Don’t know what to cook? Here’s a 7-day meal plan for you

Planning at least three meals every day for your entire family isn’t a walk in the park. Not only do you have to manage your grocery expenses, but you also have to squeeze your brain for ideas on possible dishes to make every day without being repetitive.

To help families everywhere, Ajinomoto crafted a 7-day meal plan complete with breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Each meal, they said, was easy to prepare and made with affordable ingredients. 

Day 1

Breakfast: Eggplant Adobo (4-5 servings)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) Cooking oil
5 pieces (500 grams) Eggplant, sliced
1 pack (30 grams) SARSAYA® Oyster Sauce
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Soy sauce
1 tablespoon (5 ml) Calamansi juice
1 teaspoon (5 grams) Sugar, brown
1 1/2 teaspoons (7.50 ml) Water
Simply fry the eggplant in a pan with oil. Place the eggplants on a strainer or a plate lined with table napkin to remove excess oil. In a separate bowl, mix soy sauce, calamansi juice, sugar, water and Sarsaya. Add the fried eggplant and the sauce together.

Lunch: Pork Nilaga (6-8 servings)

3 cups (750 mL) Water
1/2 kilogram (500 grams) Pork shoulder, kasim
1 piece (50 grams) Onion, quartered
3 tablespoons (45 mL) Fish sauce
1 teaspoon  Whole Peppercorn
1 pack (8 grams) PORKSAVOR® All-in-One Seasoning Mix
1 piece (70 grams) Potato, cut to into 6 pieces
3 bunches (300 grams) Pechay Tagalog, sliced

In a pot, pour in water and add the pork shoulder. Let it boil until pork becomes tender. Add onion, fish sauce whole peppercorn and Porksavor. Afterwards, add potato and cook until it becomes tender. Then, put pechay Tagalog and onion leeks and boil for one to two minutes. 

Dinner: Stir-fry Chicken and Vegetables (4-5 servings)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onions, minced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup (250 grams) Chicken leg, filleted, strips
1 cup (100 grams) Carrot, strips
3 cup (150 grams) Cabbage, sliced
To taste  Black pepper, ground
1 pack (8 grams) CHICKENSAVOR™ All-in-One Seasoning Mix

After sautéing onions and garlic with oil in a pan, add the chicken and cook it until it’s slightly brown. Once it’s cooked, add carrots, cabbage, ground black pepper and Chickensavor. Cook this for only a minute.

Day 2

Breakfast: Chicken Sotanghon (5-6 servings)
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Cooking oil
1/8 cup (18 grams) Onions, sliced
2 teaspoons (8 grams) Garlic, minced
1 cup (200 grams) Chicken fillet, sliced
1/2 cup (40 grams) Carrots, diced
1 tablespoon (15 mL)  Annatto water
4 cups (1 Liter) Water
1 1/2 cup (170 grams)  Vermicelli Noodles
2 packs (16 grams) CHICKENSAVOR™ All-in-One Seasoning Mix

Toppings

1/3 pack (12 grams) Spring onion, chopped
1/4 cup (24 grams) Garlic, chopped, tostado

Sauté the onion and garlic with oil in a pot. Then, add the chicken and cook it until it turns light brown. After adding carrots and sauteing it for 30 minutes, add the annatto water.

Add water and once it boils, add the vermicelli noodles and let it boil for another 1-2 minutes. Season the soup with Chickensavor and serve it with spring onion and toasted garlic on top.

Lunch: Paksiw na Bangus (3 servings)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onions, sliced
2 teaspoons (8 grams) Garlic, minced
2 teaspoons (8 grams) Ginger, sliced
1/4 cup (50 ml) Water
1/2 cup (125 ml) Vinegar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Soy sauce
2 teaspoons (4 grams) AJI-SHIO®  Pepper Seasoning Mix
6 belly slices (350 grams) Bangus
1 cup (100 grams) Bitter gourd, sliced
1 1/2 cup (120 grams) Eggplant, sliced

Sauté onion, garlic and ginger with oil in a pan. After adding water, vinegar, soy sauce, Aji-Shio pepper, bangus, bitter gourd, and eggplant, let it boil until the fish is cooked.

