The latest fall in prices shows that fresh, healthy New Zealand grown vegetables are now even better value.

"Times are tough for a lot of New Zealanders but one way to reduce cost and improve health is to Add One More Vegetable to meals prepared and cooked at home," says Vegetables NZ chair, John Murphy.

"The other night, we added zucchini to a quiche, and our young kids were fine.

"Adding One More Vegetable can be as easy as that, especially at this time of year when a wide range of fresh vegetables are in season and plentiful supply, which is reflected in price levels."

John says that up until recently, economists have been saying that vegetables are “expensive”.

"What was missing in their commentary was that compared to some of the other items that shoppers buy, fresh in-season vegetables were still good value, particularly from a health and wellbeing point of view. It’s also surprising just many nutritious meals you make from those vegetables."

Research by NielsenIQ for 5+ A Day to December 2023 shows that 50 per cent of consumers spend between $11 to $30 a week on fresh fruit and vegetables.

"That’s an indication of how low vegetable consumption is in New Zealand, which has a negative impact on wellbeing and adds millions of dollars to the cost of our health system," says John.

"This situation is why we’ve launched the Add One More Vegetable campaign, to encourage people to take simple steps to boost their in-season vegetable consumption and improve their health."

No matter what your usual intake of vegetables is now, do you think you can add one more? 

The Ministry of Health recommends we eat five servings of vegetables or more every day for good health. While some people do hit the mark, many don’t meet this recommendation.

With a few simple tips and tricks, more Kiwis can increase their vegetable intake, by adding another handful or two every day. 

Even just one more serve is a great result. Start small and build up.

If you need a reason to get one more, think about all the great benefits that come with eating more vegetables:

• Lots of vegetables have plenty of vitamin C – great for immune health
• Many are packed with fibre and that’s going to make your gut happy. And did you know - a happy gut can mean a happy mood too?
• They fill us up and have lots of B vitamins, good for energy
• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can even help reduce risk of coronary heart disease (remember to eat a well-balanced diet with a wide variety of wholesome foods)

And that’s not to mention how tasty, crunchy and colourful they are in your meals!

Remember to shop in season for great value freshly grown vegetables.