Plus one serve: Enhancing vegetable consumption through food literacy Interventions in tertiary settings (HN24005)

Project start date: 24/10/2025

Project completion date: 12/08/2027

This project aims to increase vegetable consumption among university students by making fresh produce more accessible and equipping students with practical food literacy skills.  

Partnering with universities across Melbourne, this project will establish on-campus produce markets to make it easier for students to access and enjoy a variety of vegetables. To help students build the skills and confidence needed to prepare healthy meals, food literacy resources - including recipe cards, cooking videos, and practical guides for preparing and storing vegetables - will also be developed and distributed.  

The project will focus on students most vulnerable to food insecurity, including international students and those living away from home for the first time. Surveys will track changes in vegetable consumption, cooking confidence, and food habits. 

Grounded in research showing that many university students face barriers to healthy eating - such as the cost and availability of fresh vegetables and limited cooking knowledge - this project combines direct access to produce with targeted education to increase daily vegetable intake and foster lifelong healthy habits. 

For Australian vegetable growers, this initiative presents a significant opportunity to engage a new and growing consumer segment - university students. By supplying fresh produce and supporting food education, the project will generate robust, evidence-based insights into how access and literacy drive consumption. These findings will inform future marketing and supply strategies, helping growers expand their reach, boost demand, and foster lifelong vegetable consumers to support industry growth and sustainability.