I read a couple of interesting articles last week regarding nutrition.
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The first was from AUSVEG, Australia’s leading industry body representing Australian vegetable and potato growers.
It was calling for Australians to eat more vegetables during Australia’s National Nutrition Week, which was last week.
AUSVEG spokesperson Shaun Linde said eating the daily recommended amount of vegetables – five or more serves – was pivotal to leading a healthy lifestyle.
“It’s never too late to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and we hope more Australians … try and add more vegetables into their diets to see not only how healthy they are but also how delicious they are,” he said.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that over 90 per cent of Australian adults fail to eat the daily recommended intake of vegetables. Instead, the average man reportedly only eats 2.3 serves of vegetables each day and the average woman only 2.5 serves.
It also reported that a survey conducted by the University of Adelaide found that 91 per cent of children aged 9 to 10 years ate fewer than the recommended daily serves of vegetables.
“It’s clear that there is a huge opportunity for all Australians to take advantage of the range of recognised health and nutrition benefits that vegetables have to offer,” said Mr Lindhe.
“There’s also a great chance to introduce healthier eating habits into children’s lifestyles at these crucial early stages of their development, so that they can carry these habits throughout the rest of their lives.
“An extra serve of vegetables can be as little as one tomato, half a potato or even just a handful of carrot sticks.”
Speaking of setting an example for kids, the other thing I read about was a new initiative called the “Biggest Recess”.
The initiative, to be held on October 28, was launched by the Office of the Advocate for Children and Young People with the involvement of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and NSW Health and as far as I can deduce aims to get corporate organisations thinking more about being active and eating healthier.
In launching the Biggest Recess, spokesperson for Advocate for Children and Young People Andrew Johnson emphasised adults’ influential role in establishing healthy eating habits in children.
“It is often difficult to communicate messages about healthy eating and exercise, so the Biggest Recess is a light-hearted and interactive event that centres around role-modelling for adults, parents and guardians to promote healthy behaviours to the children in their lives,” he said.
He was encouraging workplaces to introduce light-hearted “recess” activities such as “egg and spoon race, hula hoop competition or musical chairs”.
I think it is a good concept and I am all for anything that helps promote improved health and well-being in the office. If good habits are established in the workplace then there is a good chance those will filter through into home life and on to kids.
You can find out more information on the Biggest Recess at www.biggestrecess.nsw.gov.au
As a parent, I know all too well the vegetable refusal that can come at dinner time so here are some ways I try to get more veges into my kids:
- Grate vegetables through meals such as spaghetti bolognaise;
- Use capsicum rings in place of egg rings;
- Add an apple, water and fresh mint to baby spinach leaves, carrot and cucumber for a vege smoothie;
- Offer up vege sticks at snack time, such as cucumber, carrot, snow peas and cucumber;
- Drizzle some cold pressed olive oil over sliced carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin and asparagus and lightly cook it up in the pan.
Renee Valentine is a writer, qualified personal trainer and mother of three. r.valentine@fairfaxmedia.com.au
