“Eating your full recommended daily amount of veggies is a vital part of a balanced diet, which is in turn a pivotal part of having a healthy lifestyle. By taking the chance this week to increase their veggie intake, Australians can make a huge difference to their overall health and wellbeing,” said AUSVEG spokesperson, Shaun Lindhe. “It’s never too late to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, and we hope Australians take the opportunity this week to try and add more veg into their diets to see not only how healthy they are, but also how delicious they are.”

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown that over 90 per cent of Australian adults fail to eat their recommended daily intake of vegetables, with the average man eating only 2.3 serves of vegetables each day, and the average woman eating only 2.5 serves, compared to the five or more daily serves recommended by the Australian dietary guidelines.

Alarmingly, this trend extends to Australian children, with a survey conducted by the University of Adelaide finding that 91 per cent of children aged 9-10 years old eat fewer than the recommended daily serves of vegetables. 

“It’s clear that there is a huge opportunity for all Australians to take advantage of the range of recognised health and nutrition benefits that vegetables have to offer,” Lindhe said. “There’s also a great chance to introduce healthier eating habits into children’s lifestyles at these crucial early stages of their development, so that they can carry these habits throughout the rest of their lives.”

“An extra serve of vegetables can be as little as one tomato, half a potato or even just a handful of carrot sticks. This week, we encourage consumers to take that first step, add more vegetables to their shopping basket, and lay the foundation for a healthier life.”