face nowadays. In our own way, we hope to extend help by sharing thoughtful recipes that take into consideration the health and budget of the family,” shares Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC Group) General Manager Corporate Planning and Public Relations Roann Co. “We aim to provide solution and equip homemakers with knowledge on preparing affordable, delicious and well-balanced meals for their kids and loved ones.”

The following delicious and nutritious recipes are not only easy to prepare but also sure to fit the budget, including AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning 11g and Aji-Ginisa® 8g which remain to be the most affordable seasonings in the market at Php 3.00 SRP Continue reading Swak sa Budget, Swak for Kids! Affordable and Nutritious Recipes

Sustansarap, Sustansaya! Online Nutrition Classes

Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) recently launched Sustansarap, Sustansaya!, a series of online nutrition classes and cooking demonstrations, through a Facebook Live on Cookmunity by Ajinomoto page. The project aims to help Filipinos improve their nutrition knowledge and cooking skills with the help of food experts. It is set to run on a quarterly basis on the brand’s official Facebook page.

“We, at Ajinomoto, believe that nutrition education is vital in taking care of our families’ health. However, for most, nutrition information can be intimidating and difficult to understand. With day-to -day busy schedule of homemakers and budget limitation, we understand that nutrition usually takes a step back when preparing meals. Sustansarap, Sustansya! makes nutrition information fun, simple, accessible and proves that easy, affordable, nutritious, and delicious meals are possible, especially with the help of Ajinomoto products,” said Roann Co, Ajinomoto General Manager of Corporate Planning and Public Relations.

Class #1: BawAsin Natin! (Delicious Salt Reduction) Continue reading Sustansarap, Sustansaya! Online Nutrition Classes

Four Easy-to-Cook Recipes for Summer Outing Salu-Salo

Summer is arguably the favorite season for many. It’s the time of the year when Filipinos enjoy trips to the beach, long vacations with friends and family, or simply more time relaxing at home. All of these could only mean one thing— summer is the season for eating. Yum!

What’s a summer outing without equally exciting food? After all, a huge part of bonding during summer activities is the salu-salo. While grilled fish and hotdogs are staple favorites during summer outings, the Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation has curated recipes that you can try on your next trip to make your salu-salo experience more fun and memorable. Unwilling to cook? Check out MENUPH.COM for ready to eat foods from top restaurants and fast foods in the Philippines.

These four recipes are not only delicious and easy to prepare, they are less in sodium too, so it’s good for you and the family.

Simple Lemon Herb Chicken

Rich in protein and great for quick cooking, this recipe is perfect, especially when you’ve got kids (you can’t go wrong with chicken when youngsters are around). Quick and easy, you’ll be done in less than 30 minutes with a savory dish made yummy with AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning. Check out the full recipe here : Simple Lemon Herb Chicken Recipe

Thai Pork Barbecue

A must-try recipe to level up your barbecue experience. Not only is it easy to prepare, BBQs are ideal for outdoor cooking and get-together because they aren’t messy to eat and people can just grab a stick or two before diving back into the water again. Full recipe here: Thai Pork Barbecue Recipe

Kalabasang Okoy na may Hipon

If you’re into seafood, here’s a recipe that should excite you. The regular okoy already tastes great, but adding this twist should bring the dish to another level. With the kalabasa providing a layer of crunchiness and sweetness, this simple dish should be a nice addition to your summerific menu. Kalabasa which contains Vitamin A and beta-carotene not only helps maintain healthy eyesight but also helps strengthen immunity. All you need to do is mix AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning to the batter, stir in beaten eggs, kalabasa, bean sprouts and shrimps. Mix well, and fry. Voila! You’re done. Learn the full recipe: Kalabasang Okoy na may Hipon Recipe

Lumpiang Baboy at Carrots

Amongst all Lumpia variants, Lumpiang Baboy and Carrots, or what we are commonly known as Lumpiang Shanghai, will always be a crowd favorite. In fact, this dish is almost always present during birthdays, fiestas, or even during summer outings. They’re easy to make, carry around, and don’t spoil easily. You can pre-make the lumpia at home (or even cook it there). Try this less sodium version with AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning, which helps turn this rather ordinary food item into a bestseller on your summer outings. Click here for the full recipe: Lumpiang Baboy at Carrots Recipe

In its pursuit of helping Filipinos achieve a healthier lifestyle without sacrificing their hearty diet, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) Group recently launched its BawAsin® or Bawasan ang Asin campaign, an effort that encourages consumers to reduce their sodium intake without sacrificing the deliciousness of their meals. Ajinomoto has created a BawAsin® section in its official website. It provides information that reducing sodium in a diet is not difficult or will result in bland food. The site features 100 less sodium creative recipes that help individuals enjoy meals that contain less sodium yet enjoy the same deliciousness. According to the World Health Organization, a “reduced salt intake can blunt the rise in blood pressure that occurs with age and reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events and congestive heart failure.”

The BawAsin® or Bawasan ang Asin campaign is a reflection of the brand’s “Eat Well, Live Well” promise, which aims to help families improve their health by providing ways on how to prepare healthy and delicious meals.

For more fun and healthy recipes, visit the Less Sodium Recipes section of Ajinomoto’s Cookmunity website: ajinomoto.com.ph/whats-new-archive/sodium-recipes/