Australia: AUSVEG launches 'Try for 5' campaign
An initiative of Nutrition Australia that coincides with the United Nations World Food Day on Monday 16 October, the theme for National Nutrition Week this year is Try for 5, which encourages Australians to boost their health by increasing their vegetable consumption to the recommended five serves per day.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, less than four per cent of Australians consume the recommended number of vegetable serves per day. It is estimated that less than one per cent of children meet the recommended quota.
“Most Australians fall alarmingly short of eating five or more serves of veggies each day and this has a severe impact on our health as well as the sustainability of the vegetable industry,” AUSVEG CEO James Whiteside said.
“With National Nutrition Week just around the corner, AUSVEG is calling on the Australian vegetable industry and consumers to find creative ways to incorporate five serves of veggies or more into their daily meals, and to share their stories and photos with us.”
“For most veggies a single serve is just 75 grams, which is around a handful of carrots or a medium-sized potato. By taking the chance to increase your daily vegetable intake, Australians can make a huge difference to their overall health and wellbeing.”
AUSVEG is the leading horticultural body representing Australian vegetable and potato growers.
Mr Whiteside encouraged growers throughout the country to put their produce on show and promote the huge opportunity for all Australians to take advantage of the range of recognised health and nutrition benefits that vegetables have to offer.
“Australian consumers have easy access to a range of high quality, locally-grown vegetables and it only takes a few minutes to prepare a single serve. We encourage you to keep an eye on AUSVEG’s social media channels over the coming days to get inspired and ‘Try for 5’.”