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TOP 10 HEALTHY STREET FOODS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The image shows balut, a popular Filipino delicacy. It is a boiled fertilized duck egg, often enjoyed with a sprinkle of salt, and sometimes garnished with fried garlic and herbs. Balut is considered a high-protein snack and is known for its unique taste and texture.

Truth is, there is no “unsafe” type of street food in the Philippines- no type is better than the other because of its nature. Do you know what instead makes the difference? The proper handling of the preparation of this food. The level of adherence towards the safety measures in the processing of street food is the one which rather counts. 

Regarding the said, as of now, each municipality, seeing that street food stalls are integral to the preservation of the normal living of Filipino- as an inevitable where-to-go main option during snack-time as much as pizza kiosks as is to Westerners, has crafted rules and regulations regarding this type of business. Rest assured, the government is doing something for us in concern to this matter. 

Now, the only thing to be worried about is you- where you would actually choose to purchase your most favorite street food? In a stall which has no proper source of water, serves not a fresh but instead re-heated product, and is positioned where it could get the most dirt in the surrounding air is possible? Again, all street food is safe- but basically, not from each vendor. So in order to enjoy and be worry-free whenever indulging in the most craved street food in the Philippines, you should do your part. 

For our part, here is a list of the top street food that makes you a Filipino only if you’ve experienced and repeatedly tried!

Kwek-Kwek

Now, who doesn’t know how fulfilling a deep-fried quail eggs dipped in a sauce you can mix and match in order to achieve the most complementing taste as you’ve just imagined? Yes, that’s nothing else but Kwek-Kwek. 

That bright orange little balls that’s crispy on the outside but is as soft and delicious you could ever expect it to be on the inside. 

The image shows Isaw, a popular Filipino street food made from grilled chicken intestines, skewered and cooked over an open flame. The intestines are typically marinated in a flavorful sauce before grilling, resulting in a smoky, savory treat.

Isaw

Some might say they know just enough information about isaw but trust me, they don’t- yet. Well, it is because what us Pinoys refer to isaw is only one of its kind- the intestines of chicken… but do you know that there’s still an intestine from a pig? Yeah! And it tastes just as delicious! (Maybe even more)

After coating it with a mixture made of some oil and catsup, isaw is placed over a hot fire. This one’s usually prepared during the late afternoon. Also, every stall of it has this signature smell so even if you’re new to a place, just follow where your sense of smell is bringing you and you’re all good to go!

Also, to give you a hint, pig intestines are a little bit chewier and tastes stronger than chicken intestines. They also vary in appearance. 

The image shows Adidas, a popular Filipino street food made from skewered and grilled chicken feet. The chicken feet are marinated and cooked until tender, offering a savory snack that is enjoyed by many.

Adidas and Helmets

When talking about ihaw-ihaw, together with isaw, we’ve got adidas and helmet by the side- which then is simply the foot and head of chicken respectively. 

Are there any worries you should be concerned about in gobbling up a head and a feet of a chicken?

Surely… there’s none. 

So, there’s no excuse left in not trying them out!

The image shows a typical Filipino street food scene with skewers of fish balls and kikiam. These are deep-fried in a large pan of oil and commonly served with various sauces, making them a popular and affordable snack in the Philippines.

Fish balls and Kikiam

Possibly the top favorite, eh? Deep-fried fishball and kikiam beyond from being very affordable, when dipped in a sweet, spicy, or a vinegar sauce will surely leave you wanting more!

The image shows balut, a popular Filipino delicacy. It is a boiled fertilized duck egg, often enjoyed with a sprinkle of salt, and sometimes garnished with fried garlic and herbs. Balut is considered a high-protein snack and is known for its unique taste and texture.

Balut

A street food that’ll knock your cravings off even if it should already be dinner-time. Balut is simply a partially developed duck egg embryo.

In eating it, you should first crack some small hole on the shell, sip the ‘chicken soup’ that’s inside and it’s now your choice whether to eat the embryo or the yolk first. 

And oh, don’t forget to dip it with some vinegar!

In addition to the said, what composes the Top 10 “Healthy” Street Food we promised to give you on a list are the following:

Dried squid– A deep-fried chewy dried squid! 

Binatog- Bits of corn combined with some lemongrass topped with shredded coconut and salt!

Kutsinta- A jelly-like texture in the nature of a sweet rice cake best combined with condensed milk or grated coconut. 

Banana Cue- A deep-friend caramelized banana in a stick!

Turon– Another candidate of banana, but now wrapped inside a lumpia wrapper and caramelized. 

References:

Escalona, K. (2019). A Guide to Street Food in The Philippines. [online] Culture Trip. Available at: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-filipino-street-food/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2019].

WayPH.com – Philippine Tour Packages and Travel Guide. (2019). Top 10 Filipino Street Foods | WayPH.com. [online] Available at: https://wayph.com/top-10-filipino-street-foods/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2019].

Golangco, V. (2019). The Dirty Dozen: Top 12 Must-Try Street Foods in Manila – When In Manila. [online] When In Manila. Available at: https://www.wheninmanila.com/the-dirty-dozen-top-12-must-try-street-foods-in-manila/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2019].

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