Kiwis’ vegetable and fruit habits revealed

A new 5+ a day survey has shed some light on how Kiwis enjoy vegetables and fruit.

The survey found 36% of New Zealanders eat the recommended daily 5+ servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day, with dinner being the meal where the most fresh produce is eaten.

65% of all Kiwis have 2-3 different types of vegetables at dinner, with residents of the upper North Island (excluding Auckland) topping the variety stakes.

36% of those in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland eat the widest variety of vegetables including 4+ different types of vegetables on their dinner plate, while 15% enjoy 5+ different types.

However, Aucklanders are behind in the amount of vegetable variety they eat and they are slightly less likely than other Kiwis to eat their greens, with only 32% doing so.

36% of lower North Island residents, including those from Wellington, Wairarapa, Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay, eat the recommended daily 5+ servings of fresh fruit and vegetables. Figures show this is slightly higher than other areas of New Zealand.

South Islanders are kitchen masters when it comes to slicing and dicing fresh produce, with 57% saying they are very confident when it comes to preparing fruit and vegetables, while only 7% lack confidence.

51% of the overall population say they are very confident when preparing fresh produce, but only 45% of Aucklanders report being very confident and 12% are quite unsure or very unsure.

41% of women eat 5+ servings of fresh produce a day, while only 27% of men do the same.

When a snack attack hits, 78% of Kiwis pick fruit and vegetables to nibble on.

For more information on the Take the 5+ a day Challenge visit this page.