The challenge is part of National Nutrition Week, Nutrition Australia’s annual awareness campaign to promote eating a nutritious and balanced diet, and ‘Pick Right. Feel Bright!’, the new fresh produce industry campaign to encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Recent statistics show that nearly 95% of all Australians do not eat the recommend amount of vegetables. In fact, the average Aussie eats less than half what they should, yet around 1/3 of what we do eat is confectionery, take away foods, cakes, sweets and sugary drinks.

“Whether they’re fresh, frozen or canned, eating more lovely, colourful vegetables is one of the simplest things we can all do for better health and wellbeing,” said Lucinda Hancock, Accredited Nutritionist and CEO of Nutrition Australia Vic Division.

“Vegetables burst with flavour and they're packed full of important vitamins and minerals, disease-fighting antioxidants and gut-healthy fibre, and they're so versatile because you can eat them any way you like - raw, cooked, baked, mashed, chopped, sliced and diced.” She added.

People can sign up to the Try For 5 challenge online and they can either join as an individual or register a team and challenge each other. All challengers will receive regular recipes, tips and fresh ideas to inspire them to eat more vegetables, and they’re encouraged to share pictures of what they’re eating on social media to inspire others.

“The Try For 5 challenge is more than a slogan or awareness campaign. It’s a meaningful and life changing way that people can get involved in this year’s National Nutrition Week.” Hancock said “Joining the challenge and eating more vegetables is something so simple that we can all do to develop positive eating habits for a healthier and happier lifestyle.”

Renee Harrison, Marketing Manager at Produce Marketing Association Australia - New Zealand (PMA A-NZ) is excited about partnering with Nutrition Australia and launching the ‘Pick Right. Feel Bright!’ campaign over National Nutrition Week. “In Australia and New Zealand, we are so fortunate to have an abundance of healthy, natural fresh produce available to us all year round” she said. “By making simple but smart decisions to choose fresh over processed, we can reverse the level of unhealthy eating which is causing an obesity crisis in our country and a spike in chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes and even Cancer.” PMA A-NZ and the fresh produce industry have launched the new ‘Pick Right. Feel Bright!’ website to encourage and inspire consumers to pick the right fresh foods to enjoy a brighter future.

“It’s not just what we eat, it’s when and how much of it we consume. A little here, a little there, it’s all about making smart choices throughout the day by picking fresh produce. After all, when you pick right you’ll feel bright!”

National Nutrition Week runs from 11-17 October 2015. For more information, visit www.pickrightfeelbright.com or www.nutritionaustralia.org