Are you traveling soon to see your friends or family in the United States? You might have thought about bringing pasalubong from the Philippines, but you’re running out of favorite pasalubong ideas, or you have no clue how much they would cost you.
Pinoy dishes and delicacies may be hard to replicate in the U.S or any other country. That’s why if given a chance, our Filipino relatives and friends abroad would still prefer food originating in the Philippines as gifts more than anything else.
Bringing them some Filipino food is like making them feel closer to their families back home.
That’s why this article is here to help by sharing some of today’s favorite Pinoy pasalubong ideas that you can bring with you to the U.S., not only for your Filipino friends but for everyone who loves food!
Favorite Pasalubong Ideas from the Philippines
So what is the best pasalubong from the Philippines? This may be tricky because we have different preferences. To give you enough pasalubong ideas to choose from, we picked 15 for you!
Get ready to feast your eyes (and taste buds?) on these mouthwatering pasalubong ideas to surprise your family and friends and make them love you twice as much!
J.Co
We all love how the flavors of J.Co donuts linger in our taste buds. The mouthwatering combinations of all kinds of delectable premium toppings with the soft and fluffy donuts are just too hard to forget.
That’s why your family and friends abroad would be delighted to have them once again. Don’t forget to bring them a box (or two) of happiness as you travel back to the U.S.!
Price range: ₱ 252.73 to ₱ 253.60 for a half-dozen of donuts
Shelf life: 24 hrs at room temperature
Where to buy J.Co?
Check out the J.Co Donuts Menu here.
Lola Nena’s
Famous for its delicious Pichi Pichi, Lola Nena’s quickly grew its popularity from its humble beginning in 2012.
Their famous cassava was originally based on a family recipe. No wonder you’ll feel like you’re home while eating their flavorful delicacies. Their old-fashioned donuts are also a must-try!
Price range: ₱340 – a large box of Special Pichi Pichi
Shelf life: 48 hrs at room temperature
Where to buy Lola Nena’s?
Check out the Lola Nena’s Menu here.
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Goldilocks
We know how much Filipino culture is quite centered on food and the experience of eating together as a family and a community. This has been the brand’s vision since it began in 1966 and the primary reason why the company became an integral part of the Filipino way of life.
Have you noticed how Goldilocks’ polvoron equates to pasalubong? And when Filipinos would think of pasalubong, it’s almost certain that Goldilocks is on the top of the list.
Price range: ₱220 – assorted polvoron box
Shelf life: 48 hrs at room temperature
Where to buy Goldilocks?
Red Ribbon
A proudly Filipino-owned bakeshop, Red Ribbon started in 1979 by selling pastries to family members and closest friends. It then grew bigger and bigger, became one of the largest and fastest-growing bakeshops in the country, and the rest is history.
From your favorite ensaymada and Butter Mamon to the classic Black Forest Cake, Red Ribbon makes it hard not to drop by their branches when we see one. How many boxes are you buying?
Price range: ₱715 – Black Forest Cake
Shelf life: 72 hrs at room temperature / 7 days in the freezer
Where to buy Red Ribbon?
Check out the Red Ribbon Menu here.
Mary Grace
Mary Grace’s best-selling ensaymada and cheese rolls will surely warm the hearts and souls of your friends and loved ones abroad.
Ensaymada is a sweet Filipino pastry known for its fluffiness, rich flavor and aroma. While cheese rolls are bread stuffed with cheese and brushed with softened butter.
Price range: ₱658 – Ensaymada (Box of 6)
Shelf life: 24 hrs at room temperature / 7 days when refrigerated / 30 days when frozen
Where to buy Mary Grace?
Check out the Mary Grace Menu here.
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Silvanas
Another all-time favorite is the famous frozen cookie from Dumaguete – Silvanas. It was made up of cashew-meringue wafers with a layer of buttercream and coated with cookie crumbs. Sans Rival’s Silvanas are known for their two flavors; Chocolate and Original (Regular Buttercream).
To keep them longer while keeping them crunchy, transfer the Silvanas to a sealed container and store them in a freezer.
Price range: P165 – P200 per box of 10 Silvanas
Shelf life: 2 weeks at room temperature
Where to buy Silvanas?
- Sans Rival Cakes & Pastries
- Dumaguete Silvanas
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
Dried Pusit and Danggit
Dried pusit or squid and danggit are Cebu’s pride and are among the most sought pasalubong, not only by the returning Filipinos abroad but the tourists too.
