---
title: "Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) in Indonesia: who gets them, how SPPG kitchens work, and what to do if your child falls ill after eating"
canonical: https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/free-nutritious-meals-mbg/
language: en
category: "Social assistance"
reviewed: 2026-10-14
modified: 2026-10-14
publisher: "Panduan Warga (independent; not a government website)"
reviewed-by: "Kaiser Khan (https://panduanwarga.org/en/about/kaiser-khan/)"
---

# Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) in Indonesia: who gets them, how SPPG kitchens work, and what to do if your child falls ill after eating

**Who gets free nutritious meals (MBG), and what should I do if my child falls ill after eating one?**

Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) is a National Nutrition Agency (BGN) programme providing free nutritious food to pupils from early childhood education to secondary school, including Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), children under five from six months old, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and teachers and education staff (Presidential Regulation 115/2025). Meals are cooked by Nutrition Service Units (SPPG) and delivered to schools, or distributed through community health posts (posyandu) for mothers and young children. If your child falls ill after eating, go to a community health centre (puskesmas) or emergency department straight away if there are danger signs, keep the leftover food, and report it to the school, the puskesmas and BGN’s call centre on 127.

## What parents should have ready

- The name of your child’s school or posyandu, and the SPPG that delivers the meals (ask the school).
- Correct details for your child at school, including their NISN, because BGN sets the number of recipients from data verified in the system.
- The number of your nearest puskesmas and the 119 medical emergency line.
- BGN contacts: the SAGI call centre on 127, WhatsApp 0811-1000-8008, and bgn.lapor.go.id.
- Oral rehydration salts (oralit) at home to replace fluids if your child has diarrhoea or is vomiting.
- A clean container with a lid to keep leftover food and the meal tray (ompreng) as evidence.

## What to do if your child falls ill after an MBG meal

1. **Watch the symptoms and note the times.** Food poisoning usually causes stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and sometimes diarrhoea. Note when your child ate, when the symptoms started and what they are.
2. **Go to a puskesmas or emergency department if there are danger signs.** Do not wait if your child is short of breath, has a seizure, is hard to wake, keeps vomiting or cannot drink, has blood in their stool, or looks dehydrated. Call 119 or the nearest health facility, especially if many children fall ill after eating the same food.
3. **Give fluids for mild symptoms.** For mild diarrhoea or vomiting, give oral rehydration solution a little at a time: one sachet dissolved in 200 ml of boiled water, not mixed with milk or sweet tea. Give other medicines only on a doctor’s advice, and have your child checked if symptoms do not improve or get worse.
4. **Keep the evidence.** Keep the leftover food and the meal tray with its label in a clean, closed container; do not eat it or throw it away. Photograph the food and the safe-to-eat time label, and keep any letter or notes from the health facility.
5. **Tell the school.** Report it to the class teacher or the school’s MBG contact person and ask whether other children are ill. Presidential Regulation 115/2025 requires the SPPG and/or a representative of the recipients to report suspected food poisoning promptly to a puskesmas, hospital, nearest health facility, or the village head or lurah.
6. **Report to BGN and make sure the puskesmas knows.** Complain to BGN through the SAGI call centre on 127, WhatsApp 0811-1000-8008, or bgn.lapor.go.id. Make sure the puskesmas knows about the case so the health office can investigate, and note your report number or keep proof of your report.

## What MBG costs

MBG is free. BGN says the programme is fully funded by BGN at no cost to pupils or parents, and parents do not have to buy food containers; in 2026 it is funded from the state budget through BGN’s budget allocation (DIPA). The 119 medical emergency line is also free.

MBG target groups and how meals reach them under Presidential Regulation 115/2025 and the BGN FAQ, checked 14 October 2026

| Target group | Delivered through | Recipient data |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pupils in early childhood education, primary, junior and senior secondary and vocational schools, religious schools, special and special-service education, and pesantren | The SPPG delivers to the school; the school’s contact person (PIC) checks the quantity and condition before meals are handed out | Pupil data in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education system for schools; the same data-based approach applies to madrasah and pesantren |
| Children under five, from six months old | The SPPG works with posyandu and local health volunteers; family support volunteers help with distribution | Recipients are listed by local government and the posyandu |
| Pregnant women | The SPPG works with posyandu and local health volunteers; family support volunteers help with distribution | Recipients are listed by local government and the posyandu |
| Breastfeeding mothers | The SPPG works with posyandu and local health volunteers; family support volunteers help with distribution | Recipients are listed by local government and the posyandu |
| Teachers and education staff | Named as an ‘other group’ in Presidential Regulation 115/2025 | We have not found a BGN regulation on recipients |

We have not found an official rule on who pays for a child’s treatment after suspected MBG food poisoning. Ask the puskesmas, the school or BGN when you report it.

