Hwa Chong says viral meal photos do not reflect standards, but students say images are accurate

A Secondary 4 student who tried two dishes – macaroni with tomato sauce and chicken rice – complained about portion imbalance. “I don’t think it provides a lot of nutrition,” he said, noting there was too much pasta and rice compared to side dishes. 

The pasta was also “a bit too salty”, he added.

However, not all feedback was negative. A Secondary 3 student who had an oriental chicken meal said the criticism had been exaggerated.

“The taste wasn’t like, obviously, as good as the canteen food, but it was still pretty okay,” the student said, adding that he plans to order the pre-made meals once or twice a week. “It’s over-hated.”

One student said that many peers who chose bento meals on the first day of school switched to freshly cooked canteen food the following day, creating longer queues at the food stalls.

HYBRID CANTEEN MODEL

In response to CNA’s queries, Hwa Chong said on Tuesday night: “The school notes that a photograph circulating online does not accurately reflect the typical food offerings or portion standards under this arrangement.”

The school said it has been closely monitoring canteen operations, including food quality and portion sizes. It added that the bento meals are provided by SATS and designed by certified nutritionists. 

A SATS spokesperson said the meal programmes comply with guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Health Promotion Board, taking into account students’ nutritional needs alongside food safety and quality standards.