Schools switch to pre-packed meals, dispensers amid canteen vendor woes

Yusof Ishak Secondary students pre-order Sats meals online and collect from dispensers

- Elisha Tushara

Recess time at Yusof Ishak Secondary School looks different from that of most other schools.

Instead of buying food and drinks at manned stalls, students here form lines at automated meal dispensers stocked with prepacked meals.

With schools in Singapore facing difficulties in getting canteen stall vendors, some like Yusof Ishak Secondary are seeking alternatives.

Students go online to pre-order their meals, which are prepared and packed by airline catering and logistics company Sats. They can choose from at least 11 options that cost between $2.10 and $3.

Students simply tap their meal cards on the dispenser to collect their meals.

The meal-dispensing kiosks have been in use since the school moved to its Punggol campus in 2022, replacing all but a noodle stall and a drinks stall.

Automation means students' time spent in queues is more than halved, compared with a regular canteen stall, a spokesman for Sats said.

A school spokesman said this lets students spend more time connecting with friends during recess.

A similar challenge in getting suitable canteen vendors saw Blangah Rise Primary School engage Sats to cater student meals in 2021.

During recess, Sats staff dish out meals such as satay chicken with fried rice, mini French toast with buttered corn and vegetarian fishball noodles.

Each meal, priced between $2.35 and $3, is prepared according to Health Promotion Board (HPB) guidelines on healthy eating, and menu options change every school term.

Feedback from parents and pupils has been positive, and the school intends to continue with the service, a school spokesman said.