UI Research Warns of Food Waste Risks from Free Nutritious Meals Programme
The Department of Anthropology at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Indonesia (UI) has conducted research on the government’s Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) programme, which began implementation in early 2025. The research findings reveal that the programme still carries a high potential for food waste.
Research lead Dr Dian Sulistiawati explained that the study was conducted by visiting five schools benefiting from the MBG programme in the Jakarta region. The research, carried out between June and September 2025, involved direct observation of students consuming the provided meals.
“When asked whether students enjoy receiving the MBG meal packages, they will certainly say they are very pleased,” she stated during a research seminar at the Juwono Sudarsono Auditorium at FISIP UI on Monday, 2 March 2026.
However, the team’s actual findings did not always align with students’ stated preferences. The students’ behaviour when receiving or eating the MBG meals was not consistently enthusiastic.
Sulistiawati explained that her team spent an entire day conducting research at each school, observing students consuming the MBG meals across two to three classes per school.
“So they say they enjoy the MBG meal packages, but their actions show that some don’t eat them, some even sleep on them with their heads on their meal containers,” said Sulistiawati.
Furthermore, based on field observations, the majority of the provided meals were not fully consumed by students. From the five schools surveyed in Jakarta, only four to five students per class actually finished their MBG meals completely.
“Imagine, in a single class of 32–34 students, only 4–5 students actually finish their meal containers entirely and truly eat the food provided,” noted Sulistiawati.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of other students failed to finish their meals completely. Some students consumed only very small quantities of the food provided.