If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom who cooks almost every day, it’s this:
May mga grocery items talaga na dapat never nauubos.
Because the moment you run out — ayan na, magka-crisis na sa bahay.
I grew up watching my mama do her weekly groceries with a handwritten list (sometimes naka-sulat sa lumang sobre or scratch paper). Now that I’m the mommy of the house, I catch myself doing the exact same thing — except my list is on my phone, and it magically grows habang naglalakad ako sa aisle. 😂
And over the years, napansin ko: Filipino moms almost all buy the same things.
Why? Kasi these are the items that save us on busy days, picky-eater days, tight-budget days, and “walang maisip na iluto” days.
So here it is — our 2025 updated list of the Top 10 Go-To Grocery Items Filipino moms always buy, kasama ang mini stories and why these staples will forever live in our kitchens.
1. Chicken (Whole, Cut-Ups, or Leg Quarters)
Chicken is life… literally.
It’s the first thing on my list every week because chicken can turn into 10 different ulam with minimal effort.
My kids grew up on adobo and tinola, and until now, chicken is the one thing na never sila nagsasawa. Plus, kung tight ang budget — leg quarters always save the day.
2. Eggs (The Real Life-Saver)
Eggs are the emergency ulam, baon solution, budget-saver, and picky-eater negotiator of Filipino households.
Scrambled? Check.
Tortang giniling? Check.
Egg sandwich? Check.
Pang-ramen? Pang-sopas? Pang quick merienda? YES.
There were weeks na sobrang busy ko, and I think I served eggs 4 times. Walang nagreklamo. Happy lahat. 😅
3. Canned Goods (Tuna, Corned Beef, Soups, Sardines)
I’ll be honest — canned goods saved me during the baby days with Twinkle, when I barely had time to shower, much less cook a full meal.
Every Filipino mom has that secret stash:
- Tuna (pasta? salad? stir-fry?)
- Sardines (ginisa with egg = heaven)
- Corned beef (quick breakfast!)
- Cream of Mushroom (pang pasta, pang chicken dish, pang anything!)
Canned goods = trusty backup plan.
4. Instant Noodles & Easy Soups
Tell me you’re Filipino without telling me you’re Filipino — may ramen, pancit canton, at chicken noodles sa bahay. 😂
Rainy days?
Sick kids?
Lazy nights?
“Ma, anong merienda?”
Instant noodles ALWAYS answer the call.
And nowadays, ang dami nang premium options you can dress up para maging sosyal-sosyal ang bowl of noodles mo.
5. Fresh Vegetables (At Least 3 Basics)
Even if we’re budget-conscious, we always try to keep at least 1–3 veggies at home:
- carrots
- lettuce (pang-sandwich or salad)
- cabbage
- kalabasa
- potatoes
I’m a big believer that a mom’s love looks like chopped vegetables, even when we’re tired and rushing.
Sometimes simple lang — ginisang gulay or tinola with lots of malunggay — but it always feels nurturing.
6. Bread + Spreads
The official food of:
- “Late na pala!”
- “Hindi pa ako nag-aalmusal!”
- “May meeting ako in 10 minutes!”
We always keep:
- loaf bread
- peanut butter
- cheese spread
- butter
- sometimes ham or luncheon meat
My kids LOVE toasted bread with anything. And when Ykaie and Twinkle were younger, bread was our “always ready” merienda.
7. Milk (Soymilk, Oatmilk, or Condensed)
Milk is like a universal must-have.
Coffee for mom, Milo (or sometimes coffeee din) for kids,milk for breakfast, condensed milk for desserts.
And if you’re a home baker?
Milk is ALWAYS part of the recipe.
Lagi akong bumibili, even when I think may stock pa sa bahay — because I always end up needing it.
8. Pasta + Ready Sauces
There is ALWAYS at least one day per week na tinatamad ako mag-isip — so pasta to the rescue.
My go-tos:
- spaghetti noodles
- pancit canton noodles
- all-purpose cream for creamy sauces
- pesto sauce
- tomato basil
The magic of pasta?
It feels special but is so easy and fast.
My kids think pasta day is a treat. Ako? I secretly love it because it’s effortless. 😂
9. Frozen Ready-to-Cook Items
2025 is the year of “Mom, I’m hungry!” and “Wala pa bang ulam?”
So ready-to-cook freezer staples are essential.
Our family favorites:
- chicken nuggets
- siomai
- fish fillet
- tocino
- longganisa
- frozen veggies
- Korean ready-to-cook meats
When days get chaotic, these are the heroes.
10. Rice (Because… of course!)
Rice is the heart of our home.
Even if we try to be “healthier” or “less rice,” the truth is… hindi Filipino household kapag walang bigas. 😅
My husband, daddydoodledoo, is the ultimate “kanin pa more” person.
If we eat something without rice, he’ll look at me like,
“Okay, this is good… but may rice ba?” 😂
Mommy Peach’s Note
We all have different households, different routines, different preferences — but Filipino moms share one thing:
We all shop with love.
We buy with care.
We stock up para hindi magkulang.
We plan meals habang iniisip ang trabaho, ang kids, ang bahay, ang lahat.
This updated Filipino Moms Grocery List 2025 is a reminder that even the simplest pantry staples help us care for our families in small, everyday ways.
And that’s the real beauty of motherhood —
Love is found in the kitchen, sa maliit na things we do daily.
