Healthy Menu Innovation in Ready-to-Eat Food Security Catering for the Productive Generation
Keywords:
healthy menu innovation; ready-to-eat food; food security; catering; productive generation; nutritionAbstract
Food security among the productive generation has become a growing public health concern in Indonesia, where rapid urbanization and shifting dietary patterns increasingly favor convenience over nutritional quality. This study investigates the innovation of healthy menus in ready-to-eat (RTE) food catering services as a strategy to address food security for individuals aged 18–45 years. Using a mixed-methods approach combining nutritional analysis, consumer surveys, and menu development trials, this research evaluates the nutritional adequacy, affordability, palatability, and sustainability of newly developed RTE catering menus. A total of 150 participants from urban areas in West Java participated in the consumer acceptability study. Results indicate that innovated healthy menus achieved a 78.4% acceptability rate, met 80–95% of recommended daily nutritional requirements, and were priced competitively within a budget accessible to productive-age consumers. The study concludes that strategic menu innovation in RTE catering systems can serve as a viable intervention for improving food security and dietary quality among Indonesia’s productive generation. Policy recommendations for catering businesses, health authorities, and community nutrition programs are discussed.
References
Badan Pusat Statistik. (2022). Statistik Indonesia 2022. BPS-Statistics Indonesia.
Drewnowski, A., & Fulgoni, V. L. (2014). Nutrient density: Principles and evaluation tools. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 99(5), 1223S–1228S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.113.073395
Euromonitor International. (2023). Ready meals in Indonesia: Market overview and forecast 2023–2028. Euromonitor International.
Food and Agriculture Organization. (2009). Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security. FAO.
Goetzel, R. Z., Henke, R. M., Tabrizi, M., Pelletier, K. R., Loeppke, R., Ballard, D. W., ... & Metz, R. D. (2012). Do workplace health promotion (wellness) programs work? Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 56(9), 927–934.
GoFood & GrabFood Market Report. (2023). Indonesian Online Food Delivery Landscape 2022–2023. Internal Industry Report.
Grunert, K. G., Wills, J. M., & Fernandez-Celemin, L. (2010). Nutrition knowledge, and use and understanding of nutrition information on food labels among consumers in the UK. Appetite, 55(2), 177–189.
Harnack, L. J., & French, S. A. (2008). Effect of point-of-purchase calorie labeling on restaurant and cafeteria food choices: A review of the literature. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5(1), 51.
Horton, S., & Ross, J. (2003). The economics of iron deficiency. Food Policy, 28(1), 51–75.
Kasavana, M. L., & Smith, D. I. (1982). Menu Engineering: A Practical Guide to Menu Analysis. Hospitality Publications.
Lachat, C., Nago, E., Verstraeten, R., Roberfroid, D., Van Camp, J., & Kolsteren, P. (2012). Eating out of home and its association with dietary intake: A systematic review of the evidence. Obesity Reviews, 13(4), 329–346.
Lusk, J. L., & Shogren, J. F. (2007). Experimental Auctions: Methods and Applications in Economic and Marketing Research. Cambridge University Press.
Ministry of Health Indonesia. (2019). Angka Kecukupan Gizi yang Dianjurkan untuk Masyarakat Indonesia. Kementerian Kesehatan RI.
Ministry of Health Indonesia. (2021). Laporan Nasional Riskesdas 2021. Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan.
Monsivais, P., Aggarwal, A., & Drewnowski, A. (2015). Time spent on home food preparation and indicators of healthy eating. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 47(6), 796–802.
Nago, E. S., Lachat, C. K., Huybregts, L., Roberfroid, D., Dossa, R. A., & Kolsteren, P. W. (2010). Food, energy and macronutrient contribution of out-of-home foods in school-going adolescents in Cotonou, Benin. British Journal of Nutrition, 103(2), 281–288.
Nishi, S. K., Babio, N., Goñi, E., Sorlí, J. V., & Salas-Salvadó, J. (2020). Mediterranean, DASH and MIND dietary patterns and cognitive function in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 13, 603042.
Pinstrup-Andersen, P. (2009). Food security: Definition and measurement. Food Security, 1(1), 5–7.
Rachmi, C. N., Li, M., & Baur, L. A. (2017). Overweight and obesity in Indonesia: Prevalence and risk factors. Public Health, 147, 20–29.
Rao, M., Afshin, A., Singh, G., & Mozaffarian, D. (2013). Do healthier foods and diet patterns cost more than less healthy options? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 3(12), e004277.
Riskesdas. (2018). Riset Kesehatan Dasar 2018. Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Kesehatan, Kementerian Kesehatan RI.
Santoso, M. V., Verstraeten, R., Ochoa, E., Shrestha, N. G., Rachmawati, R., & Lachat, C. (2020). Nutritional quality of meals served in Indonesian workplace canteens. Public Health Nutrition, 23(4), 671–680.
Sliwa, S., Anzman-Frasca, S., Lynskey, V., Washburn, K., & Economos, C. (2016). Assessing the availability of healthier children’s menu items at leading U.S. chain restaurants. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(1), 78.
Steptoe, A., Pollard, T. M., & Wardle, J. (1995). Development of a measure of the motives underlying the selection of food: The food choice questionnaire. Appetite, 25(3), 267–284.
Susanto, E., Baliwati, Y. F., & Riyadi, H. (2019). Determinants of food choices among urban productive adults in Indonesia: A qualitative study. Journal of Nutrition and Food Science, 9(2), 112–120.
Widodo, A., Hakim, D. B., & Puspitawati, H. (2021). Willingness to pay for organic and healthy food among urban consumers in Bogor, Indonesia. Jurnal Agribisnis Indonesia, 9(1), 1–12.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Wandi Kurniadi, Evi Sofiati
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
