News + Upcoming Events
Hear our latest news and explore upcoming events. Members get discounts on national events and webinars and email updates on upcoming events in their area.
National Lunchbox Week 2026 is coming!
As children are returning to school, our annual National Lunchbox Week campaign is almost upon us, and we are calling on you to help us to promote enjoyable and nourishing lunchboxes for all!
Each lunchbox is as unique as the person it belongs to, shaped by family culture, available resources, and individual preferences. During National Lunchbox Week, we’ll be sharing practical tips, helpful resources and simple recipes to support families, carers and educators from all backgrounds in creating enjoyable lunchbox experiences.
Keep an eye out for updates on our social media pages and in your inbox over the coming weeks — we’ll be sharing tips, tools, and helpful resources.
Check out our selection of simple, fun and nutritious recipes – that are lunchbox ready!
If you’d like to learn more about how we can work together, feel free to contact us.
From Waste to Wellness: Nutrition NSW Backs Statewide FOGO for Healthier People and Planet
Cr Barbara Ward, President of Nutrition NSW, strongly supports the NSW Government’s statewide FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) mandate as a vital step for both community health and the environment.
The new legislation requires all councils to provide FOGO services to households by July 2030, with businesses and institutions beginning phased implementation from July 2026. This initiative will divert significant amounts of organic waste from landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating nutrient-rich compost for local agriculture and green spaces.
The mandate also requires large supermarkets to report food donations, ensuring surplus food reaches those in need rather than going to waste. This strengthens efforts to address food insecurity and malnutrition across NSW.
‘Nutrition NSW’s mission is to foster healthy people and a healthy planet. FOGO aligns with our commitment to food security, sustainability, and reducing food waste. By encouraging households and businesses to separate food and garden organics, we promote more mindful food use and support a circular food economy.
We look forward to working with councils, communities, and industry to ensure a smooth rollout. Together, we can build a healthier, more sustainable future—where good nutrition and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.’ Cr Barbara Ward, Nutrition NSW President.
For more information on FOGO and how you can get involved, visit the EPA’s FOGO Mandates and Rollout page or connect with Nutrition NSW.
National Nutrition Week 2025 - Inspiring a Connected and Nourished Australia
National Nutrition Week has been our flagship annual campaign since 1984. While our campaign messaging has evolved over this time, our passion for celebrating nutritious food is as strong today as it was back then. This year we are celebrating the many ways that people, families, communities and organisations across the country can be connected and nourished through food.
‘As we launch National Nutrition Week, 13-19 October, I am proud to celebrate over 40 years of Nutrition Australia’s commitment to nourishing our nation. This year’s theme, ‘Inspiring a Connected and Nourished Australia,’ highlights the power of food to bring us together— at home, at school, at work, and in our communities. Let’s use this week to embrace healthy choices, create positive mealtime habits, and foster connections that support our wellbeing.’ Cr Barbara Ward, Nutrition Australia (NSW) President.
Review of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines
The 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines are currently being reviewed. The Australian Government has provided NHMRC with funding to review the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines (the Guidelines), including dietary guidance for the general Australian population aged 65 years and older (or 50 years and older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). The review will ensure the Guidelines remain a trusted resource by considering the best and most recent scientific evidence.
Click here to learn more or to get involved.
Get ready for National Healthy Lunchbox Week 2025!
Our annual campaign starts the school year with practical tips, recipes and ideas to help make lunchboxes enjoyable, nourishing and pressure free. NANSW staff can visit your school and inspire your parents to provide healthy lunchboxes and support your school’s efforts in instilling healthy habits and optimal learning.
Our key themes for National Lunchbox Week include:
- Providing reassurance for parents and caregivers
- Celebrating lunchbox diversity
- Offering practical lunchbox tips for families
- Positioning teachers and educators as allies
- Fostering positive lunchtime experiences for children.
Lunchtimes play a crucial role in helping children develop lasting, positive relationships with food, fostering healthy habits that can last a lifetime. During National Lunchbox Week, we have an opportunity to inspire meaningful change for the next generation by collaborating, exchanging ideas, and creating inclusive environments.
For more information on how we can work together contact us
National Nutrition Week 2024
National Nutrition Week (14-10 October) is here!
National Nutrition Week is an annual awareness campaign by Nutrition Australia. With the theme ‘Inspiring a Connected and Nourished Australia’, this year we are celebrating the many way communities across NSW can be connected and nourished through food and nutrition.
How we eat effects our overall wellbeing, including our risk to chronic disease, how we feel and our mood, as well as how we connect with others. Food is a pivotal part of our wellbeing – it defines us. Ensuring we nourish ourselves from the inside has a huge impact on how we connect with ourselves, our family and our community.
