As we get older, we tend to stick to what we know, but this time I decided to branch out by following my local friend’s advice and my son’s “I want to try this!” curiosity. Out of all the things we tried, I’ve handpicked the ones that truly impressed us and were a big hit as souvenirs!
7D Dried Mangoes
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks of this first when it comes to the Philippines!
While there are many brands of dried mangoes available, I personally find this one to be the most consistently delicious. Other brands might be cheaper, but I’ve found them to be a bit too fibrous at times. The balance of sweetness and tanginess is just perfect, so I always end up buying some for myself.
You can find them at any supermarket, and even if you forget to pick them up, they’re readily available at the airport!
Jovy’s Banana Chips
My husband and I are convinced these might just be the best banana chips in the world. Fried in coconut oil, they have an irresistible crunch and a natural sweetness that makes it impossible to stop eating them.
The contents are quite fragile and break easily. They come in both bags and plastic tubs, but the tubs are much easier to transport. The one in the photo is the plastic version—as you can see, it’s packed with quite a generous amount, even compared to a cup of noodles!
They aren’t always in stock at the local supermarkets, but I found them at the Manila airport!
Boy Bawang Corn Snacks
I learned about these from a friend who let us stay over. They might look simple, but the flavor is incredibly addictive. There are several varieties, and honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of them!
The flavor of the Filipino staple “Adobo” (a savory-sour stew of soy sauce and vinegar) is wonderfully fragrant—it’s a real crowd-pleaser for both adults and kids. As for the garlic flavor, it was packed with plenty of actual garlic slices! Even though the bags look small, they are filled to the brim, making them surprisingly satisfying to eat.
According to my friend, you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors! I’ve tried three different kinds myself, and every single one of them was delicious!!
Stick-O Purple Yam (Ube) Flavor
I was a bit intimidated by the bright purple color at first (lol), but I bought it at my eldest son’s request. It has a swirl of Ube (purple yam) flavored chocolate inside, and it was so much better than I imagined—I ended up going back for more! The sticks are packed in so tightly that it’s actually hard to pull one out without breaking it, haha. It was a huge hit as a souvenir, too.
They come in a cylindrical container, but they’re quite fragile. I’d recommend giving the container a light check to make sure they haven’t crumbled into pieces inside before you head to the register.
Goldilocks Polvoron
Goldilocks is a legendary Filipino bakery chain. You’ll see their shops all over the place in almost every shopping mall.
The stores are hard to miss with their iconic, bright yellow branding.
Their most famous treat is the “Polvoron,” a traditional snack made of flour, milk, sugar, and sometimes coconut. It has a unique, crumbly texture that just melts in your mouth. I highly recommend the assorted pack so you can try all the different flavors. Since each box comes with plenty of individually wrapped pieces, it’s also a great option if you need to hand them out to a lot of people!
Extra Tip: Advice for Buying Water at the Supermarket
Go for water priced at 15 pesos or more!
You’ll see some incredibly cheap bottled water at the supermarket, but I regretted trying to save a few cents on the absolute cheapest one—the taste just wasn’t for me…
As a Japanese person, I know our taste in water can be quite specific to what we’re used to back home, but I found that brands priced at 15 pesos (about 40 yen) or more for a 500ml bottle tasted much closer to Japanese water and were much more enjoyable!
Conclusion
As we get older, we tend to only pick things we can already imagine the taste of, and we rarely find ourselves trying anything new. This time, however, being guided by a local friend and following my son’s interests made the whole experience so fresh and fun! Plus, the items we picked were a huge hit as gifts.
When you visit a supermarket in the Philippines, I hope you have a great time hunting for these treats like a little treasure hunt! I’d be so happy if this guide helps you out!