## Legal basis and who gets MBG

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) was set up by Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 83/2024 to meet national nutrition needs. MBG is now governed by Perpres 115/2025 on the Governance of the Free Nutritious Meals Programme, which was issued and took effect on 17 November 2025.

Perpres 115/2025 lists five target groups: pupils from early childhood to secondary education, including vocational, religious, special and special-service education and pesantren; children under five from six months old; pregnant women; breastfeeding mothers; and other groups, namely teachers and education staff. Changes to the target groups are set by the President, and details on recipients are to be set by a BGN regulation.

The FAQ on BGN’s website still lists four groups (pupils, children under five, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers), as in Perpres 83/2024. We follow Perpres 115/2025 because it is the newer rule. The same regulation requires MBG to come with food safety and nutrition education.

- [BPK legal database: Perpres 115/2025 on MBG governance](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/343430)
- [Perpres 83/2024 on the National Nutrition Agency](https://jdih.kemenkum.go.id/common/dokumen/2024perpres083.pdf)

## How SPPG kitchens work and food safety standards

A Nutrition Service Unit (SPPG) is a unit under BGN’s Nutrition Service Office (KPPG) that prepares, cooks and distributes nutritious meals. Agglomeration SPPGs serve at least 1,000 recipients and remote SPPGs serve fewer than 1,000. For schools, the SPPG prepares meals for the number of pupils registered and delivers them to the school, where the school’s contact person checks the quantity and condition before they are handed out.

Every SPPG must hold a Hygiene and Sanitation Certificate (SLHS), issued by the health office or the investment and one-stop service office. Under BGN Regulation 4/2026, MBG food is safe to eat for no more than four hours after it is cooked, and every meal tray (ompreng) must carry a safe-to-eat time label; trays without a label must not be eaten from. BGN’s cooling procedure, in force since 4 September 2026, limits cooling of cooked food to one hour in a room no warmer than 20°C.

The Ministry of Health inspects production facilities and MBG food regularly, and the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) at any time; the results go to the head of BGN for follow-up. BGN sets the number of recipients from data verified in the system, so schools need to keep pupil records, including pupil numbers, up to date.

- [BGN: MBG programme FAQ](https://www.bgn.go.id/faq)
- [BGN: food cooling procedure at SPPGs (7 October 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/bgn-terbitkan-sop-pendinginan-makanan-untuk-perkuat-keamanan-pangan-di-sppg)
- [BGN: pupil data decide recipient numbers (13 October 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/kepala-bgn-sudaryono-tegaskan-mbg-harus-tepat-sasaran-data-siswa-jadi-penentu)

## If your child falls ill after an MBG meal

Food poisoning usually causes stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and sometimes diarrhoea; some toxins can also cause weakness or tingling. The biggest danger for children is dehydration, meaning the body loses more fluid than it takes in. For mild symptoms, give oral rehydration solution early and keep an eye on your child.

Go to a puskesmas or emergency department straight away, or call 119, if your child: is short of breath, has a seizure, faints or is hard to wake; keeps vomiting or cannot drink; has blood in their stool; shows signs of dehydration such as a dry mouth and lips, sunken eyes, being very weak or irritable, and passing little or no urine; or has blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing or speaking, or muscle weakness. The Ministry of Health also asks people to call 119 or the nearest health facility immediately if symptoms of mass food poisoning appear.

Perpres 115/2025 requires the SPPG and/or a representative of the recipients to report suspected food poisoning promptly to a puskesmas, hospital, nearest health facility, or the village head or lurah. According to the Ministry of Health, the health office’s rapid response team carries out an epidemiological investigation and tests food samples at an accredited laboratory.