Dinner: Meaty Pechay Picadillo (4-5 servings)

3 tablespoons (45 mL) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onions, sliced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup (300 grams) Lean Pork, ground
1 cup (115 grams) Carrot, cubed
1/2 cup (125 grams) Green peas
2 cups (115 grams) Pechay, sliced
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Soy sauce
1 pack (7 grams) AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix

Sauté onion, garlic and ground pork with oil in a pan. After the ground pork is cooked until its slightly brown, add carrots, green peas and pechay. Then, season with ground black pepper, soy sauce, and Aji-Ginisa. Cook it for one to two minutes.

Day 3

Breakfast: Stir-fry Kangkong with tofu (4-5 servings)

1/2 cup (125 mL) Cooking oil
6 pieces (360 grams) Tokwa (hard tofu), cubed
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
3 bunches (600 grams) Kangkong, leaves and young stalks separated
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Water
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Soy sauce
1 pack (30 grams)  SARSAYA® Oyster Sauce

Fry the tokwa until its golden brown in a pan. Afterwards, saute garlic and kangkong young stalks and cook it for one to two minutes. After adding kangkong leaves, add water and the fried tokwa. Season with soy sauce and sarsaya.

Lunch: Fried Bangus and Saluyot Salad (4-5 servings)

Fried Bangus

1/2 cup (125 ml) Cooking oil
1 pack (6 grams) AJI-SHIO® Garlic Seasoning Mix
6 pieces (350 grams) Bangus, sliced

Saluyot Salad (Jute Salad)

2 cups (40 grams)  Saluyot leaves (Jute Leaves), blanched
1 cup (60 grams) Onion, rings
2 cups (100 grams) Tomato, rings
1/2 cup (125 ml) Vinegar
2 teaspoons (12 grams) Sugar, brown
1 teaspoon (5 grams) AJI-SHIO® Pepper Seasoning Mix

After seasoning the bangus wiith Aji-Shio garlic, fry the bangus until it’s golden brown. Separately, pour water in the pan and let it boil. Dip the jute leaves in the boiling water for 10 to 30 seconds. Drain the excess water and place the leaves on a plate.

Add tomatoes and onions to the jute leaves and season with Aji-Shio pepper. Serve the jute leaves with the fried bangus.

Dinner: Sautéed Upo (4-5 servings)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onions, minced
1 teaspoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1/2 cup (65 grams) Tomato, cubed
1 cup (200 grams) Pork, lean meat, ground
6 cups (500 grams) Bottle gourd, sliced and quartered
1/4 cup (50 ml) Water
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Fish sauce
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (7 grams) AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix

Sauté onion, garlic and tomato in a pan. Afterwards, add the pork and continue cooking until the pork turns light brown. After adding the bottle gourd and water, cover the pan and let it boil until bottle gourd is cooked. For the finishing touches, season with fish sauce, ground black pepper, and Aji-Ginisa.

Day 4

Breakfast: Scrambled Egg with Tomatoes (4-5 servings)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil
6 pieces Egg, beaten
1 1/2 cup (195 grams) Tomato, cubed
1/2 cup (70 grams) Onion, cubed
To taste Salt
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (11 grams) AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning

In a big bowl, mix beaten egg, tomato and onion together. After seasoning it with salt and ground black pepper, fry the egg mixture in a pan. Cook the scrambled eggs until done.

Lunch: Chicken Tinola (10 servings)

1 teaspoon (5 grams) Cooking oil
4 teaspoons (20 grams) Onions, sliced
2 teaspoons (10 grams) Garlic, minced
1/2 cup (62.50 grams) Ginger, sliced
3 cups (700 grams) Chicken, tinola cut
4  cups (1 Liter) Water
2 cups (435 grams) Unripe Papaya, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 packs (16 grams) CHICKENSAVOR™ All-in-One Seasoning Mix
6 belly slices (350 grams) Bangus
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Fish sauce
1 teaspoon (1 gram) Whole peppercorn
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Fish sauce
1 cup (20 grams) Malunggay leaves

After sautéeing the onion, garlic and ginger, add the chicken and sauté for 3 minutes. Add  water and let it boil. Once the chicken becomes tender, add the papa and continue boiling until the papaya is tender. Add fish sauce, ground black pepper, and malunggay leaves and let it boil for a minute before serving.

