By Denise Fernandez
Illustrations by Poj Gaerlan
Everybody’s got some kind of junk food as either guilty pleasures made for cheat days or snacks that simply make them feel right at home. Yup, this includes your favorite celebrities. We talked to celebs like Khalil Ramos, Jess Connelly, Gabbi Garcia, and more to find out which snacks and meals make them break their diets. See the full list here:
“Two-piece Jollibee Chickenjoy with Pancake House waffles. Best collab since Snoop Dogg x Martha Stewart.” —LA Aguinaldo
“I love burgers, hotdogs or pizzas! Reminds me of California! This place near our school would have one-dollar specials for students! It was perfect because we were broke!” —Tommy Esguerra
“My favorite comfort food? Chocolate chip pancakes topped with whipped cream! The fluffier the pancakes, the more comforting it is.” —Elmo Magalona
“My childhood was full of chicken dishes. Any kind of preparation was and is a treat for me—fried, steamed, BBQ, roasted, grilled, in soup, etc. We used to have a poultry farm and chicken was a staple food every day. So now, Peri-Peri Chicken is my comfort food. You can have your chicken any way you want it.” —Enchong Dee
“Salmon sashimi! I’ve always been a fan of Japanese food. I remember tasting my first slice of salmon sashimi and I haven’t stopped loving it since then.” —Gabbi Garcia
“I like to eat popcorn when I’m relaxed, especially when watching movies. Oh, and it’s actually one of the healthiest snacks.” —Jameson Blake
“Potato Corner because Potato Corner!” —Janine Gutierrez
“Ramen. I discovered it when comfort was most needed—lots of hungover mornings and sleepless nights from heartbreaks! Now it’s a treat and a Sunday cheat meal!” —Jasmine Curtis-Smith
“I’m a self-proclaimed noodle queen and anyone close to me knows that. From instant to gourmet, noodles are my go-to munchies.” —Jess Connelly
“Shawarma and instant ramen! I call them my go-to cheat food. (I eat pizza on the regular because it’s my fave so I did not include it.) I love shawarma because it’s easy, deliciously greasy, and affordable. I love instant spicy ramen because it’s convenient and I have a special way of eating it—adding peanut butter.” —Kaila Estrada
“My all-time favorite comfort food is a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak. As soon as it gets in my tummy, I immediately feel positive and relaxed.” —Khalil Ramos
“Lasagna. It’s basically a spaghetti-flavored cake made with layers of beef and tomato topped with cheesy icing.” —Aryanna Epperson
Photography by Koji Arboleda (Khalil Ramos, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and Jameson Blake), Andrea Beldua (Kaila Estrada), Paolo Crodua (LA Aguinaldo, Aryanna Epperson, Jess Connelly, and Enchong Dee), Artu Nepomuceno (Elmo Magalona), Cenon Norial III (Gabbi Garcia), and BJ Pascual (Janine Gutierrez)