- [Ministry of Health: food safety in MBG and the 119 line (10 October 2025)](https://www.kemkes.go.id/id/kemenkes-tegaskan-keamanan-pangan-sebagai-kunci-keberhasilan-program-makan-bergizi-gratis)
- [Ayo Sehat (Ministry of Health): dehydration in children](https://ayosehat.kemkes.go.id/topik-penyakit/kesehatan-lainnya/dehidrasi-pada-anak)
- [Ministry of Health: recognising food poisoning](https://keslan.kemkes.go.id/view_artikel/3243/kenali-pencegahan-keracunan-makanan)

## Where to report and what evidence to keep

Tell the school first, because the school receives and checks the food from the SPPG. Complaints to BGN can be made through the SAGI call centre on 127, WhatsApp 0811-1000-8008, the SP4N-LAPOR! form at bgn.lapor.go.id, email to halo@bgn.go.id, a letter to its PO Box, or in person at the Integrated Service Centre at BGN’s office, Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 1, Central Jakarta.

Useful evidence: leftover food and the meal tray with its label in a clean, closed container; photos of the food, the safe-to-eat time label and any packaging; notes of when your child ate, when symptoms started and what they were; and any letter or notes from the puskesmas or hospital. Hand samples to health workers if they ask for them.

Protect your child’s privacy. Do not post your child’s name, face or medical records on social media, and share details only through official channels that ask for them.

- [BGN: complaints through SP4N-LAPOR!](https://bgn.lapor.go.id/)
- [National Nutrition Agency: official contacts](https://www.bgn.go.id/)

## What BGN does after a report

According to its FAQ, BGN supervises MBG by monitoring and evaluating SPPGs, checking food quality and safety, and following up reports and complaints from the public. Perpres 115/2025 says that if a suspected incident is confirmed as food poisoning, it is handled under the applicable regulations and BGN acts on the resulting recommendations.

BGN can stop an SPPG from operating. In a press release on 13 October 2026, BGN ordered permanent closure, by decree of the head of BGN, of SPPGs that had stopped operating for more than 30 days without a recommendation from the relevant authorities to reopen and that were found to have endangered recipients’ health and safety, where reporting had taken more than seven days. Their recipients are moved to the nearest SPPG that meets the requirements.

- [BGN: permanent closure of SPPGs (13 October 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/bgn-hentikan-operasional-permanen-dua-sppg-di-jawa-tengah)
- [BGN: FAQ on supervision and complaints](https://www.bgn.go.id/faq)

## Things to check carefully

- Waiting for symptoms to pass when your child is very weak, struggling to drink or vomiting repeatedly. Go to a puskesmas or emergency department.
- Throwing away leftover food and the meal tray before health workers decide whether it needs testing.
- Eating MBG food from a tray with no safe-to-eat time label, or more than four hours after it was cooked.
- Posting your child’s photo, name or medical records on social media. Report through official channels.
- Paying for MBG or buying a food container because someone asks you to. MBG is free and parents do not have to buy containers.
- Trusting job adverts, invitations or forms in BGN’s name without checking BGN’s official website and channels.

## Frequently asked questions

### Who gets MBG?

Under Presidential Regulation 115/2025: pupils from early childhood education to secondary school (including religious schools, special education and pesantren), children under five from six months old, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and teachers and education staff. The BGN FAQ still lists only the first four groups.

### Do parents need to register their child for MBG?

For pupils, being correctly listed at school is enough. The SPPG prepares meals for the number of pupils registered at the school, and BGN uses data verified in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education system, so make sure the school keeps your child’s details up to date. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children under five are served through the posyandu and local volunteers.

### What is an SPPG?

An SPPG (Nutrition Service Unit) is an MBG service unit under BGN that prepares, cooks and distributes nutritious meals. Every SPPG must hold a Hygiene and Sanitation Certificate and follow procedures for kitchen hygiene, ingredient storage, cooking, packing and distribution.

### How long is MBG food safe to eat?

No more than four hours after it is cooked (BGN Regulation 4/2026). Every meal tray must carry a safe-to-eat time label, and food in a tray without a label must not be eaten.

### My child vomited after an MBG meal. What should I do?

Give oral rehydration solution a little at a time and keep watching, but go to a puskesmas or emergency department straight away if your child is short of breath, has a seizure, is hard to wake, keeps vomiting, cannot drink, has blood in their stool or looks dehydrated. Keep the leftover food and tray, then tell the school and report to BGN on 127.

### Where can I report a problem with MBG?

To the school, the puskesmas and BGN. BGN’s channels are the SAGI call centre on 127, WhatsApp 0811-1000-8008, bgn.lapor.go.id, email to halo@bgn.go.id, a letter to its PO Box, or the Integrated Service Centre at BGN’s office, Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 1, Central Jakarta. For a medical emergency, call 119.