Dinner: Tofu Sisig (4-5 servings)

2 tablespoons (30 ml) Cooking oil
6 pieces (360 grams) Tokwa (Hard Tofu), cubed
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, minced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Ginger, minced
1 can (85 grams) Liverspread
2 teaspoons (12 grams) Sugar, brown
1 pack (8 grams) PORKSAVOR® All-in-One Seasoning
1 piece (10 grams) Green chilli, long, sliced (optional)

Fry the tokwa in a pan until its golden brown. Place the tokwa on a strainer or plate lined with a table napkin to remove excess oil. In a separate pan, sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. After mixing in the fried tokwa and liver spread, season with sugar, Porksavor and green chilli.

Day 5

Breakfast: Pork Tapa with Tomatoes (4-5 servings)
1/2 cup (125 ml) Water
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Sugar, brown
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Soy sauce
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (30 grams) SARSAYA® Oyster Sauce
2 1/2 cups (300 grams) Pork, tapa cut
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, minced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
3 cups (390 grams) Tomato, cubed
1 1/2 cup (120 grams) Eggplant, sliced

In a bowl, mix water, sugar, soy sauce, ground black pepper and Sarsaya together. Marinate the pork in the mixture for at least one hour or overnight in the chiller.

Afterwards, sauté the onion and garlic in a pan. Take the pork out from the marinade and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add the marinade and let it boil until the pork becomes tender. Continue cooking the pork until the desired sauce consistency is achieved. When it's all cooked, serve the pork tapa with fresh tomatoes on the side.

Lunch: Sweet and Sour Fish (4-5 servings)

1 cup (250 mL) Water

1 tablespoon (9 grams) Cornstarch
1/2 cup (125 mL) Cooking oil
6 pieces (450 grams)  Galunggong
1/2 cup (50 grams) bell pepper, green, strips
2 cups (250 grams) Carrots, strips
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Soy sauce
1 pack (200 grams)  SARSAYA®  Sweet & Sour Sauce
To taste Salt
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (7 grams) AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix

To create a slurry, combine water and cornstarch in a bowl. In a pan, fry the galunggong. In the same pan, sauté bell pepper and carrots and soy sauce and slurry. After adding salt, ground black pepper, and Aji-Ginisa, let it boil until the sauce thickens.

When it's done, add the fried galunggong to the Sarsaya Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Dinner: Bulanglang + Fried Chicken (4-5 servings)

1/2 Kilogram (500 grams) Chicken
1/2 pack (33.50 grams) TASTY BOY® Regular Breading Mix
1/2 cup (125 mL) Cooking oil

Simply roll the chicken in the Tasty Boy Regular Breading Mix and fry the breaded chicken in heated oil.

Day 6

Breakfast: Bihon Guisado (4-5 servings)
1 pack (105 grams) Pansit bihon
1 tablespoon (15ml) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, sliced
2 tablespoons (24 grams) Garlic, minced
1 cup (100 grams) Chayote (Sayote), sliced
2 cups (500 ml) Water
2 teaspoons (10ml) Soy sauce
1 cup (50 grams) Cabbage, sliced
1 pack (8 grams) PORKSAVOR® ALL-IN-ONE SEASONING MIX

Soak the Bihon in two cups of water for ten minutes. In another pan,  sauté the onion and garlic.  Add chayote and cook for two minutes. Once it's cooked, add water and soy sauce and bring to a boil. After adding soaked bihon noodles and cabbage, season it with Porksavor all-in-one seasoning mix and cook for two minutes.

