PRIMARY school canteens across Australia will be pushed to include more vegetables onto their menus over the next three years.
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The Healthy Kids Association (HKA) will use a Hort Innovation project to boost vegetable intake among children and change their attitudes toward getting their daily serves.
The HKA will use a range of initiatives to such as recipe portals, ready-to-serve meals and meal kits.
The program will draw on the networks and expertise provided by the Canteen Consortium which includes five leading canteen associations and networks across Australia that are able to reach primary schools nationwide.
HKA senior project manager and accredited practising dietitian, Shadia Djakovic, said the goal is to create long-term healthy eating habits around eating vegetables.
"Creating a healthy food environment in schools can positively impact children's health," Ms Djakovic said.
"This program will develop practical tools and educational resources to increase vegetable inclusion in primary school canteen menus and increase vegetable consumption by children."
Ausveg chief executive officer, Michael Coote, said the vegetable industry is pleased to invest in such initiatives.
"As growers, we know how beneficial eating vegetables is for your health and well-being. As an industry, we work tirelessly to ensure that the veggies that reach Aussie families are fresh and packed with nutrients," Mr Coote said.
"We look forward to seeing this program getting kids excited about vegetables by giving them the place they deserve on the school canteen menu."
Hort Innovation chief executive officer, Brett Fifield, said transforming how Aussie kids feel about eating their veggies will have knock-on benefits to their families and vegetable growers across the country.
"Only six per cent of kids aged two to 17 eat their daily recommended amount of veggies, which is why we are working with the vegetable industry to increase the amount and type of veggies that kids eat and ensure Australians reap the health benefits of the delicious and nutritious produce that we grow here at home," Mr Fifield said.
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