Who Benefits from Indonesia's Free Meal Program During School Holidays?

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has criticized Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for continuing its free nutritious meal program (MBG) during school holidays and the Christmas and New Year period.

BGN defended the initiative, saying it remains necessary to prevent potential nutritional deficiencies when students’ diets are unsupervised.

Celios Economic Director Nailul Huda said the MBG program, running for a year, has faced challenges including spoiled food and meals that do not meet nutritional standards. He argued that school holidays should instead be used to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.

“There are regions that need these funds more urgently than already-wealthy program operators. School holidays should be a time to review MBG, not accelerate profits for the owners of SPPG [Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units],” Nailul said in a statement on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.

He also criticized the program’s funding, arguing that taxpayer money has not been used efficiently. By December 2025, 17,555 SPPG units were operational. Assuming each unit serves 3,000 portions daily, about 526.65 million meals are provided during the holiday season.

Public Funds and Profit Concerns

With an average cost of Rp15,000 per portion, Nailul estimated that Rp7.9 trillion of public funds are spent. “Is it not more reasonable to redirect this money to struggling communities in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra? Wouldn’t it be better to increase their budgets even if MBG funds already exist?” he asked.

Nailul suggested that halting MBG temporarily for these regions would not be a major burden on the government. He also raised concerns that certain private actors and government cronies may be profiting from enforcing MBG distribution during long holidays.

He estimated that each kitchen could earn around 13.3 percent profit, Rp2,000 per meal from the Rp15,000 portion cost, totaling approximately Rp1 trillion in profits for SPPG operators. “Do you know who owns these SPPGs? Government cronies,” he said.

Packaged Food and Inequitable Distribution

Celios also criticized BGN’s plan to package MBG meals for multiple days, resembling processed and packaged foods including biscuits, snacks, boxed milk, and bread.

According to Nailul, instead of benefiting small and micro-businesses, the program’s profits are funneled back to large conglomerates rather than local farmers or market vendors.

“This Rp7.9 trillion primarily benefits the wealthy, not the farmers or small traders,” he said. “Those who profit are the elites sitting in their luxurious homes.”

He further warned that MBG meals distributed during holidays could end up enriching conglomerates while offering nutrition that is inferior to fresh vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other benefits found in balanced meals.

“School holidays should be a time for parents to assess whether their children eat vegetables, fruit, and other nutritious foods, not rely on packaged meals,” Nailul added.

BGN Response

Tempo contacted BGN Deputy Head Sony Sanjaya and Head of Legal and Public Affairs Khairul Hidayati on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, for comment on Celios’ allegations, but neither had responded by the time of publication.

Previously, Khairul Hidayati explained that MBG must continue during long holidays due to the risk of increased nutritional deficiencies when children’s diets are unsupervised. She emphasized the importance of consistency in the program to ensure that holidays do not pose risks to children’s growth and maternal health.

MBG is also provided to vulnerable groups including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under five during school holidays. This follows official guidelines under BGN Head Decree No. 52.1 of 2025, which ensures that these groups continue receiving regular, measured nutritional support from Monday to Saturday, even when schools are closed.

“These groups require special attention. That is why, even during school holidays, MBG distribution for them continues six days a week. This is part of the government’s commitment to safeguarding nutrition from an early age,” Hidayati said.