A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FREE SCHOOL LUNCH GOVERNANCE IN SELECTED COUNTRIES TO PREPARE A SUPERIOR GENERATION

Teguh Yuwono (Dean, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University, Semarang)
K.P. Suharyono S. Hadiningrat (Vice Chancellor, Institut Bisnis dan Multimedia Asmi, Jakarta)
Novia Dwi Anggraeni (Master’s Student in Public Health Management, M.H. Thamrin University, Jakarta)
Febri Pramudya Wardani (Senior Teacher, SMAK PENABUR East Jakarta)
Verry A.J.M. Silalahi (Senior Teacher, SMAK PENABUR East Jakarta)

JIPOWER : Journal of Intellectual Power
Vol. 3 No. 01 (2026): APRIL 2026

Free school lunch programs in several countries are generally intended to meet the balanced nutritional needs of beneficiaries while improving health and educational quality to prepare a superior generation. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design with a thematic narrative approach and content analysis to identify and describe phenomena based on the research variables. The study concludes that the governance of free nutritious meal programs across countries shares several common features, while also differing according to each country’s circumstances. A particularly important finding is that several developed countries have enacted statutory frameworks to ensure the continuity of these programs.