Melo Villareal
In the Philippines, each day unfolds as an exciting summer escapade. But here’s the twist: when the sun cranks up the heat, the fun-loving Filipinos kick their enjoyment into high gear. With the scorching weather, every Pinoy is on a quest to conquer the heatwave.
The whirring of fans and the constant hum of air-conditioners are the soundtracks of daily life, while some seek solace in refreshing swims and sandy beach getaways. For the more urban adventurers, malls become oasis havens, offering respite from the sweltering outdoors, where indulging in icy treats becomes an undeniable pleasure.
Halo-halo Summer Food Favorites
Filipinos definitely love food. And since it’s summer already and the heat is too much to bear, expect them to whip out those culinary skills and make their favorite summer foods and drinks.
Here are 10 perfect summer foods and drinks that satisfy your craving and help you stay cool no matter how hot the day gets.
1. Halo-Halo
This is considered by many as the number one Filipino favorite iced treat not only during the hot summer season but all year round.
During these hot months, every corner in cities and rural areas are brimming with small stalls that sell halo-halo to everybody.
This delicious dessert is often reasonably priced and much cheaper than commercial ice cream. But nothing beats the homemade version of halo-halo because it has a scoop of ice cream on top.
Just the thought of the taste of the kidney beans, sweetened banana, macapuno, langka, monggo, ube jam, gelatin, nata de coco, creamy milk, Leche flan, and a scoop of ice cream on top of shaved ice and sprinkled with rice crispies in one bowl or glass would make you want to grab one now.
By the way, ‘halo-halo’ literally means ‘mix-mix.’ Halo-halo is just an affectionate nickname for a dessert made by mixing up to a dozen different ‘sweet’ ingredients, not including shaved ice and evaporated milk.
2. Sorbetes or Filipino Ice cream
Sorbetes is the Filipino version of ice cream made from Carabao or coconut milk and comes in various flavors such as chocolates, mango, ube, and cheese, served on a cone.
Sorbetes is peddled by sorbeteros using colorfully painted wooden carts which usually can accommodate three flavors, each in a large metal canister. Peddlers get their carts from makers scattered around the cities of the Philippines in the morning and walk the streets the whole day, calling consumers from their houses by ringing a small handheld bell.
The cart is stuffed with shaved ice sprinkled with salt to produce a lower temperature around the metal canisters and keep the sorbetes frozen longer.
3. Sago’t Gulaman
If there is one famous refreshment drink that we can consider a hallmark of a genuine and true blue Filipino epicure, it has to be the Sago’t Gulaman.
You probably survived the tropical heat of the Philippines if you have your own version of one of these childhood merienda stories to foretell – the memorable innocent days of having to comfort yourself with this sweet and re-hydrating beverage under a scorching summer afternoon.
Just like Halo-Halo, Sago’t Gulaman is sold throughout the year but it is more affordable.
4. Maiz con Hielo (Mais con Yelo)
Maiz con Hielo is similar to Halo-Halo but not as grand as Halo-Halo. I remember my mom used to make this treat for us during hot and humid Philippine summers, and she used to call Maiz con Hielo – the poor-man’s Halo-Halo.
Maíz con hielo is a mixture of shaved ice, corn kernels, sugar, and milk. Usually popular in the summer months, it is a variation of the more renowned halo-halo.
5. Buko Pandan
BukoPandan is a popular Filipino Dessert; this is made using young coconut and Screwpine leaves (locally known as “Pandan”).
At first glance, this sumptuous dessert can be mistaken for Buko Salad because of the similarity in texture and dairy ingredients used. However, the green gelatin which contains the aroma and flavor of the Pandan gives the distinction.
Buko Pandan is a salad made of young buko strips, tapioca pearls, cream, milk, and pandan-flavored gelatin. Serve chilled for a perfect summer snack.
6. Leche Flan
Halo-halo (another Filipino dessert) topped with a huge chunk of Leche flan will help you beat the summer heat while strolling along the beach. Aside from its milky consistency, the Leche flan is what makes the halo-halo treat worthwhile.
