SINGAPORE – Some early childhood schools in Singapore are adopting new approaches to providing nutritious meals to cope with rising food prices. These strategies include sourcing quality ingredients at affordable prices and hiring experienced chefs. Over the past two years, food costs in some of these institutions have increased by up to 20 per cent.
Prioritising Nutritional Guidelines
EtonHouse International, which has six central kitchens to serve its 37 schools in Singapore, follows the nutritional guidelines of the Health Promotion Board. These guidelines include recommendations on protein, fruit and vegetables.
‘We use at least 30 different types of vegetables in our monthly recurring menu,’ says EtonHouse International Education Group CEO Ng Yi-Xian. The menu is also designed to keep sugar and carbohydrate levels within healthy dietary standards.
To keep costs under control without compromising on quality, EtonHouse uses a competitive tendering process to select ingredient suppliers. Regular kitchen inspections are also conducted to ensure safety in food processing. ‘We do not skimp on the children’s nutritional needs as it is important to support their growth and development,’ adds Ng.
Other School Initiatives
At Sunny Bunny Montessori, head chef Lim Choon Huay cooks on-site and controls the use of salt and sugar in the food. The school also prioritises fresh and high-quality ingredients, with staff regularly buying seasonal ingredients at traditional markets to avoid shipping costs.
According to Rebecca See, a teacher at the school, the price of food items such as eggs, vegetables and meat has increased by 10-20% due to inflation. However, they still maintain the nutritional value of the food by choosing suppliers that meet quality and freshness standards.
In addition, Sunny Bunny Montessori also teaches healthy eating habits to children through learning activities at school.
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Food Price Inflation Slows Down
Rising food prices in Singapore are expected to ease. Global food inflation has been slowing down, supported by the appreciation of the Singapore dollar which helps keep import costs down.
For example, the price of 400g whole wheat bread has remained relatively stable since July 2023. Chicken prices per kilogramme also declined from a peak of S$8.63 in September last year to S$8.35 in July 2023. Similarly, the prices of cooking oil and milk showed a downward trend.
Economist Chua Han Teng of DBS Bank expects this moderating trend in food prices to continue until the end of 2024, as long as there are no major disruptions to the global supply chain or extreme weather. ‘The steadily strengthening Singapore dollar will also help keep imported food prices down,’ he said.
With a combination of innovation in schools and stability in food prices, there is hope of maintaining children’s nutritional needs without increasing operational costs.
