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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana requested an evaluation of the nutritional content in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) menu or the free meal menu during Ramadan 2025. BGN has chosen to change the MBG menu from rice and side dishes to one boiled egg, instant cereal, bread, and dates.
"There are some that will be asked to increase their calorie and protein values," Dadan said when contacted on Saturday, March 8, 2025.
He said that the increase in nutritional content of MBG is only done for areas where the majority of recipients are fasting. "For (areas) that are fasting, it will continue with the improvement of calorie and protein content," he said.
In addition, he said that he will require educational institutions in each region to hold iftar (breaking the fast) together. BGN will prepare a normal free nutritious meal menu for the iftar (breaking the fast) time.
Normal menus, Dadan said, are also implemented in areas where the majority of recipients are not fasting. However, he did not specify which areas fall into this category.
"For areas where the majority are not fasting, the menu will return to normal," he said.
BGN does indeed design a different MBG menu during fasting compared to the regular menu. The aim is for the food eaten by students in the afternoon to not spoil.
Some examples of the menu include milk, boiled eggs, dates, fortified pastries, and fruit. BGN does not rule out trying to provide green bean porridge or compote in the MBG menu during fasting.
"Or compote which clearly has a nutritional composition source, where there is protein, carbohydrates, and fiber," Dadan said.
The National Nutrition Agency is also innovating in terms of food packaging during Ramadan. Dadan said they will use bags as a new form of food distribution in schools. The use of these bags has been previously conducted in the MBG trial in Sukabumi, West Java.
These bags, he added, must be brought back the next day to be exchanged for new bags with food in them. Dadan said that this mechanism not only reduces waste but also trains the discipline of the students.
"The next day, the bags must be brought back, exchanged for bags with food so that they don't produce waste," he said.
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