CSIRO tuckerbox

Thanks for supporting the roughly 20,000 Australian farmers who grow wheat. But you might want to choose a healthier bread. Many white breads have been stripped of most of their fibre and nutrients. Why not try a grainy bread or tortilla that is high in fibre?

Ongoing research helps our farmers grow healthy, disease-free grains.

Grains

Well done. Not only is this healthier and lower in sugar but it also has more fibre and is therefore good for your gut.

Ongoing research helps our farmers grow healthy, disease-free grains.

Grains

Have you ever considered a burger patty made of legumes? Food scientists in Australia have developed a protein and fibre-rich burger patty, mince and sausages that taste just like meat. As with any processed product, check the nutrition information panel as not all meat alternatives are healthy choices.

Plant-based protein alternative foods

So good in a pizza, however salami and other processed meats like frankfurters are discretionary foods. Discretionary foods are high in saturated fat, added sugars and salt. These foods are not necessary for nutrition or health. However, they do add variety and enjoyment to our diets. Try to eat processed meats in small amounts or you could swap it for chicken breast or other lean meats.

Lean beef is a nutritious source of protein and iron. For our health and for the health of our environment, we should eat a moderate amount of meat

Cattle produce methane, mostly from their burps, which is a powerful greenhouse gas. The good news is that there’s a type of seaweed that scientists discovered can reduce cattle emissions by a huge amount when they eat it.

FutureFeed

Good choice. Eggs are high in protein and give us lots of energy to kick the ball around at lunchtime. They are full of lots of nutrients that our bodies need to grow healthy and strong including omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamins A, D, E, and B12.

Cheese and other dairy foods not only provide complete protein, but they are also the best source of calcium for our bodies. Calcium is the main mineral component of our bones, teeth and nails so it is a very important part of our diets.

Delicious! Did you know that brown rice and white rice are from the same grain? White rice starts out as brown rice but then the grain is ‘polished’ which removes the outside layers: the husk, bran and germ. This also strips out a lot of the nutrients and fibre.

Scientists now know about the gene responsible for a thicker outer layer. They’re using this to develop healthier rice.

When choosing your sushi fillings, we suggest salmon. Not only is it a tasty choice but it is also a great brain food because it is full of omega-3 fatty acids.

Healthier rice is extra nice

There are healthy and unhealthy versions of this snack. Make sure you check the sugar content on any packet of muesli bars.

See if you can find one that contains BARLEYmax, bred to include high amounts of resistant starch that is good for your gut health.

This is a healthier choice for a cake. Scientific tools, such as DNA testing and isotopic tracing can tell us where honey and other ingredients were grown or produced. These tools will help farmers earn more from exporting to new markets and at higher prices. Wattleseed has been eaten by Indigenous Australians for over 40,00 years, often ground and used to make a type of flour.

find out more about Food Provenance

find out more about Trusted Agrifood Exports

Chips should be an occasional food. They are generally high in saturated fat, added sugars and salt. Chips are tasty to eat but try to stop after a handful, so you have lots of room for nutritious snacks like cheese and plain yoghurt.

If you want to get creative in the kitchen, why not try making your own veggie chips without the added salt and plastic packaging that you get with store bought chips.

Good choice. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we enjoy a wide variety of foods from five main food groups every day, including vegetables.

Carrots and cucumbers are grown in Australia by farmers who carefully account for every drop of water they use. There’s a cool new technology called Waterwise that makes sure crops are only watered when plants really need it.

Check out our fun program that helps kids become food adventurers!

Good choice. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we enjoy a wide variety of foods from five main food groups every day including vegetables and legumes/beans. Hummus is easy to make at home (we have a great red lentil hummus recipe to try) and is a great dip for your carrot and cucumber sticks.

Hummus is made from chickpeas. These pulses are an important crop for Australia and we’re going to see a lot more grown as plant-based protein demand increases.

find out more about Future Protein Mission

A popular choice in many countries, and tasty and healthy. While there are some farms growing dragon fruit in Australia it’s likely yours has been imported. If it came on a plane, that’s a lot of carbon miles.

Scientists can conduct what they call lifestyle assessments to calculate the environmental impacts of food, including fertiliser used to grow it, fuel for transport and electricity to process the food.

Good choice. Not only are bananas full of vitamins B6 and C, but they are also high in resistant starch which is good for your gut health.

Resistant starch facts

Chocolate is really yummy, but it also has lots of sugar which makes it a discretionary food. We need to make sure we only eat a small amount of these foods. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth why not try one of our really yummy recipes with small amounts of chocolate in them like some black bean chocolate brownies or rocky road strawberries.

Chocolate takes water and energy to produce but doesn’t give you much nutritional benefit.

Chocolate’s sweet science

Good to see you’re supporting Australia’s $14b (and growing) horticulture sector.

So that our fruit and vegetable farmers can continue to send their high-quality produce to overseas markets, scientists are developing ways to demonstrate it is fresh and safe from pests, diseases and chemicals.

Trusted Agrifood Exports

Fizzy drinks have no nutritional value and are often high in sugar. A good swap is water. Water is super healthy and has no added sugar. Water keeps our bodies health and is better for our teeth.

Fancy some broccoli or cauliflower with your shake? It tastes great because the vegetables have been ground into a powder and mixed in with milk. These vegetables might otherwise be wasted because they didn’t meet supermarket standards. Australian households throw away around 2 ½ tonnes of food each year.

Supplementing vegetable intake with carrot powder

This juice contains more flavour, more nutrients and stays fresher because it is produced using a technique called high-pressure processing. Remember that whole fruit is always the healthier option so only choose juice occasionally and with no added sugar.

Preshafruit - high pressure juices

Best Choice Ever. Water is good for you, but make sure you use your own water bottle.

Yoghurt is high in protein which our bodies need to build strong bones and muscles. Why not make your own flavoured yoghurt by adding some chopped pieces of your favourite fruit.