According to the National Health Survey in 2014-2015, while 68 per cent of children eat the recommended serves of fruit every day, only 5.4 per cent are eating enough vegetables.

 

As part of Fruit and Veg Month (29 August-23 September), the Healthy Kids Association with the support of NSW Health, is hosting a live media event for The Big Vegie Crunch – a record-breaking attempt to have the most kids eating vegetables simultaneously.

 

The Big Vegie Crunch event will feature a countdown to the ‘crunch’ at St Michaels Primary School in Baulkham Hills, and entertainment from musical comedy group The Vegetable Plot. 

 

Fruit & Veg Month is a health promotion campaign for NSW primary schools supported by NSW Health that puts a positive focus on fruit and vegetables. The theme for Fruit & Veg Month 2016 is “Vegetables are Funky!”  

 

Last year, 679 primary schools registered to participate in Fruit & Veg Month. 

 

Fruit&Veg Month supports the Crunch&Sip® programwhich encourages schools to provide a set time during the school day for children to eat some vegetables and fruit and drink water as a class. 

 

Crunch&Sip® is delivered to NSW primary schools either as an independent program or as part of the Live Life Well @ School, a program under the Healthy Children Initiative delivered jointly by NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education.

 

Manager of the Healthy Children Initiative, NSW Office of Preventive Health, Christine Innes-Hughes, is delighted to see the impact of Crunch&Sip® in primary schools. 

 

“It is a great effort that 89 per cent of participating schools across the state offer Crunch&Sip® in at least 70 per cent of classes at least 4 days per week,” Ms Innes-Hughes said. 

 

“We hope that with initiatives such as Fruit&Veg Month and the Big Vegie Crunch, we continue to support an increase in children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.” 

 

The Healthy Children Initiative, which includes Live Life Well @ School, Munch & Move and Go4Fun, is a key initiative of the NSW Government’s Healthy Eating Active Living Strategy, launched in January 2014. 

 

For more information on Fruit & Veg Month and The Big Vegie Crunch, go to: 

www.fruitandvegmonth.com.au