Aussie households could save hundreds of dollars a year while improving their health by eating more Australian-grown vegetables, as cost-of-living pressures continue to bite following the latest interest rate hike.

With annual inflation having surged to 4.6 percent over the 12 months to March as the impacts of the Iran war continue flowing through the economy, the latest ABS data shows vegetable prices actually fell over the same period, making them a great value, healthy option for Aussie families looking for savings amid a worsening cost-of-living crisis.

Key facts demonstrating the exceptional value of Australian-grown vegetables include:

• Vegetable prices overall fell 0.2 percent over the 12 months ending March, compared to overall inflation increasing 4.6 percent and the price of snacks and confectionary surging 5.7 percent.
• The recent 2026 Healthylife Living Healthy Report found vegetables cost an average of just 74 cents per serve, compared to 90 cents for unhealthy discretionary (processed or junk) foods.
• Based on these averages, eating five serves of vegetables per day and cutting out unhealthy, discretionary foods would save individuals almost $300 per year – or nearly $1,200 for a family of four.

AUSVEG analysis of retail pricing over the past week reveals even more value on offer, including:

• Carrots widely available under $2.50/kg, or 19 cents per 75g serve.
• Broccoli widely available under $5.80/kg, or 44 cents per 75g serve.
• Onions widely available under $4.20/kg, or 32 cents per 75g serve.
• Pumpkin widely available under $3.50/kg, or 26 cents per 75g serve.
• Potatoes widely available under $5/kg, or 38 cents per 75g serve.

With dozens of different vegetable types and varieties on offer, there are plenty of options for all palates, and by shopping around and in-season, consumers can find the freshest, most cost-effective produce.

Australians are eating an average of just 1.8 serves of vegetables a day, and only 6.5 percent of adults and 4.6 percent of children are consuming the recommended five serves, meaning families can also achieve significant health benefits by swapping more Australian-grown vegetables into their diets.

AUSVEG CEO Michael Coote said eating more vegetables is a simple way Australians can help ease financial pressures, while also benefiting their health and providing Australian vegetable growers with a much-needed boost at a time when production costs have surged due to the impacts of the Iran war.

“Like Australian vegetable growers, Aussie families are under sustained financial pressure and need relief, and Australian-grown vegetables remain one of the most affordable and healthiest food options available,” said Mr Coote.

“In the current cost-of-living crisis, value is key, and the numbers show vegetables continue to represent great value. Eating more vegetables is good for Aussies’ bank balances, good for Aussies’ health and good for Aussie vegetable growers.

“Australia’s vegetable growers supply 10,000 tonnes of fresh produce into the domestic market each day, which represents 98 per cent of the fresh vegetables consumed by Aussies, so the sector is critical to our food security.

“Australian vegetable growers have been hit extremely hard by impacts flowing from the Middle East war, with continuing widespread concerns about the future availability of fuel and other critical farm inputs, and unsustainable production cost surges threatening their viability.

“Even as vegetable growers’ production costs have soared vegetables remain a great value and healthy option for Australian families, and all consumers can play a significant role in supporting hard-working Australian growers by eating more fresh, quality, safe Australian-grown vegetables.”

With purchasing evidence also suggesting consumers are increasingly looking to frozen and canned vegetables, AUSVEG urges all shoppers to check the country of origin of any processed vegetables they buy, as this is increasingly likely to be imported, and not produced to the same rigorous food safety, quality and ethical farming standards that Australia’s growers comply with.

The industry, with support from Hort Innovation, is also leading the Plus One Serve initiative, aiming to help every Australian eat one more serve of vegetables each day by 2030.

Managing Director of Plus One Serve Justine Coates said addressing consumer perceptions of value remained a key barrier to getting more Australians eating more vegetables, with vegetable consumption sitting at a critically low 1.8 serves per person per day.

“One of the biggest challenges we face in lifting vegetable consumption is addressing consumer perceptions of the value of vegetables. The fact is and the data shows, vegetables are among the best-value, and healthiest foods available,” Ms Coates said.

“Vegetables represent great value, and by replacing unhealthy, discretionary foods with Australian-grown vegetables, the savings and health benefits really add up. With a serve of vegetables amounting to half a cup or a healthy handful, eating one more serve of vegetables each day is a tangible, achievable goal.

“If every Australian eats one more serve of Australian-grown vegetables daily, there’s a $4.7 billion triple bottom line of benefits to be realised – saving money, improving health, and supporting Australian growers and the broader economy.”

Amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, and cost of living surges across the economy, there is a risk vegetable consumption will decrease further. While highlighting and emphasising the great value vegetables represent is important, national, co-ordinated and evidenced-backed action is also critical.

Ahead of this week’s federal budget, AUSVEG is reiterating its calls to the Government to back a national, evidence-based behaviour change campaign to lift daily vegetable consumption by one serve per person.

“With data showing we now have a generation of children likely to have a life expectancy lower than their parents, and preventable dietary-linked conditions a major contributor to the national disease burden, we urgently need to address this alarming trend,” said Michael Coote.