A decent Noche Buena table is possible in affordable price!

Food content creator Ninong Ry uploaded his annual Noche Buena budget menu on 13 December, featuring eight dishes for just P1,500.

According to Ninong Ry, many people have been messaging him to try the P500 challenge suggested by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which faced massive backlash.

“Kaya nga naging isyu yan e, kasi alam naman natin na masyado talagang mababa e (That’s why it has been an issue, because we know it’s too low),” he said.

Ninong Ry started his budgeted Noche Buena four years ago with just P1,000. Now, with P1,500, he described it as “Noche Buena na may dignidad, pwedeng pagsaluhan ng buong pamilya (A Noche Buena with dignity that the whole family can share).”

His menu included roasted chicken hamonado, fish lumpia, laing, tilapia escabeche, beef misono, and baked macaroni. For dessert, he served buko pie and palitaw.

“We tried our best na hindi maulit yung pagkain (to avoid repeating the dishes [from last year]),” he said.

Speaking from his years of experience, he noted that DTI price guidelines are not always followed in the market because vendors must consider the amount charged by their suppliers and then add a reasonable markup.

He also shared a cooking tip: The order of preparing dishes is very important. You cannot fry tilapia before you fry other dishes, as the fishy flavor will stick to the oihe said.

As a family man, he reflected on why creating such content matters to him.

“Bilang padre de pamilya din, gusto ko sana naibibigay ko sa pamilya ko, sa mga anak ko lalo, yung memories ng magandang Pasko (As a father, I also wish I could give my family, especially my children, the memories of a beautiful Christmas),” he said.