The Palace Calls Free Nutritious Eating Menu Replaced Every Day

JAKARTA - Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO/Istana) Hasan Nasbi said the menus of free nutritious food given to school children and pregnant women were rotated every day according to the availability of raw materials in their respective regions.

Hasan explained that each Free Nutrition Eating Kitchen (MBG) or also known as the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) has compiled a different menu schedule every day.

"In each kitchen there is already a menu schedule, but it is also flexible depending on the availability of raw materials there. Suppliers (of raw materials) will be local residents," Hasan Nasbi told reporters when contacted in Jakarta, Monday, January 6, confiscated by Antara.

He continued that the standard menus for the free nutritious food program had indeed been determined by the government so that the food enjoyed by children, toddlers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers were not always chickens, or fish, but could also be beef or eggs.

"It's not as monotonous as it is (the minister), and in a special area it can also be food, not rice or rice," Hasan continued.

On the same occasion, Hasan also emphasized that milk is not part of the mandatory free nutritious meal menu so that milk does not have to be given at any time to beneficiaries who eat nutritiously for free.

"The supply of milk has not been evenly distributed in each region," Hasan said explaining the reason why milk is not included in the mandatory menu.

Despite the absence of milk, he explained that the government ensures that each portion served to school children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers has sufficient nutritional content and amount of calories.

"The portion of the food is calculated for adequacy of calories, carbohydrates, and protein," said the Head of the Presidential Communication Office.

Eating free nutrition, which is a priority program of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was officially implemented today in schools and posyandu in 26 provinces in Indonesia.

There are around 190 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) or MBG Kitchens that operate to provide nutritious food for school children and pregnant women starting today, Monday, January 6.

The MBG kitchens are spread across 26 provinces, namely Aceh, Bali, West Sumatra, North Sumatra, Riau Islands, Riau, Lampung, Banten, West Java, Jakarta, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Gorontalo.

Then, there are also MBG kitchens in West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Maluku, North Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Papua, and South Papua.

The MBG kitchen operations are led by a head of the SPPG who was appointed directly by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). The head of this SPPG cooperates with a nutritionist and an accountant to ensure smooth distribution of food and closely monitor the quality of food and nutrition standards distributed to children and pregnant women.