Nutrition Expert from Unsoed Recommends Ideal Menu for Free Nutritious Meal Programme During Ramadhan
Purwokerto — A nutrition expert from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed) in Purwokerto, Prof Hery Winarsi, has recommended the preparation of ideal menus for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme during Ramadhan to ensure that schoolchildren’s energy and nutritional requirements are met.
“Public complaints regarding menus considered too simplistic or containing only light foods such as bread and dates must be addressed by preparing higher-quality menus. The MBG programme aims at nutritional improvement, not merely providing light refreshments,” said the Professor and Head of the Nutrition Science Programme at Unsoed’s Faculty of Health Sciences, speaking in Purwokerto, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, on Monday afternoon.
According to him, the MBG menu during the fasting month must be adjusted to reflect changes in children’s eating patterns whilst maintaining balanced nutrition principles. The programme should not be perceived merely as a provider of light refreshments, but as part of efforts to improve nutritional status.
“The energy contribution from MBG should ideally represent approximately 30-35 per cent of a child’s daily requirements. Therefore, the composition of calories and protein must still be calculated,” he explained.
Secondary school students aged 13-15 years require 2,000-2,400 kilocalories per day, so the recommended MBG contribution should range from 600-800 kilocalories with a minimum protein content of 20-25 grammes per portion.
“Use complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, sweet potato, or potato to keep children feeling full for longer,” he suggested.
Additionally, animal-based protein sources such as chicken, eggs, fish, or meat are essential to maintain muscle mass during fasting. He also recommended supplementary plant-based proteins such as tempeh and tofu, along with vegetables and fruits as sources of fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Healthy fats can complement the meal to increase energy intake.
“Ideally, there should be one animal protein, one plant-based protein, one vegetable, and one fruit in each portion. This already reflects balanced nutrition,” he noted.
Regarding distribution, he recommended that food be served close to the time of breaking the fast to keep it fresh. However, if food must be distributed in the morning, the menu should be selected based on items that can be stored for 6-8 hours with hygienic packaging to maintain food quality and safety.
He provided examples of MBG menu variations during Ramadhan for a five-day school week. For the first day, he suggested white rice with yellow-spiced grilled chicken as an animal protein source, stir-fried beans and carrots, and grilled tempeh, complemented with two dates and 200 millilitres of plain UHT milk without added sugar. This package is estimated to provide approximately 640-750 kilocalories with about 25 grammes of protein.
For the second day, the menu could be replaced with brown rice, boiled eggs, tofu fritters, stir-fried green vegetables, a medium-sized banana, and mineral water, providing approximately 600-700 kilocalories with 20-22 grammes of protein.
For the third day, approximately 200 grammes of steamed sweet potato as a complex carbohydrate source could be combined with shredded beef rendang, cucumber and tomato salad, boiled peanuts, and fortified soy milk, meeting energy requirements of approximately 650 kilocalories with 22 grammes of protein.
The fourth day’s menu could consist of white rice, shredded skipjack tuna, stir-fried tempeh, clear spinach soup, and an apple, providing approximately 650–700 kilocalories with about 23 grammes of protein overall.
For the fifth day, the recommended menu is white rice, beef or chicken stew, braised tofu, mixed vegetable stir-fry, and plain UHT milk, with a total estimated content of 700–800 kilocalories and approximately 25 grammes of protein.
“An alternative, if a dry menu must be used, would be wholemeal bread filled with tuna, boiled eggs, roasted peanuts, and an apple,” he suggested.
He also encouraged the inclusion of nutritional composition information on packaging so that parents understand the nutritional value being provided, thereby increasing programme transparency.
“The focus remains on meeting children’s energy and nutritional requirements during Ramadhan. With proper planning, complaints can be minimised and the programme’s objectives can still be achieved,” Prof Hery Winarsi concluded.