‘Please join us we celebrate National Nutrition Week for another year, honoring our vision to inspire and empower healthy eating for all Australians. I encourage you use food and mealtimes as a positive way to nourish your mind, body and whole being – for you, and your family and loved ones.’ Cr Barbara Ward, Nutrition NSW President.
#ConnectedAndNourished #NNW2024 #NutritionAustralia #NutritionNSW
How to Pack a Healthy Lunchbox Webinar Series
Schools often tell us that parents are not sure how to make lunchboxes healthy for their child, so we’ve teamed up with Sydney Local Health District to bring you a two part webinar series for your school parents, carers and families.
Simply join us online for these two FREE webinars:
- Part 1: Tuesday, 26 March 2024, 12pm to 1pm
- Part 2: Wednesday, 27 March 2024, 12pm to 1pm
Different topics will be covered for each day including:
- How to pack a healthy lunch
- Healthy food swaps
- Food labelling
- Healthy snacks
Cooking demonstrations
Click here to find out more and register.
National Nutrition Week 2023
National Nutrition Week is a campaign drawing focus of the positive benefits on both our mental and physical health through consuming good nutritious food.
Try for 5 aims to inspire Australians to enjoy vegetables through highlighting the fun and creative ways Australians can incorporate veg into their day. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend at least five standard serves of vegetables per day should be consumed for good health, but with only 7% of adults an 5% of children eating the recommended serves of vegetables each day, Nutrition Australia created this campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of eating vegetables.
Total vegetable consumption, fresh and processed, has been steadily declining year on year, suggesting Australians consume 13 kilos per year less vegetables per capita than they did in 2001. It is estimated that only 55% of vegetables produced are consumed due to losses in the supply chain and wastage in the home.
So, why do vegies count?
Vegetables are vital for good health, and inadequate consumption can have serious health consequences from pregnancy to end of life. Vegetables contain a range of nutrients including fibre, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Many studies show that a diet rich in a range of vegetables is a critical part of preventative health, such as reducing risk of high blood pressure, and lowering the the risk of developing certain chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, eye, and digestive problems. Eating adequate vegetables also has a direct linkage to maintaining a healthy weigh, therefore having a key role in obesity prevention.
Getting more veg in your day!
So, we are here to help you get more veg in your day! Whether they’re fresh, canned or frozen, eating more vegetables is the number one thing we can all do for better health and wellbeing.
Check out these 5 easy ways to increase vegies in your day:
- Eat a rainbow. When grocery shopping choose vegetables of every colour. Look over your trolley – can you see a rainbow?
- Try a new recipe each week. Have you seen our recipes? We have a great range of healthy nutritious and budget-friendly recipes for you and your family. Click here (link to page)
- Each week try a new vegetable, this can be super fun for kids too. Get them to choose the new vegie and introduce it into a weekly dinner.
- A great budget-friendly trick is to add legumes to bulk up meals. Throw a tin of kidney beans into your next mince-based meal, chickpeas in a salad or make a lentil dahl.
- Chunk up your smoothie with vegies! Have you seen our new Green Power Smoothie recipe? It’s just in time for National Nutrition Week!
What is in a serve of vegetables?
Not sure what a serve of vegetables looks like? How should you be grocery shopping or planning your meals to make sure you get enough vegetables for optimal health, as well as reducing your food waste?
A standard serve is about 75g (100–350kJ) or:
- ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach, carrots or pumpkin)
- ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas or lentils (preferably with no added salt)
- 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
- ½ cup sweet corn
- ½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables (sweet potato, taro or cassava)
- 1 medium tomato
Remember, the amount of vegetables children should consume depends on their age, appetite and physical activity levels. After about nine years old, children should eat the same serves of vegetables as adults – meaning that kids can also aim for five a day.
Still not sure? Reach out for a one-on-one consultation with one of our Accredited Practising Dietitians.
How to make the most of your weekly food shop
The Food Sustainability Index 2017 revealed Australia has the highest food waste generation per capita, with young people aged between 18-24 and families with young children the biggest wasters of food.
Food waste in Australia is an increasing problem and it is growing at an alarming rate. It’s estimated Australian households throw $2000-$2,500 worth of food in the garbage each year. This is the monthly budget for the average household.
When we throw out food, we are wasting the water, fuel and resources it took to get the produce from the farm to your table. As well as contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come food wasted. In Australia, this represents 17.5 million tonnes of CO2 each year.
Australia is committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to half food waste by 2030. To reduce waste in your home, check out our blog here.
Are you on budget? We have you covered! Read more here.
Vegie recipes for your 5 a day!