Lunch: Almondigas (4-5 servings)

1 cup (140 grams) Lean pork, grounded
1 1/4 cup (100 grams) Carrot, grated
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, minced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1 piece Egg
2 pieces Sliced bread, shredded
1/4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) Salt
1/8 teaspoon (0.60 grams) Black pepper, ground
1 pack (8 grams) PORKSAVOR® All-in-One Seasoning Mix
5 tablespoon (25 mL) Cooking oil
1 1/2 cup (120 grams) Eggplant, sliced

Soup

2 tablepsoons (30 mL) Cooking oil
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, sliced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
4 cups (1 Liter) Water
4 pieces (600 grams) Sponge gourd, cut to 1/4 inch thick rings
1 pack (75 grams) Misua
1/8 teaspoon (0.60 grams) Black pepper, ground
1 pack (8 grams) PORKSAVOR® All-in-One Seasoning Mix

For the meatball, mix the ground pork, carrots, squash, onion, garlic, egg and shredded bread in a bowl. After seasoning it with salt, pepper and Porksavor, take one tablespoon of the meat mixture and form it into a ball.

Fry the meatballs until its golden brown. Place them on a strainer or a plate lined with table napkin to drain the excess oil.

For the soup, sauté the onion and garlic in a pot. Add water and sponge gourd. Bring this to a boil until the spong gourd is cooked. After seasoning it with ground black pepper and Porksavor, add the misua and fried meat balls and boil for one minute before serving.

Dinner: Squash-carrot Patty (4-5 servings)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Cooking oil

1/4 cup (35 grams) Onions, minced
1 teaspoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
1/2 cup (65 grams) Tomato, cubed
1 cup (200 grams) Pork, lean meat, ground
6 cups (500 grams) Bottle gourd, sliced and quartered
1/4 cup (50 ml) Water
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Fish sauce
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (7 grams) AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix

Sauté onion, garlic and tomato in a pan. Add pork and continue cooking until the pork turns light brown. Afterwards, add the bottle gourd and water, and cover the pan to let it boil. Once the bottle gourd is cooked, season with fish sauce, ground black pepper and Aji-Ginisa.

Day 7

Breakfast: Camote Top Salad and Hard-boiled egg (4-5 servings)
5 bunches (270 grams) Camote Tops
1/4 cup (62.5 ml) Water
1/4 cup (62.5 ml) Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) Salt
2 teaspoons (4 grams)  AJI-SHIO® Pepper Seasoning Mix
1 teaspoon (5 ml) Soy sauce
2 tablespoons (24 grams) Sugar, brown
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, cubed
1 cup (130 grams) Tomato, cubed

Pour water in the steamer’s base and let it boil. Once the water is boiling, assemble the camote tops on the steamer and steam it for two to three minutes.

Mix water, vinegar, salt and Aji-Shio pepper and sugar in a pan. Without stirring, let the mixture boil for two minutes.

In another bowl, put the steamed camote tops, onions and tomatoes and pour the vinegar mixture.

Lunch: Sinigang na Bangus (8-10 servings)

4 cups (1 Liter) Rice washing
1 piece (35 grams) Onion, quartered
3 pieces (160 grams) Tomato
2-3 pieces (700 grams) Bangus, sliced
1 pieces (10 grams) Green chili, long
1 cup (100 grams) Raddish, cut into 1/4 inch thick
1 cup (120 grams) Sitao, 1 inch long
1 pack (11 grams) AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning
3 tablespoons (45 mL) Fish sauce
15 pieces (115 ml) Calamansi juice
3 bunches (200 grams) Camote tops

Mix the rice washing, onion and tomato in a pot. After letting it boil, crush the soft tomatoes and add the fish and green chili. Let it boil again until the fish is cooked.

Season with Aji-no-moto, fish sauce, and calamansi juice. Afterwards, add raddish and sitao and let this boil for two more minutes. Add the camote tops and let it boil for a minute.

Dinner: Stir-fry Pechay with Tofu (5 servings)

1/2 cup (125 ml) Cooking oil

5 pieces (250 grams) Tokwa (Hard Tofu), cubed
1/4 cup (35 grams) Onion, sliced
1 tablespoon (12 grams) Garlic, minced
5 bunches (400 grams) Pechay Tagalog, sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Soy sauce
To taste Black pepper, ground
1 pack (7 grams) AJI-GINISA® Flavor Seasoning Mix

Fry the tokwa in a pan until its golden brown. In the same pan, sauté the onion, garlic and pechay and add water. Season with soy sauce, ground black pepper and Aji-Ginisa. Once it's cooked, serve with fried tofu. – RC, GMA News