<![CDATA[The Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) Program is a government program aimed at supporting children's nutritional needs and providing benefits for families. This study aims to examine parents' perceptions of the economic and social benefits of the MBG Program in Gunung Anyar, Surabaya, from an Islamic Economics perspective. This research used a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observation, and documentation involving parents whose children received the MBG Program. The findings show that the program provides economic benefits by helping some families reduce expenses for children's meals and pocket money. Socially, the program creates shared eating experiences and relatively equal access to food, which can reduce visible differences in children's meals and family economic conditions. However, the benefits perceived by parents vary depending on children's eating experiences, family economic conditions, age, menu suitability, and the quality of program implementation. From the perspective of Islamic Economics, the MBG Program reflects the concept of maslahah and is related to hifz al-nafs through the fulfillment of children's nutritional needs, hifz al-mal through the potential reduction of household food expenses, and al-'adl through relatively equal access to food. Therefore, improving food quality, menu suitability, portion sizes, and implementation consistency is important to optimize the benefits of the program.]]>