### What happens to an SPPG after an incident?

BGN can stop it from operating. BGN follows up complaints and inspection results, and in October 2026 it permanently closed SPPGs that had not operated for more than 30 days without a recommendation to reopen and had been found to endanger recipients. Their recipients were moved to the nearest SPPG that meets the requirements.

### Do parents have to pay for MBG?

No. BGN says MBG is fully funded by BGN at no cost to pupils or parents, and parents do not have to buy food containers. In 2026 it is funded from the state budget through BGN’s budget allocation.

## Official sources

1. [JDIH BPK: Perpres 115/2025 tentang Tata Kelola Penyelenggaraan Program Makan Bergizi Gratis](https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/343430) (accessed 2026-10-14)
2. [Teks Perpres 115/2025 (peraturan.go.id)](https://www.peraturan.go.id/files/perpres-no-115-tahun-2025.pdf) (accessed 2026-10-14)
3. [Perpres 83/2024 tentang Badan Gizi Nasional (JDIH Kemenkum)](https://jdih.kemenkum.go.id/common/dokumen/2024perpres083.pdf) (accessed 2026-10-14)
4. [BGN: FAQ Program MBG (sasaran, penyaluran, SLHS, pengaduan, batas empat jam)](https://www.bgn.go.id/faq) (accessed 2026-10-14)
5. [BGN: kontak resmi (127, WhatsApp 0811-1000-8008, halo@bgn.go.id)](https://www.bgn.go.id/) (accessed 2026-10-14)
6. [BGN di SP4N-LAPOR!](https://bgn.lapor.go.id/) (accessed 2026-10-14)
7. [BGN: SOP pendinginan makanan di SPPG (7 Oktober 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/bgn-terbitkan-sop-pendinginan-makanan-untuk-perkuat-keamanan-pangan-di-sppg) (accessed 2026-10-14)
8. [BGN: data siswa menjadi penentu penerima MBG (13 Oktober 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/kepala-bgn-sudaryono-tegaskan-mbg-harus-tepat-sasaran-data-siswa-jadi-penentu) (accessed 2026-10-14)
9. [BGN: penghentian operasional permanen SPPG (13 Oktober 2026)](https://www.bgn.go.id/news/siaran-pers/bgn-hentikan-operasional-permanen-dua-sppg-di-jawa-tengah) (accessed 2026-10-14)
10. [Kemenkes: keamanan pangan kunci keberhasilan Program MBG (10 Oktober 2025)](https://www.kemkes.go.id/id/kemenkes-tegaskan-keamanan-pangan-sebagai-kunci-keberhasilan-program-makan-bergizi-gratis) (accessed 2026-10-14)
11. [Kemenkes: layanan kegawatdaruratan medis 119](https://www.kemkes.go.id/id/layanan-119-terobosan-baru-layanan-kegawatdaruratan-medik-di-indonesia) (accessed 2026-10-14)
12. [Ayo Sehat Kemenkes: dehidrasi pada anak](https://ayosehat.kemkes.go.id/topik-penyakit/kesehatan-lainnya/dehidrasi-pada-anak) (accessed 2026-10-14)
13. [Ayo Sehat Kemenkes: diare pada anak](https://ayosehat.kemkes.go.id/hal-hal-yang-harus-diketahui-para-orang-tua-seputar-diare-pada-anak) (accessed 2026-10-14)
14. [Kemenkes Ditjen Kesehatan Lanjutan: penanganan awal pada diare (oralit)](https://keslan.kemkes.go.id/view_artikel/3623/penanganan-awal-pada-diare) (accessed 2026-10-14)
15. [Kemenkes Ditjen Kesehatan Lanjutan: kenali pencegahan keracunan makanan](https://keslan.kemkes.go.id/view_artikel/3243/kenali-pencegahan-keracunan-makanan) (accessed 2026-10-14)
16. [WHO: diarrhoeal disease fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease) (accessed 2026-10-14)

## Related guides

- [Rainy-season diseases in Indonesia: leptospirosis, dengue, diarrhoea and flu](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/rainy-season-diseases/)
- [Indonesia’s social assistance programmes in 2026: PKH, Sembako, PBI JK, PIP, KIP Kuliah and village cash aid](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/social-assistance-programmes/)
- [Submit a public-service complaint through SP4N-LAPOR!](https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/public-service-complaints/)

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Source: Panduan Warga, https://panduanwarga.org/en/guides/free-nutritious-meals-mbg/ (reviewed 2026-10-14). General information, not legal or financial advice; current agency rules take precedence.
