Nanay Maricris • September 25, 2026
Natutunan ko Bilang Nanay: Puwedeng Abot-Kaya at Healthy ang Pagkain
Dati, akala ko ay madali lang gawing healthy ang pagkain ng pamilya.
Kumain ng mas maraming gulay at prutas. Bawasan ang matatamis at maalat. Siguraduhing nakakakain nang maayos ang mga anak. Simple lang, 'di ba?
Pero iba pala kapag nanay ka na kailangang mag-plano ng lulutuin -- mamamalengke, mag-bubudget, maghahanda ng pagkain, at sisiguraduhing makakakain ang lahat.
Kaya ang akala ko ay magkaiba ang
masustansiyang pagkain at
pagkaing madaling lutuin araw-araw.
Bilang nanay, ng tumatakbo sa isip ko ay:
“Magkano kaya ito? Kakasya ba ang pera ko?”
“Kakainin kaya ng mga anak ko?”
“May oras ba akong magluto?”
Sa huli ko na lang tinatanong ang “Masustansiya ba ito?” Akala ko kasi kailangan ng mas malaking budget, mas maraming oras at mas komplikadong recipe.
Pero isa sa mga natutunan ko bilang nanay ay hindi kailangang gumastos nang malaki para maging healthy.
Dati, kapag nagpaplano ako ng pagkain, presyo agad ng mga sangkap ang tinitingnan ko. Ngayon, iniisip ko rin kung ano ang sustansiyang maibibigay nito sa aking pamilya.
Kahit ang mga nakasanayan na nating ulam, puwede palang gawing mas masustansiya sa pamamagitan ng tamang kombinasyon ng mga sangkap.
Halimbawa, ang Star NutriMeats Giniling Classic - Guisado Omelette with Vegetables ay puwedeng lutuin sa halagang humigit-kumulang ₱149 para sa limang tao, na makakapagbigay ng 1,063 mcg Vitamin A at 84 mg Iron, batay sa nutrition computation.
Para sa akin, magandang paalala ito na puwedeng maging masustansiya ang pagkain at pasok pa rin sa budget nating mga nanay.
Puwede palang gawing mas masustansiya ang mga paborito naming ulam
Na-realize ko rin na hindi kailangan baguhin lahat ng kinakain namin. Minsan, sapat nang dagdagan ng gulay sa isang paboritong ulam, siguraduhing may magandang source ng protein at bantayan ang tamang dami sa plato.
Puwede pa ring masarap, paborito ng mga bata, at pamilyar sa pamilya, mas masustansiya lang.
Mas napapadali ang pagpaplano dahil sa Pinggang Pinoy
Akala ko kailangan pa mag-compute ng nutrients para masabing balanced ang isang meal.
Pero nang mas maintindihan ko ang Pinggang Pinoy, na-realize ko na puwede pala itong gawing simple.
Dahil dito, iniisip ko kung bawat pagkain na ihahain ko ay:
- May gulay at prutas?
- May sapat na kanin o ibang source ng carbohydrates?
- May protein?
Noon, ang gusto ko lang ay mabusog ang pamilya sa pagkaing niluto ko. Ngayon, napapatanong na rin ako sa sarili:
“Nabigyan ko ba sila ng tamang sustansiya?” Simple lang, pero malaking bagay pala kapag nasanay kang ganito mag-isip.
Sulitin ang bawat pagkain
Bilang nanay, alam kong hindi naman pare-pareho ang sitwasyon ng bawat pamilya. May mga araw na kailangan talagang magtipid. May mga araw na sobrang busy at halos wala nang oras magluto. At may mga araw din na kahit pinag-isipan mo nang mabuti ang pagkaing niluto, ayaw pa rin itong kainin ng mga anak mo.
Kaya para sa akin, hindi naman kailangang maging
perfect ang pagkain natin araw-araw. Ang mahalaga,
ginagawa natin ang makakaya natin gamit kung ano ang mayroon tayo. Pumili ng kung ano ang
available at abot-kaya, at planuhin ang kakainin para mapagkasya ang
budget.
Magsimula sa maliliit na hakbang
Magdagdag ng gulay.
Balansehin ang pagkain sa plato.
Pumili nang mas masustansiyang pagkain.
Sulitin ang mga sangkap na mayroon sa kusina.
Pagktapos nito ay gawin ulit bukas hanggang makasanayan.
Hindi naman natin kailangang maging nutrition expert o perfect cook para makapaghain ng healthy na pagkain. Ang kailangan lang ay kaunting kaalaman, praktikal na paraan at kumpiyansa na gamitin kung ano ang mayroon tayo.
Sa bawat dagdag na gulay, mas balanseng plato, at mas maingat na pagpili, may nagagawa na tayo para sa kalusugan ng pamilya.
At minsan, ang kailangan lang nating sabihin:
Kaya ko pala!
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