Leche flans are often made using a llanera, which molds the oval shape of the flan which Filipinos grew up to know. Its creamy texture makes me sigh with pleasure while reminiscing about the good old times.
A Leche flan can be paired with tons of dishes and delicacies that can tickle your taste buds. On my hunt for the best Leche flan treats, I have found in our local bakeshop a custard cake that consists of a layer of Leche flan on top and a melt-in-your-mouth caramelized chiffon cake at the bottom.
What makes people (even me) go crazy about the Leche flan, is the gooey caramel sauce and the melt-in-your-mouth experience after every bite.
7. Buko Juice / Shake
Coconut water has long been a popular drink in the Philippines where it is available fresh, canned, or bottled.
Coconuts for drinking are served fresh, chilled, or packaged in many places. They are often sold by street vendors who cut them open with machetes or similar implements in front of customers.
Processed coconut water for retail can be found in ordinary cans,Tetra Paks, or plastic bottles, sometimes with coconut pulp or coconut jelly included.
This tropical fruit which can be seen everywhere in the Philippines provides us the simplest yet nutritious refreshing drink this summer.
It can be served by simply adding ice to a fresh young buko juice with buko strips but milk and sugar can be added to make it sweeter.
8. Guinomis
Guinomis, also spelled with a U, guinumis is a Filipino dessert or snack similar to Halo-Halo. It has diced sweet gelatin, tapioca pearls, puffed pinipig (pounded young glutinous rice), sweetened with raw sugar and pandan syrup, and topped with shaved ice and coconut milk.
You will love the different textures of chewy sago and gelatin, crunchy pinipig, creamy coconut milk, and cool mouth feel of the shaved ice.
9. Ice Scramble
Pink-colored sweetness topped with powdered milk and chocolate syrup and sometimes sprinkled with bits of treats of your choice – that’s Skrambol for you.
Believed to have originated in Iloilo, the famous “panghimagas” is made of shaved ice tinted with pink food color, topped with powdered milk, tapioca pearls, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Other optional condiments include strawberry syrup, multi-colored mini marshmallows, pinipig (rice crispies), and chocolate chips.
10. Pinoy Street Food
Trying street foods in the Philippines is fun and challenging and saves some of your budget. Street foods are mostly spotted in schools, bus or jeep terminals, churches, and parks.
Prices of these street foods cannot go beyond 20 pesos or approximately 0.50 US dollars. And although most are best served hot, Filipinos can’t be stopped from eating these unhealthy yet flavourful snacks.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What do Filipinos eat during summer?
Filipinos enjoy a variety of refreshing and flavorful dishes during the summer, including Halo-Halo, grilled seafood, fresh fruits, Lechon, Adobo, Buko Salad, Lumpia, Atsara, grilled fish, Mais con Yelo, and various other cooling treats like ice cream, ice buko, and sago’t gulaman. These dishes are popular choices to beat the summer heat and are deeply rooted in Filipino culinary traditions.
What is the most popular food in the Philippines during summer?
The most popular food in the Philippines during summer is Halo-Halo, a refreshing and colorful dessert that typically includes shaved ice, sweetened fruits, various jellies, beans, and topped with ice cream. It is considered a quintessential summer treat enjoyed by many Filipinos to beat the heat.
What Filipino foods remind you of summer?
Filipino foods that remind me of summer include Halo-Halo, Buko Salad, grilled seafood, Adobo, Lumpia, and refreshing treats like Mais con Yelo, all of which are popular choices during the hot summer months in the Philippines.
What is the most refreshing summer food in the Philippines?
The most refreshing summer food in the Philippines is widely considered to be Halo-Halo. This colorful and delightful dessert is a popular choice for cooling off during the hot summer months, featuring a mix of shaved ice, sweetened fruits, various jellies, beans, and topped with ice cream.
Want more updates about other Filipino Summer Food favorites? Follow #TeamOutofTown, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest for more travel ideas.
Also read:
- Filipino Comfort Food: Pinoy Emotions And The Dishes That Suit Them
- Affordable Drinks To Pair With Your Favourite Filipino Christmas Treats
