The national movement to get Aussies eating more veggies received a major boost last week when AUSVEG joined Parliamentarians, vegetable growers and renowned Australian chef Matt Moran for the Great Vegetable Cook-Off, during the Australian Vegetable Industry Showcase at Parliament House in Canberra.

The event, hosted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives the Honourable Milton Dick MP, was an opportunity for MPs and Senators to meet with the growers who provide the vegetables Australian families depend on, and also featured the launch of the ‘Pledge for More Veg’ as part of the Plus One Serve program.

With Australians on average eating just 1.8 serves of vegetables daily, Plus One Serve is a national, evidence-based program led by AUSVEG and funded by Hort Innovation to help every Australian eat one extra serve of vegetables each day by 2030. It’s a simple act with big benefits in the form of $4.7 billion in triple-bottom-line benefits to national health, the economy, and growers in the national vegetable industry.

During the Great Vegetable Cook-Off, Matt Moran expertly coached a team of politicians and a team of vegetable growers through a cooking challenge to deliver an epicurean delight. The delicious Cook-Off dish, conceived by Matt Moran, was preserved seasonal vegetables, goats curd, Sicilian olive and oregano dressing, which magnificently highlighted the stars of the evening, Australian vegetables.

“The Great Vegetable Cook-Off was a light-hearted challenge with a serious message, said AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote.

“If we want to ensure Australian families continue to have access to the fresh and nutritious array of Aussie-grown vegetables they currently enjoy year-round, then we need to drive demand and lift consumption.

“Encouraging more Australians to eat Aussie-grown veggies is not only good for their health, but also for securing the future of the national vegetable industry, and the broader economy. As part of the Plus One Serve Program, the Pledge for More Veg is a call for all Australians to take action, and commit to doing their part to increase vegetable consumption in Australia.