Reserve some for your family and friends and give them the best breakfast ever! Don’t forget to prepare it with fried rice, coffee, and vinegar with garlic. *Yum*
Price range: ₱125/kg – Pusit; ₱800 to ₱900/kg – Danggit
Shelf life: 3 to 6 months at room temperature or freezer
Where to buy dried pusit?
- Metro Cebu
- Supermarket
Yema
Yema is a classic Filipino candy. Since most Filipinos love sweets a lot, yema has been a favorite dessert and snack during long trips. Why not?! It’s affordable, sweet, and tasty!
It comes in different flavors like peanuts, almonds, and pili nuts.
Price range: ₱70 to ₱129
Shelf life: 1 month at room temperature or freezer
Where to buy yema?
- Special Yema ni Lilian
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
Peanut Brittle
Peanut brittle is made from sugar and peanuts, which is a famous confection in Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines. This delicious treat has never been out of the tourists’ list of pasalubong every time they visit the city.
Price range: ₱50 to ₱364
Shelf life: 6 to 8 weeks at room temperature or freezer
Where to buy peanut brittle?
- Shopee PH
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
Pili Nuts and Candies
Pili nuts are native to the Philippines. They are not just delicious nuts but healthy and versatile too. Two of the best-selling pili delicacies in the Bicol region are the yema pili and pili candies. You should also try roasted pili nut and pili nut brittle!
Price range: ₱180 – 80g pili candies
Shelf life: 6 months at room temperature or freezer
Where to buy pili nuts and candies?
- Lazada PH
- The House of Pili
- Physical stores
- Wet market
- Supermarket
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Dried Fish
Dried fish from the Philippines has been one of the most popular pasalubong not only because it satisfies Pinoy’s taste buds but because it has a long shelf life.
If you are still undecided about what you can bring your parents abroad, dried fish is a safe (and the best) choice!
Price range: ₱160 – 400g
Shelf life: 3 months at room temperature
Where to buy dried fish?
- Safe Select Online Market
- Wet market
- Supermarket
Pastillas
An all-time favorite Pinoy delicacy, pastillas are made of carabao milk and sugar and have been made available in many different delectable flavors.
These are every Filipino kid’s favorite. Make sure to bring some for your kids or friends’ kids abroad!
Price range: ₱60 – 200g
Shelf life: 4 weeks at room temperature / 6 weeks refrigerated
Where to buy pastillas?
- Shopee PH
- Iya’s Jumbo Pastillas
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
Choco Nut
Choc Nut is a classic Pinoy chocolate peanut candy. Nothing compares to its unique rich chocolate taste and flavorful roasted peanuts. For Filipinos, nothing can bring back childhood memories more than Choc Nut.
Another brand that became a hit with Pinoy taste is Choco Mani.
Price range: ₱59 – 24 pieces
Shelf life: 12 months at room temperature
Where to buy Choc Nut?
Where to buy Choco Mani?
- Choco Mani PH
- Supermarket
Dried Mango
A dehydrated version of its fresh counterpart, dried mango can be purchased sweetened or unsweetened. It is a competitive food manufactured product in the Philippines as 85% of its production is exported to other countries.
Its unique sweet and sour taste has been tourists’ favorite.
Price range: ₱100 to ₱649
Shelf life: 6 to 12 months at room temperature or freezer
Where to buy dried mango?
- Kultura Filipino
- Shopee PH
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
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Gourmet Tuyo
A deboned and bottled version of dried fish with a variety of flavors in olive oil and spices, Gourmet Tuyo has become a more popular Pinoy pasalubong because it’s easy to pack and store. Not to mention its rich and appetizing taste.
It is also available in spicy flavor and is commonly used as the main ingredient for pasta.
Price range: ₱120 to ₱330
Shelf life: 21 days at room temperature / 3 months if refrigerated
Where to buy gourmet tuyo?
- Ever Grocer
- Physical stores
- Supermarket
Conclusion
So, these are our top 15 favorite pasalubong ideas. I hope this article gives you some good ideas and helps you and your family remember to bring something back from the Philippines every time you visit.
Discovering what to bring home from the Philippines can be quite a challenge. It’s not like you can just buy groceries at the nearest grocery store and call it a day. You need to bring something authentic, something your loved ones will truly appreciate and enjoy.
If you have any other favorite pasalubong ideas, please feel free to add them in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!
