Netizens question nutritional value of central kitchen meals as Hwa Chong Institution students weigh in
Following the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) rollout of the Central Kitchen Meal Model (CKMM), some netizens have drawn comparisons between the school meals and food served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
Beyond aesthetics, concerns have also been raised over the nutritional quality of the meals, alongside fears that the move could erode traditional school canteen culture.
‘Looks worse than cookhouse food’
On Saturday (3 Jan), a Reddit user shared photos of meals allegedly served under the CKMM.
According to the original poster (OP), the meals were provided to secondary school students at Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) during lunch.
Source: u/taenyfan95 on Reddit
Distributed in green plastic containers, each meal appeared to comprise brown rice, a portion of protein, and vegetables.
“We are feeding SG kids cookhouse food from secondary school,” the OP wrote, adding that they hoped this would not “become a trend” across schools.
Source: u/taenyfan95 on Reddit
The post quickly gained traction, amassing more than 2,400 upvotes and over 630 comments, with many users echoing similar sentiments.
One commenter quipped that the meals would condition male students to SAF cookhouse food ahead of National Service (NS), while another felt the dishes looked worse than NS food.
Source: Reddit
The latter also joked that this might explain why MOE banned students from using smartphones during school hours.
Concerns over nutrition & loss of canteen culture
Several commenters shifted the discussion towards nutrition, questioning whether the meals were sufficiently balanced for growing teens.
Source: Reddit
Pointing to what they perceived as a disproportionately large serving of rice, one user suggested that such meals could foster an “even unhealthier relationship with food”.
Source: Reddit
Others called for higher protein content, noting that cheaper protein sources could still be incorporated.
Source: Reddit
Beyond nutrition, some netizens lamented the loss of canteen culture, particularly the freedom for students to choose what they eat.
Source: Reddit
A handful of HCI students also joined the discussion, expressing dissatisfaction with the central kitchen meals.
Source: Reddit
One student alleged that only six classmates were willing to pay for the CKMM food, while the majority opted instead for the school’s four on-site stalls or vending machines.
Source: Reddit
Central kitchen meals subject to HPB guidelines
Following a pilot programme at Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YISS), MOE expanded the CKMM to 13 additional schools from 2026.
Some institutions, including HCI, have adopted a hybrid canteen model that combines on-site stalls with centrally prepared meals, according to The Straits Times.
The central kitchen approach was introduced to address ongoing challenges in attracting and retaining canteen vendors.
As with traditional school stalls, food supplied by central kitchens must comply with the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) Healthy Meals in Schools Programme (HMSP) guidelines.
These standards are intended to reduce fat, sugar, and sodium content, while promoting balanced and healthier meals for students.
Also read: SAF cookhouses have self-serve shelves that resemble IKEA ordering stations
SAF cookhouses have self-serve shelves that resemble IKEA ordering stations
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Featured image adapted from u/taenyfan95 on Reddit.
