A recent You Gov survey commissioned by Veg Power, the not-for-profit to increase vegetable consumption across the UK, has found that 55% of UK adults are struggling to eat their five a day.¹ This finding supports the latest UK-wide National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) in which only 33% of adults were currently achieving the five a day target.²

Interestingly, the Veg Power survey also found that breakfast is very often overlooked as a meal opportunity to add veg to, with 73% of people surveyed rarely or never eating vegetables for breakfast. With reasons cited as preferring other breakfasts (46%) and a tendency to eat the same thing for breakfast (33%). These findings suggest that breakfast is a missed opportunity for consuming some of our five a day target.

To encourage the British public to reconsider their breakfast choice and help them to meet their five a day target, Veg Power has launched its ‘Breakfast in Colour’ campaign. Look out for its promotional video on social media together with ideas and inspiration to guide people in the creation of easy-to-prepare and colour breakfast dishes. The campaign will be supported on social media by a range of experts and influencers including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall; family food expert and author, Emily Leary (@amummytoo); Triplets in My Kitchen (@triplets_in_my_kitchen); Plant-based and Sustainable Chef, Bettina Campolucci Bordi (@bettinas_kitchen) and Registered Nutritionists, Zoe Griffiths (@zg_nutrition) and Charlotte Radcliffe (@the_nutrition_consultant).

Dan Parker, Chief Executive, Veg Power, commented, “Breakfast is a meal occasion for many in which veg simply just don’t feature. By sharing simple ideas and options to add veg to this meal, we hope the British public will reconsider their breakfast choices and aim for a more colourful and nutritious meal with veg added. Let’s get the message out there that five a day can start at breakfast.”

Rebecca Stevens, Registered Nutritionist, Veg Power said, “Breakfast is an important meal providing an opportunity to fuel and nourish our bodies. However, we can be creatures of habit and time poor in the mornings, resulting in breakfasts being a fairly repetitive affair. By adding some veg, you can cover off some of your five-a-day and  nutritional needs particularly fibre, vitamins and minerals.”

Veg Power has a number of exciting initiatives for the rest of the year, all designed to increase the UK’s veg intake. Look out for #simplesaladbowls launching later this summer.