Students took part in the annual Big Vegie Crunch by simultaneously munching on fresh vegetables for the Big Vegie Crunch at 10am on Thursday, March 5.

Vegetable Week and the Big Vegie Crunch are annual health promotion events run in NSW primary schools in term one as part of NSW Health's Crunch and Sip program.

St Joseph's Primary canteen coordinator Kim Goldie said there are nearly 400 kids at school and between 50 to 100 lunch orders a day.

"The aim is just to get the kids to try some vegetables, they normally eat lots of fruit but they may not eat lots of vegetables," she said.

"We are getting them to try something new because they are more inclined to try it with their friend rather than when their mum is nagging them about it.

"I don't think kids ever get enough vegetables. Usually most kids will stick with carrot, cucumber and celery which they are familiar with.

"I think with kids if you try them once and if they don't like the vegetable. Try it again a few months down the track from time to time. Don't say 'Oh, they don't like it' and don't give up on giving it to them again."

Only 5.4 per cent of Australian children are eating the recommended servings of vegetables, according to a 2014-15 National Health Survey.

Year six School Captains Erin Little and Jhed Monckton said students appreciated Vegetable Week.

"It's a good opportunity to eat healthier and remind people to eat good foods rather than chips and stuff," said Jhed.

"I think kids prefer vegetables like carrots, cucumbers and corn," said Erin.

NSW Mid North Coast Local Health District health promotion officer Gavin Jones said simply encouraging children to eat vegies because they are 'healthy' sometimes isn't good enough.

"Vegetables need to be fun and appealing to get children excited about eating them. It's great to see so many schools and early childhood services signed up this year," he said.

"The free vegie boxes that are being provided means that all children will be able to participate, even if they aren't able to bring their own vegies in from home.

"Opportunities such as this also raise children's awareness of a variety of crunchy, fresh vegetables and help children to try foods that they wouldn't normally choose to snack on."

Schools were provided with fruit and vegetables by Woolworths, Golden Dawn and Ken Little's Fruit and Vegetables this year.

More than 40,600 students crunched vegies simultaneously during Vegetable Week last year.

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