AU: Growers partner up to put veg in spotlight

It’s well known that Australians are not eating the recommended portions of vegetables. The cost to society (health and financial) are huge. With the forecasted shortfall in global protein production, there has never been a better time for the vegetable to emerge from the shadows.

Western Australian vegetable growers have partnered with the Eat Brighter Live Lighter campaign to put vegetables firmly in the spotlight on menus around Perth.
The project is capitalising on the national growth of a foodie culture and the ability of modern chefs, restaurants and cafes to influence home diets. It’s challenging chefs across the state to make a statement.

They are being challenged to make the dining experience in WA one that showcases the vegetable. To make people understand that stunning centrepiece dishes can focus on a vegetable as its core ingredient. To let people discover how to add sensational tasting, easy to prepare side dishes to their main course. To change a mentality that eating vegetables is a chore, to a mentality that sees eating vegetables as a tasty, healthy food solution.

The Project
The project has recruited 25 venues across Perth to be part of a pilot project. Paul Graham, Project Manager says: ‘We’ve got a range of participants from white table clothes to pubs to cafes to caterers. We’re trying to prove that a focus on vegetables can benefit everyone in every sector. We hope to prove the success of the project and then expand it in 2016.

We’re managing communications through our new instagram page (wavegies) and our existing facebook page (which has 8000 + likes). Both user names are wavegies and use the #makemeahero.

We’ll profile participating venues here so people know where to visit or can take inspiration to participate.

Pete’s created a range of wonderful vegetable dishes. But the challenge has just started. We want to see what the food community of Perth can come up with. We know the chefs are up for the challenge.

Project Partners
The project is a partnership between vegetablesWA and the Live Lighter Eat Brighter campaign. vegetablesWA is the peak industry body for vegetable growers in Western Australia. The Eat Brighter Live Lighter campaign is a government backed health initiative designed to inspire healthy dietary choices.

For more information:
Paul Graham
Make Me a Hero
Tel: +61 (0)414382738.