Task Force Chair: Return Unfit Free Nutritious Meals to the Kitchen
The Chairperson of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Task Force for Kudus Regency, Bellinda Putri Sabrina Birton, has urged schools and beneficiaries to return MBG menus deemed unfit for consumption. Schools have the right to do so as part of an evaluation process for the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) kitchens.
“The return of such meals aims to ensure that unsuitable menus are inspected and serve as evaluation material for the MBG kitchen managers,” said Bellinda Putri, who also serves as the Vice Regent of Kudus, while leading a dialogue on the MBG programme at the Kudus Regency Pendopo on Wednesday (2/9/2026).
She also requested that inspections should not be conducted merely through sampling; instead, teachers in each classroom should inspect the meals alongside students to ensure the received MBG menus are fit for consumption. “If they are indeed unfit or unappealing, they should be returned to the kitchen,” she stated.
Bellinda noted that the return of meals is not intended to blame the SPPG kitchen staff, but rather to serve as a learning opportunity for each kitchen unit.
She also expressed appreciation for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for engaging the Indonesian Chefs Association to drive capacity building for kitchen managers, including education and training for cooking staff.
“We want the menu to be edible and the presentation to be visually appealing. If there is a menu that is not yet up to standard, we will re-examine and check it together. The goal is the same: to ensure that the free nutritious meals consumed by the public are truly high quality,” she said.
She hopes for the implementation of menu standardisation to prevent disparities in quality. This follows reports of beneficiaries comparing menus from initial kitchens with newer ones, following changes in the SPPGs responsible for supply as the number of beneficiaries is redistributed across kitchens.
She admitted to repeatedly proposing the standardisation of MBG menus, though approval from the BGN is still pending. According to her, such a proposal is necessary to prevent gaps, as certain areas in Kudus Regency have not yet seen an even distribution of targets, with some kitchens serving 1,000 beneficiaries while others reach up to 3,000.