An influential health initiative encouraging people to eat five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables daily has celebrated 30 years of success in New Zealand and 20 years of supporting Fruit in Schools.
5+ A Day was launched to consumers in 1994 to encourage New Zealanders to eat more fresh produce for good health. The message was subsequently rolled out to schools and early childhood education centres. A generation of children have grown up learning about healthy eating habits using 5+ A Day resources.
5+ A Day has also supported the Government-funded Fruit in Schools initiative, which celebrated its 20-year milestone in 2024.
Fruit in Schools provides fresh produce daily for 126,000 children and staff at 566 schools nationwide, allowing them to try over two dozen varieties of fruit and vegetables during the school year. This equated to 27 million servings of fresh fruit and vegetables provided annually to help nourish minds and bodies.
Dame Lisa Carrington, 5+ A Day partner, will help mark both milestones at a special event at Papatoetoe East School.
“I’m proud to partner with 5+ A Day to promote food that can transform lives, and it’s fantastic to celebrate with this school,” said Dame Lisa.
“Eating 5+ A Day is key to helping maintain long-term health. It is a huge milestone for the organisation, whose simple message of eating 5+ A Day is now ingrained in generations of New Zealanders, enriching their health.”
The concept originated in California in the 1980s, and over 30 countries now actively promote it. NeilsenIQ research undertaken last year showed that 82 percent of Kiwis were now aware of the 5+ A Day healthy eating message.
United Fresh set up the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust in 2007 to continue working with schools, early childhood education and online to boost fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in all New Zealanders.
5+ A Day Trustee and Principal Scientist and Team Leader at Plant and Food Research, Dr Carolyn Lister, added that eating 5+ A Day each day to help maintain good health was a simple message but one that required ongoing encouragement and education to ensure New Zealanders of all ages understand the importance of healthy eating.
“We’re fortunate to live in a country where fresh, delicious, seasonal produce is always available, and the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust is proving to be an effective way to help increase consumption. But there is still plenty of work to be done,” said Dr Lister.
“Recent research shows only 40 percent of the general population eat five or more servings daily – despite twice that number knowing they should. So we need to continue this important work. Together, we are making a tangible difference to our nation's health, and we are excited to celebrate 30 years of promoting fresh fruit and vegetable consumption through 5+ A Day.”
