One of the main causes of acute malnutrition in children is inadequate nutritional intake. This condition, if left untreated can ultimately lead to death. This study sought to determine if a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) made from locally available ingredients would be acceptable to malnourished children under 5 years old and their respective primary care providers. This RUTF recipe was previously seen as effective in the management of acute malnutrition in another study. The malnourished children received the standard 6-week nutritional supplementation intervention. The RUTF was given 3 times a day with 4 tablespoons per serving on top of their regular meals. A hedonic scale was given once every end of the week to the primary care providers to assess their children’s acceptability of the product. The primary care providers were also gathered at the end of the 6-week treatment course for a Focused Group Discussion (FGD) to determine their observations and experiences. The acceptability taste tests of the children showed that the RUTF product was accepted by 34 out of 41 respondents (83%) at the end of the 6-week treatment course. The results also showed a general acceptability by the primary care providers for the product based on the FGD. This study therefore concluded that the Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food made from locally available ingredients was acceptable both by malnourished children below 5 years of age and their respective primary care providers in barangay Tiwales, municipality of Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur.

Keyword: Ready-to-use therapeutic food Locally available ingredients Children under 5 years old and primary care