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Chinoy High Schoolers Share Their Favorite After School Snack Hacks and Treats

Food is memory. It is the taste of fries and burgers after surviving hell week and the smell of birthday noodles at a Chinese restaurant. It’s the food you share with your barkada when you go out, or the warm and familiar comfort of mom’s cooking. 

Among these unforgettable tastes is the nostalgia of food from one’s High School days. After all, there’s nothing like getting snacks with your friends after classes. So here’s to cafeteria food and allowance-funded delicious delights from our teenhood! (even if you had no choice back then) 

In this article, we’ll be counting down some snack hacks and favorite after school treats from Chinoy High Schoolers, past and present. 

1. Noodles + Dimsum = Heaven

 

The powerful combination of noodles and dimsum is a favorite after school treat of High Schoolers across all Chinese schools in the Philippines. Perhaps it’s the way that the savory taste of pancit canton blends with delicious meat dumplings, both flavors tied together by the combined powers of sour toyo-mansi and chili sauce – definitely a match made in culinary Heaven! 

“I enjoy eating Roadtrip’s Hong Kong noodles with Japanese siomai during recess.” says Jewel Chan, a seventeen-year old high school student from Grace. Along with this scrumptious combo dish, she shares that her go-to snack in between classes are the Trolli sour worms!

To try this dish yourself, make some pancit canton then heat up frozen siomai. After that, simply add soy sauce, calamansi, and chili sauce then enjoy!

2. Unique Flavors of Taho and Fruit Shakes

Gracean High School students in 2017 having some taho

 

“Tahoooooooooooo!” Says manong magtataho projecting his voice into the air. 

Along with the school bell, the boom of the taho man’s voice in the distance is another sign that classes have ended for the day. As students walk through the gates, he makes sure to greet them with a smile and warm cups of fresh taho for about twenty pesos each. 

Did you know that taho can be eaten with other flavors beside the classic sugar and tapioca? Enhance your taho experience with strawberry, pandan, and ube by following these recipes.

Ivy Yi, a Gracean alumna who graduated in 2017 shared that one of her favorite desserts was at the shake shop near Gate 5 of Grace. While it is closed now, it used to offer several unique flavors such as dragonfruit and kiwi. 

3. How would you like your Rice?

As the saying goes, a meal for Filipinos is not complete without a serving of rice. We love rice here in the Philippines and eat it in a variety of ways. Indeed, to say that we simply love rice is an understatement. It is a must! And many students feel the same way. 

Beatrice Engo, currently a twenty-two year old UST student recalls her favorite after-school meal back in Grace Christian High School: delicious garlic fried rice with siomai. 

Jeanelle Lim, also a Gracean, fondly remembers the bundles of spam maki that were sold outside her classroom on the third floor. She also loved food around the village, such as the burger steak, fries, & rice sold at the RoadTrip (a popular food stall in Grace Village) and scallion pancake. 

4. Milk Tea and Chicken Pops

Photo credit from PaoPao and Ersao.ph

 

Nothing says “dismissal food outing” like some after school milk tea and chicken pops! The crunchy chicken is perfect for a quick afternoon pick-me-up, especially when washed down with some refreshing milk tea. 

“A lot of people would buy milk tea from PaoPao.” Says Ivan Teng (name changed as per request) from Xavier High. “I guarantee you every Xavierian knows that place. We also really loved the chicken pops there, with spicy powder and pepper.” 

Learn how to make milk tea and chicken pops at home for that nostalgic taste. 

In his high school days, the author would make his own gravy for chicken pops by combining chicken & beef stock cubes, butter, flour, and pepper in a bowl of hot water. Here is a recipe for you to try it yourself!

5. Save money with these Snack Hacks!

Gracean High School students in 2016 on Church Street, a place with many food stalls

When you’re in school, “a penny saved is a penny earned” as you don’t have a job yet.  Here are some tips from former high school students to help the students of today!

“I wanted to save money and eat cheap.” says Darren Ting, an alumnus from Xavier High School. “So I bought burgers for recess.”

Sasha Mirafuentes, a Gracean alumna shares that “When I was low on funds, I’d order rice in the canteen and buy siomai from Wong Nai Nai (cause it’s cheaper) then use the free chili sauce to flavor the rice!”

She continues. “I would also do this thing where I buy P14 instant noodles and cook it with the clinic’s hot water.” 

6. Instant Ramen Noodles + Canned Goods or Leftovers

Photo credit from The Cooking Pinay

 

Almost every student has eaten ramen past midnight while cramming for an exam. But did you know there are tons of ways to spice up your instant ramen? 

An easy thing anyone can do is pull out some canned goods (tuna, sausages, hotdogs, and/or spam) and toss them into a pot full of boiling noodles. The flavors mix to create a unique taste! 

We hope you enjoyed this blast to the past! Hopefully this list gave you some ideas for some quick yet delicious snacks to give you energy throughout the day!

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