Free Nutritious Meals Buffet Trial at Denpasar Primary School Cuts Pupils’ Break Time

The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme is being trialled using a buffet system at SD Negeri 14 Dangin Puri in Denpasar, Bali. Although the system is considered capable of helping pupils become more independent, it takes longer than the usual distribution of MBG meals in trays.

The school’s head, Ni Luh Sriwati, said her school had been selected as a pilot site for the buffet system in Bali. The programme, organised through the Bali Police MBG kitchen, began a 10-day trial on Monday (5 October 2026).

“The central government, through the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), is trialling this buffet system to assess whether it can be continued in schools. It is still a trial, and we are looking at the challenges, shortcomings and advantages,” she said on Tuesday (13 October 2026).

The trial involves only Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. In turn, they are assigned to help their classmates take food. Sriwati said one benefit of the buffet system was that it encouraged pupils to be more independent and responsible.

“It is true that it teaches children responsibility and independence, as they serve their friends when they take food from the buffet,” she said.

However, the buffet system takes longer. Previously, distributing MBG meals in trays took around 15–20 minutes, while the buffet system takes up to 30 minutes.

“It is less time-efficient because it takes longer: the children have to queue. They bring an empty tray, queue on one side, and then go back to the room to sit down. With the tray-based MBG, the meals are simply handed out, so it saves time,” she explained.

As a result, pupils have less time to rest. Their break starts at 9am Central Indonesia Time, while lessons resume at 9.30am.

“Sometimes the children end up with less time to rest because lessons start again at 9.30am,” she said.

The school said the trial had so far proceeded smoothly. Its results will be used to assess the buffet system’s advantages and disadvantages before any wider implementation.