Commentary: School canteens aren’t just a logistical problem solved by central kitchens

SINGAPORE: When netizens saw what primary school students will eat at recess if they opt for meals prepared at a central kitchen, reactions were mixed.

Some praised the meals as nutritious, as they incorporate wholegrains and lean proteins. Others were unimpressed with the appearance of the food. One CNA reader likened it to combat rations.

However, my concern goes beyond the nutrition and taste of the pre-ordered meals. As a father of three school-going children, I see canteens not merely as places where kids load up on calories, but as living classrooms for self-sufficiency and community. When my children buy food with their pocket money, they learn essential skills – making choices, handling money and interacting with stallholders.

That is why the central kitchen model, which will be adopted by 13 schools in 2026, gives me pause. Though it addresses genuine challenges such as stallholder shortages and rising operating costs, we ought to consider what our children lose when food becomes increasingly automated and impersonal.

THE COST OF CONVENIENCE

While some canteens run by central kitchen operators will still have manned stalls selling noodles, snacks and drinks, students will have fewer opportunities for human interaction. They will collect their pre-ordered meals from machines, rather than chat with the canteen aunties and uncles who remember their favourite dishes, offer encouragement during exams and add warmth to school life.

Beyond the loss of human warmth, centralisation also concentrates risk. A single contamination incident could disrupt meals across multiple schools.

There are upsides to the central kitchen model, however. A school principal told CNA that it has led to shorter waiting times at recess.

While central kitchens may streamline food preparation and delivery, perhaps we shouldn’t view canteens only through a logistical lens. We could look abroad for inspiration, where recess isn’t just a time to eat, but part of the school curriculum.

In Japan, “shokuiku”, literally "food education", is core to schools. Meals are cooked fresh on-site and integrated into lessons on nutrition and culture. Students participate in serving and cleanup, learning responsibility and respect for food.

Nordic countries such as Finland and Sweden follow similar principles, using mealtimes as a tool to teach students healthy eating and environmental sustainability.

In Singapore, Food and Consumer Education (FCE) is taught at the lower secondary school level. Students learn how to make good dietary choices, as well as cooking and budgeting skills. But unlike Japan’s shokuiku, FCE is more of an academic module rather than a lived practice. It begins only in adolescence, long after children’s habits around food and labour have formed.

Extending the spirit of FCE into primary schools – through simple routines like serving, cleaning, and understanding where food comes from – would help nurture not only healthy eaters but also responsible citizens who value labour and community.

IDEAS FOR BETTER SCHOOL MEALS

Singapore’s context is different, but the principles of shokuiku can be adapted here, retaining the efficiency of the central kitchen model while adding civic educational value. We can build a model for Singapore that enhances canteen culture instead of replacing it.

First, schools could consider a hybrid model where central facilities handle bulk preparation, while schools complete the final cooking and plating in smaller on-site kitchens. This preserves freshness and distributes operational risk.

Next, schools could assign rotating duties to students for simple food prep, serving and cleanup. These responsibilities teach teamwork, hygiene and respect for labour – lessons exams cannot impart.

Stallholders could be retrained as kitchen supervisors and food education facilitators. Their relationships with students are assets, not casualties of modernisation. Primary and secondary schools could even consider partnering with Institute of Technical Education and polytechnic culinary programmes, making canteens training grounds for future food professionals.

ADDRESSING PARENTAL CONCERNS

Not every parent will welcome children serving food or washing dishes. When schools introduced daily clean-up routines in 2016, some questioned whether such duties distracted from academics.

Similar objections may surface here. But self-sufficiency and respect for labour aren't distractions – they are the foundations for adulthood.

Canteen duties don’t need to be onerous or lead to longer hours in school. A 10-minute rotation before or after recess, or a once-a-week duty per class could be enough.

Students who serve others develop empathy. Those who clean up understand labour's dignity. In an age where artificial intelligence increasingly automates mental labour, these forms of "heart work" remain irreplaceable.

This framework preserves the central kitchen model’s benefits, while adding dimensions industrial catering cannot. Food becomes more than fuel; it becomes a daily opportunity to build character, cultural appreciation and practical life skills.

The challenge of keeping canteens open shouldn't be treated as a mere supply chain problem. It is an opportunity to reimagine school meals as integral to holistic education. The choice is simple: Do we want our children to eat efficiently, or to learn meaningfully? The answer will shape not just their next meal, but their sense of community and what it means to be Singaporean.

Darwin Gosal is a product manager in Singapore’s public sector and a former tech startup founder.