Australia's vegetable consumption remains well below recommended levels, prompting new efforts from Hort Innovation and Ausveg to increase national intake through a coordinated initiative known as Plus One Serve by 2030.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australians consume an average of 2.2 serves of vegetables per day, less than half the recommended amount. Among teenagers and young adults, the figures are lower, with only 3.5 per cent of adolescents meeting daily intake guidelines in 2022. Among 15- to 17-year-olds, five per cent of girls and seven per cent of boys reported eating no vegetables at all.
© Hort Innovation
Hort Innovation has launched a series of research and development projects under the Plus One Serve by 2030 program. The initiative aims to help Australians add one additional 75-gram serve of vegetables per day by 2030 through behavioural and educational interventions.
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation, said the low intake levels highlight the need for a different approach. "Low vegetable consumption isn't just a health concern; it's a signal we need to do things differently. By investing in initiatives that break down barriers and build lifelong healthy habits, we're helping vegetables take their rightful place at the centre of Australian diets," he said.
Ausveg CEO Michael Coote said the initiative brings together research, health, and retail sectors to encourage practical changes. "Through Plus One Serve by 2030, the vegetable industry is mobilising research, health partners and retailers to create practical, scalable changes that add one more serve to our plates," he said.
The program's approach spans several life stages and environments, with targeted projects across schools, universities, households, and communities.
At the primary school level, projects will involve co-designed canteen and classroom activities to normalise daily vegetable consumption. In secondary schools, trials will introduce affordable, locally sourced, and culturally relevant vegetable-based menu options to make vegetables a default food choice. In tertiary institutions, interventions will promote vegetable consumption through food literacy programs and improve accessibility in dining environments.
Outside educational settings, the Veg4Me initiative will provide meal-planning tools, waste-reduction support, and a digital app designed to help young adults, particularly those aged 18 to 35 in regional areas, incorporate more vegetables into daily meals.
The Plus One Serve by 2030 program forms part of Hort Innovation's broader effort to increase consumption of fruits, nuts, and vegetables by targeting life stages where eating habits are most likely to form. Fifield noted that dietary behaviours established in adolescence and early adulthood often persist throughout life, meaning interventions now may influence future trends in both public health and produce demand.
The program is coordinated nationally by Ausveg and co-funded through Hort Innovation's Frontiers initiative under its Healthy Living theme, with participation from researchers, health agencies, retailers, and growers.
© Hort InnovationFor more information:
Shannon O'Mara
Hort Innovation
Tel: +61 (0) 427 142 537
Email: [email protected]
www.horticulture.com.au
