Growing up, I was never a fan of chemistry. The periodic table looked like a strange map of alien languages, and balancing equations felt like solving riddles from another planet. But something changed when I realized that chemistry wasn’t just about lab experiments—it was also happening every day in my own kitchen.
Let me tell you why I think chemistry could be the hidden solution to making healthy food accessible for everyone, especially for students like us who are always rushing, often broke, and frequently tempted by instant noodles.
The Real Struggle: Cheap vs. Healthy
Ask any teenager what they had for breakfast, and you’ll probably hear “nothing” or “Pop Mie.” Why? Because it’s cheap, fast, and doesn’t require thinking. But this pattern—of skipping real meals or relying on instant, processed food—is harming our health. We end up feeling tired, unfocused in class, and more prone to sickness.
In a country as rich in natural resources as Indonesia, this shouldn’t be the case. But nutritious food often seems expensive or hard to prepare. The challenge is clear: how can we make healthy eating simple, fun, and affordable?
Enter: easy chemistry.
Chemistry Isn’t Just for Scientists
You might be thinking, “Wait, chemistry? Isn’t that only for science nerds and lab geeks?” That’s exactly the problem—we often see science as separate from real life. But chemistry is everywhere. From how your rice gets fluffy to why your banana turns brown, it’s all chemistry.
And the best part? You don’t need a lab coat or fancy equipment to understand it. All you need is curiosity, some basic knowledge, and maybe a frying pan.
Let’s start with one of my favorite examples: the reaction between an acid and a base.
Pancakes and pH: How Chemistry Helps Breakfast
Do you know how to make pancakes soft and fluffy without yeast? You just need baking soda (a base) and an acid—like lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt. When you mix them, they react to form carbon dioxide bubbles, which make the batter rise. It’s like creating tiny balloons in your food!
This is the same chemical principle used in expensive baking powders, but you can do it with ingredients you already have at home. The result? A cheap, tasty, and healthy breakfast that gives you real energy—without all the preservatives of packaged snacks.
This simple reaction can be taught in schools not just as chemistry theory, but as life skill. Imagine students learning to cook while also learning about pH levels and reactions. Suddenly, chemistry becomes meaningful.
Mayonnaise, Milk, and Emulsification Magic
Another fun example is emulsification. This happens when you mix two things that normally don’t mix—like oil and water—by using a third ingredient (called an emulsifier). In food, egg yolks are natural emulsifiers because they contain lecithin.
With this knowledge, you can make your own mayonnaise or creamy salad dressings at home. No more buying expensive sauces filled with additives. Just a few natural ingredients, and boom—you’ve got a delicious, homemade condiment.
We can also use this chemistry principle to make nutrient-packed smoothies, soups, or fortified milkshakes for students who don’t have time for full meals. A banana, some milk, peanut butter, and a touch of honey—all blended together? That’s science-powered nutrition on the go.
Food Preservation: Fighting Waste with Knowledge
Indonesia wastes millions of tons of food every year, much of it because it spoils too fast. But simple chemical principles can help reduce this waste. For instance, oxidation is the reason apples and potatoes turn brown after being cut. Sprinkling a bit of lemon juice slows this process down—because the citric acid neutralizes the enzymes causing browning.
This isn’t just useful at home—it’s important for school canteens, street vendors, and community kitchens. Imagine how much food we could save, just by applying a little chemistry.
Even fermentation, the process behind tempeh, yogurt, and kimchi, is a beautiful chemical process where microbes break down sugars and release acids that preserve food and boost nutrition. It’s an ancient technology with modern value—and we should be proud of it!
From the Classroom to the Community
Here’s the sad part: a lot of this useful knowledge is locked away in textbooks, taught only for exams. That needs to change.
Why don’t we create chemistry-based food projects in schools? Or cooking competitions where students apply chemical principles? How about workshops for parents and street food sellers, showing how they can make safer, healthier food using what they already have?
Students in rural areas, especially, can benefit from this. For example, by understanding how to combine local legumes and grains, they can create complete proteins—giving families cheap but nutritious meals.
TikTok Science? Yes, Please!
And hey, we’re Gen Z—we don’t just read newspapers. So why not bring chemistry into our digital world?
Imagine TikTok or Instagram Reels where students show off “Chemistry Kitchen Hacks.” Make a fizzy drink from natural fruit juice and baking soda. Show how to make natural jam using pectin and acid from citrus. Demonstrate why boiling eggs with vinegar makes them easier to peel. Learning becomes visual, shareable, and actually… fun.
This is how we make science cool again.
Why This Matters—For Real
Malnutrition isn’t just about hunger—it’s about lacking the nutrients we need to grow, think, and thrive. According to UNICEF, many Indonesian children still suffer from stunting—a condition caused by chronic undernutrition. This leads to lower academic performance, health issues, and economic problems in the future.
If we can empower young people to understand basic food chemistry, we give them tools for life—not just to eat better, but to help their families and communities eat better too.
It’s about dignity, creativity, and self-reliance.
And maybe, just maybe, it’s about changing how we see science—not as something distant and difficult, but something we can taste, touch, and use every day.
A Call to Action
As a high school student. But I have ideas, and I have hope. And I believe that change can start from something as simple as a pancake.
So here’s my call to action:
- Schools: Teach chemistry through real-life projects, not just theory.
- Communities: Share simple science-based cooking tips with local families.
- Students: Experiment, create, and share your food chemistry on social media.
- Governments: Support food innovation programs in schools and youth communities.
Let’s cook up a better future—using our minds, our hearts, and yes, a little bit of easy chemistry.
