As part of the Plus One Serve program, Foodbank Victoria have kicked off an R&D project with the objective to improve the vegetable consumption of university students.
Many tertiary students struggle to afford or access fresh vegetables and often rely on low-cost, low-nutrition foods to get by. Research shows that only 5.1% of Australian students meet the recommended five serves of vegetables per day, while more than 65% worry about running out of food each week.
To help students boost their vegetable intake, Foodbank Victoria is launching a new fresh food market initiative across six uni campuses. The Plus One Serve project will provide students with free fresh vegetables, pantry staples, and culturally relevant recipe resources. Two models will be trialled: a series of on-campus fresh food markets; and an enhanced model that includes take-home recipe hampers, supported by food literacy cards and QR-code video tutorials covering educational tips co-designed by students.
Throughout the semester, students will complete short surveys to help measure changes in their vegetable intake, cooking confidence, and overall food literacy. Should the results show positive impact, the model will be scaled to additional campuses.
Together, these efforts aim to help students access fresh food, build essential cooking skills, and establish healthier habits – one serve at a time.
