Free Nutritious Meals Continue to be Highlighted

The Free Nutritious Meal Program or MBG which was a campaign promise of President Prabowo Subianto has been realized. However, amid public protests over budget efficiency, the MBG program which has good intentions has also been dragged down.

When protests against the government that had only been running for about four months occurred in several regions with the hashtag #IndonesiaGelap, the community also demanded a total evaluation of the MBG program. Evaluation is needed so that it is right on target, implemented well, and does not become a mere political tool.

Increasing children's food intake in schools will help reduce the risk of childhood obesity.

The MBG program is considered to be one of the causes of government budget efficiency. Some Papuan children, for example, feel they need free education more than free food. On social media, there are also those who comment on the same thing, "Free food is more important, huh? Compared to education?"

However, there are also those who support it. "Mr. Prabowo is a smart, militant person, not just making random programs. MBG is the result of research from many countries," said a netizen on the Instagram platform.

The MBG program provides a balanced nutritious menu according to the nutritional adequacy rate (AKG) for each age classification of recipients. In 2025, the government is targeting a total of 19.47 million beneficiaries of the MBG program with a budget allocation of around Rp 71 trillion sourced from the APBN.

In the following years, the MBG program budget will continue to increase. In 2026, it is planned that the beneficiaries will increase to 30.46 million people with a budget allocation of IDR 109.7 trillion. The following year, in 2027, it will increase again to 41.45 million recipients with a budget of IDR 149.2 trillion.

In 2028, MBG beneficiaries will be increased to 62.17 million people with a fund allocation of IDR 223.8 trillion. By the end of President Prabowo's term, in 2029, it is expected that 82.9 million MBG beneficiaries will have been served with a budget prepared of IDR 298.4 trillion.

MBG's goal to improve the health of Indonesian children is supported by research that children can learn better with a full stomach. One of the supports came from IPB University which established the MBG Center of Excellence.

IPB University Rector Arif Satria said, the MBG Center of Excellence will be a research center to study, provide recommendations, and create models for developing MBG programs. This institution will also be a center for learning and training, a center for research and innovation, a center for knowledge management from data in the field, and a catalyst for policy development.

Referring to the implementation of the School Food Policy 2024 in Canada, the local government wants to ensure that every child gets the best start in life. This is in line with the opinions of survey respondents, who believe that school food programs have the potential to improve children's health and nutritional intake in the long term by reducing the number of children studying on an empty stomach; helping children develop healthy living practices through food literacy and education; and improving diets by increasing healthy food intake.

Writing in the 2024 issue of Canadian Food Studies, Amberley T Ruetzis, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan and Janet E Poppendieckis, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Hunter College, City University of New York, argue that Canada’s diverse geography, agricultural regions and traditions mean that food availability, preferences and financial support vary across the country. A one-size-fits-all approach may not work for all regions and communities.

Children receiving free school meals in Canada would be best served if the program offered free school meals universally; regulated other foods sold in schools or banned them altogether; and integrated school meals into the curriculum.

“By incorporating these important lessons into the National School Meals Program, Canada can create a comprehensive and inclusive initiative to meet students’ nutritional needs, foster positive school environments, support local communities, and encourage healthy habits for future generations,” said Ruetzis.

According to research by researchers at the University of Leeds, UK, in 2020, school lunches are problematic in terms of nutritional adequacy. Less than two out of every 100 lunches eaten by children in British primary schools meet nutritional standards.

Charlotte Evans, a diet and health expert and Associate Professor at the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, highlights the role of parents, carers, government and the food industry in ensuring children eat more healthily.

"Addressing this problem over the next ten years will require a concerted effort. Improving children's food intake in schools will help reduce the risk of childhood obesity," he said.

Children need to be supported to consume fruits, vegetables, and water. One way is to provide free salad greens (vegetables and fruits) in elementary schools for children who bring lunch.

“Time constraints play a role in parents’ and caregivers’ decisions when packing their children’s lunches. The food industry needs to develop more healthy, child-friendly lunch options,” Evans said.

Support to continue evaluating the implementation of the newly implemented MBG is indeed needed. There is an emphasis so that the government does not apply one size fits all or one model for all in its implementation.