For Filipino families, merienda is a tradition
typically enjoyed twice a day, either between breakfast and lunch, and between
lunch and dinner. But beyond this, it’s also as good a time as any to catch up
and bond over light and easy-to-prepare delicious food.
Add a twist to your family’s usual merienda to
make them more fun and exciting. Here are five activities worth a try:
Do the no-phone tower challenge
Distractions can occur during merienda time,
so one way to avoid them is by setting aside phones and tablets during
merienda. Of course, rules are no fun, so turn it into a challenge instead. Do
this by stacking all of your phones at the center of the table. The challenge
is this: the first one to get their phone from the tower gets a penalty, like
cleaning up after merienda.
Play games
What is merienda without yummy snacks? Use
your family’s favorite snacks as part of the games that you could play. Two
games come to mind: Build-a-House and Face-the-Cookie.
For Build-a-House, simply challenge everyone
to build a house using Magic Creams crackers and Wafrets. Let your family’s
creative juices flow in this game. Meanwhile, for Face-the-Cookie, each family
member will place a Cream-O or Presto cookie on their forehead and race to move
the cookie to their mouth using only their facial muscles.
The winner gets a prize, of course, like a
free pass for washing the dishes after dinner.
Make merienda kebabs and sandwiches
If most of your family members have a sweet
tooth, this is the perfect surprise you can do for them: dessert kebabs! Kebabs
are typically pieces of meat and tomatoes and bell peppers on a skewer. For
your merienda time, put Dewberry biscuits in sticks, together with cubed
watermelon and apple, or maybe even marshmallows, to keep a perfectly balanced
taste.
You could also treat your family to a
delightfully sweet clubhouse sandwich. This type of sandwich often includes
bread, with either bacon or ham, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise in between.
But as desserts, use Jack ‘N Jill’s Quake Overload as the bread and Strawberry
or Milky Knots as fillings. Keep them secure using toothpicks to complete the
“clubhouse” look.
Try pre-merienda games
One of the common questions during family
merienda time is who gets to prepare the food. Instead of pointing fingers, try
playing Pinoy childhood games like Jack en Poy (Rock, Paper, Scissors). Ten
rounds of Jack en Poy should be enough. The winner can be the one to choose the
snacks for merienda, which the loser will have to prepare.
Give “Potluck Day” a chance
Filipino family reunions are often tied to the
potluck habit. So for merienda time, think of it as a mini reunion with your
loved ones every day, where you gather to eat your favorite snacks, relax, and
take a break from work or school at home. This is also your chance to bring to
the table your favorite Pinoy snacks, like Jack ‘N Jill Biscuits and Cakes.
Merienda time is like your family’s “glue”.
It’s these times spent together when you connect and bond even closer. Give any
of these activities a try, or create a unique one yourselves. They don’t have
to be complicated.
What matters
is that everyone enjoys their favorite snacks with their favorite people,
making funny, sweet, and lasting memories, together. Stock up on your family’s
Jack N’ Jill Snacktime Favorites – Magic, Cream-O, Presto, Dewberry, Knots,
Wafrets, and Quake Overload, available at your nearest supermarket, sari-sari
store, and online.
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