With vegetable consumption at critically low levels across Australia, Hort Innovation and AUSVEG are backing targeted interventions to help shift veggies from a “good to have” to a “must have” in the lives of Australians, creating health benefits for all Australians, reduction in healthcare costs, and long-term demand, unlocking value for growers.  

According to the latest ABS data, Australians consume just 2.2 serves of vegetables per day - less than half the recommended amount. Among teenagers and young adults, the numbers are even more concerning. In 2022, only 3.5 per cent of adolescents met daily intake guidelines, and among 15- to 17-year-olds, five per cent of girls and seven per cent of boys consumed no vegetables at all. 

Hort Innovation has announced a suite of R&D projects aimed at changing behaviours and delivered as part of Plus One Serve by 2030 - Australia’s coordinated national program to help all Australians add one extra 75g serve of vegetables each day by 2030.  

Brett Fifield, CEO at Hort Innovation explained: “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. That’s good news for public health, and it’s a powerful opportunity for our growers to drive demand and deliver long-term value.”  

AUSVEG CEO, Michael Coote, said: “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. When we make veg the easy, everyday choice, families, growers, and the nation all benefit.” 

From the earliest years of schooling through to university, education is a powerful lever for shaping lifelong eating habits. The Plus One Serve by 2030 Program and projects translate research into practical actions across everyday settings - at home, in early learning, schools, tertiary education, retail and communities - to make vegetables more visible, convenient and appealing.  

These projects look to cover every stage of development, including:  

The Plus One Serve by 2030 Program forms part of Hort Innovation’s broader strategy to grow fruit, nut, and vegetable consumption by focusing on the life stages where habits are formed and futures are shaped. 

“Research shows that dietary behaviours established in adolescence and early adulthood often persist throughout life. By supporting young Australians to eat more vegetables now, we’re not only improving current intake, but influencing long-term patterns that drive sustained demand,” explained Fifield. 

This approach delivers a dual benefit: better health outcomes for communities and stronger market opportunities for growers. By embedding vegetables into everyday routines early, Hort Innovation is helping to support the future of both our nation’s health and that of the vegetable industry. 

The Plus One Serve program is coordinated nationally by AUSVEG and co-funded through Hort Innovation’s Frontiers (Healthy Living theme), bringing together researchers, health agencies, retailers and growers.