Amid busy lecture schedules and the fast-paced rhythm of campus life, healthy food choices often lose out to options that are more practical and inexpensive. Recognizing this issue, the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM), organized a Healthy & Sustainable Menu Labeling activity on 27 October 2025.
Food menus available in campus canteens often contain high levels of Sugar, Salt, and Fat (GGL) and are served without adequate nutritional information. The speaker of the activity, Dini Triwahyuni, S.Gz., MPH, stated that menu labeling is a solution to improve nutritional literacy among the academic community, especially students with busy schedules, so they can make smart and balanced food choices.
Furthermore, Dini emphasized that nutritional discipline is an investment in health. Continuous consumption of Sugar, Salt, and Fat (GGL) beyond the recommended daily limits, she stressed, is a major trigger for increased risks of hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and heart attacks.
Therefore, the key to meeting daily nutritional needs is consuming a balanced variety of foods. “The safe daily consumption limits are a maximum of 54 grams of sugar (equivalent to 4 tablespoons), 2,000 milligrams of salt (equivalent to 1 teaspoon), and 72 grams of fat or oil (equivalent to 5 tablespoons),” said Dini.
Participants, consisting of food vendors at the FKG UGM canteen, were trained to apply a simple color-coding system to each menu item. For example, Green for the Balanced category, Yellow/Orange for Moderate, and Red for menus that should be limited due to their high GGL content.
Labeling simulations were conducted using everyday menu items, such as Chicken Rice, which was overall considered balanced due to the inclusion of vegetables, while Grilled Banana with Cheese was categorized as Moderate because of its relatively high added sugar content.
On this occasion, Dini also emphasized the importance of sustainable food presentation. This principle aims to reduce the environmental footprint of the food chain within the campus environment.
She recommended that canteens begin transitioning to the use of local and seasonal food ingredients, which not only support local farmers but also reduce carbon emissions from distribution processes. “Canteen vendors can avoid food waste by serving portions according to needs, and it is also important to conserve water and energy during the cooking process to minimize waste,” she concluded.
Author and Photographer: Fajar Budi Harsakti
