Seasonal, good-value produce cited as the biggest driver behind eating more
More New Zealanders are eating five or more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day, compared with three years ago, according to new research from NielsenIQ.
The 2026 5+ A Day Awareness and Consumption Report found 45 per cent of New Zealand adults now eat five or more servings a day, up from 40 per cent in 2023. Applied across the adult population, that shift represents roughly 200,000 more New Zealanders boosting their produce consumption. The proportion eating six or more servings a day has climbed too, from 25 per cent in 2023 to 30 per cent this year – the highest level recorded since 2021.
Dr Carolyn Lister, team leader - food & health information food & bioproducts technology and trustee of the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust, said the results were a source of pride for the trust.
“We’re proud of, and inspired by, the number of Kiwi who are taking better care of their health,” Lister said. “It shows that simple, consistent messages about eating fresh, seasonal produce really can shift behaviour.”
The research points to seasonal, good-value produce as the biggest driver behind eating more. Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed agreed that in-season affordable produce encouraged them to eat more fresh fruit, while 84 per cent said the same for vegetables – making it the strongest motivator of consumption ahead of health goals and even growing produce at home.
“When fruit and vegetables are in season, they’re at their best – full of flavour, at their most nutritious, and better value for money,” Lister said. “It shows that when produce is in season and plentiful, and offers great value, people eat more of it.”
The improvement wasn’t evenly spread across all groups. Māori were significantly more likely to be eating five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day, at 60 per cent compared with the 45 per cent national average. Gen Z also stood out for vegetables specifically, with 33 per cent eating five or more servings a day, ahead of every other generation.
The research also found that recipe inspiration and growing produce at home remain important motivators, particularly for vegetables, while awareness of the 5+ A Day programme itself remains strong, with four in five New Zealanders familiar with it.
Despite the positive shift, opportunities remain. Dinner is still the dominant occasion for both fruit and vegetable intake, while breakfast and snack times represent the biggest opportunity for New Zealanders to add more servings to their day. Understanding of the recommended daily intake also remains an area for improvement, with only around a quarter of New Zealanders able to correctly identify the recommended fruit intake (2 servings per day), and about a third correctly identifying the recommended vegetable intake (5 or more servings per day for adults).
5+ A Day said the results reinforce the importance of continuing to promote seasonal, affordable produce as a practical way to help New Zealanders build lasting healthy eating habits, as well as continuing education around portion sizes.
