December 27, 2025 | 02:26 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government announced it will resume the flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) on Thursday, January 8, 2026, allowing a five-day preparation to ensure food safety.
"MBG will commence simultaneously on January 8, 2026, after January 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, being designated as preparation days for the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPGs) across Indonesia," said Head of the National Nutrition Agency or BGN, Dadan Hindayana, in an official statement in Jakarta on Friday, December 26, 2025, as quoted from Antara.
These dates will be used for kitchen preparation, distribution, human resources, and strengthening food safety standards. Dadan also requested SPPG to ensure the hygiene of the kitchen and to continue serving schools that decide to receive MBG during the holiday period.
Meanwhile, the free nutritious meal program will continue to operate during the end-of-year holiday, on December 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31, 2025. BGN emphasizes that nutritional intervention for vulnerable groups remains the top priority until the end of 2025. These groups include pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers, or Group B3.
"It's optional for school children. If there are technical distribution constraints or if they are on holiday, it's not a problem if the meals are not taken or delivered. However, for those in need, we will still provide the service," Dadan said.
Deputy Head of BGN, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, previously ensured that children are not forced to come to school to pick up free nutritious meals (MBG) during the holidays. The state-sanctioned free meals will resume during the school break, but the primary beneficiaries will be pregnant people, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers.
"No one is forcing children on holiday to come to school to pick up MBG. If the school or parents do not want to accept it, that's fine also," Nanik said in an official statement on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
Nanik said her agency understands the importance of regular fulfillment of children's nutrition, but respects the school holiday period. Therefore, the MBG distribution mechanism during the holidays is voluntary and adaptable.
Vice Chair of the DPR Commission IX, Yahya Zaini, previously advocated for the temporary cessation of MBG distribution during school holidays due to a lack of an effective distribution pattern. "If the food is delivered to the school, parents have to spend money on transportation," he said when contacted on Thursday, December 25, 2025.
Likewise, distributing MBG to students' residences will also add to transportation costs from BGN. Yahya feared this would lead to budget waste.
Moreover, according to Yahya, the food provided to students during school holidays consists of ready-to-eat meals. Therefore, Yahya believed it would be better to halt the provision of MBG to students during school holidays. Meanwhile, the distribution of free meals aimed at pregnant women, nursing mothers, and toddlers is recommended to continue at this year's transition period.
Read: Who Benefits from Indonesia's Free Meal Program During School Holidays?
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