About Plate it Up®
Founded in 2024, Plate it Up® is a food literacy initiative dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Australians.
We are passionate about food and health. Our team comes from backgrounds in health, research and the hospitality industry. As nutritionists, we focus on teaching the importance of choosing nutritious foods to combat the rising levels of diet-related chronic diseases. As foodies, we focus on fun, healthy cooking and emphasise that it is important to prevent foodborne disease.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Food connects us to others and the environment. We are in awe of how food provides nourishment and health to our body while nurturing family food history and building a social connectedness with culture and the community.
We want to harness the positive impacts that food has upon us and empower communities to live healthy and happy lives.
OUR VISION
We aim to empower individuals’ ability to make sustained, healthier food choices, ultimately reducing their risk of food-related diseases and cancers.
To make an impact on food literacy skills in Australia, we strive to increase people’s confidence to plan for, to choose, to prepare, and to eat healthier options using evidence-based education from the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGL) and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ).
OUR VALUES
Sustainability
We are dedicated to promoting sustainable healthier eating and the safe preparation of food.
Inclusivity
We embrace diversity and ensure our programmes are accessible to all, regardless of background or ability.
Integrity
We uphold the highest standards of honesty and ethical standards in all our activities.
Health and Wellbeing
We are committed to enhancing health and well-being using practical education.
Respect
We value and practice respect in all our interactions, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
Collaboration
We believe in the power of working together with communities, partners, and stakeholders to achieve our goals.
OUR WORK
Our team comprises leading food and health professionals. We focus on teaching the importance of choosing and preparing nutritious foods to combat the rising prevalence of diet-related chronic diseases. Our programmes are evidence-based, inclusive, and designed to be both fun and engaging for participants of all ages.
The feasibility study & preliminary evaluation were conducted by Narelle Bickford.
Founder of Plate it Up®, Researcher in the field of food literacy and nutrition & trade qualified chef.
OUR RESEARCH
Research is at the heart of our efforts to improve food literacy and health outcomes.
We invest in promoting the importance of choosing and preparing foods that are beneficial to health and well-being. We recently investigated the feasibility and preliminary evaluation of our family-focused food literacy programme in central Victoria.
Working in collaboration with the White Hills Junior Football Club, we educated families on planning for healthier food, basic nutrition, food safety and practical cooking. We learnt a great deal about the barriers that families experience when choosing and preparing healthier food and drinks through parent and child dyad interviews.
Please see below the key findings, and feel free to reach out for more information.
Our Collaborators
Our Collaborators
White Hills Junior Football Club
We would like to thank the White Hills Junior Football Club for their support in delivering Plate it Up® as a family-focused food literacy intervention.
Eaglehawk Community House
We are pleased to share details of an exciting collaboration with Eaglehawk Community House, which focused on enhancing food literacy across our community. We designed our sessions to empower staff, volunteers, and family members with practical knowledge and skills around healthy eating that included nutrition education, cooking and reducing food waste.
These interactive sessions provided hands-on learning experiences that supported participants to:
🥕 Build confidence in making nutritious food choices
🍎 Share healthy habits with the families and communities they support
🥗 Promote well-being through food awareness and education.
This collaboration highlights our shared commitment to empowering communities and promoting lifelong well-being through sustained food literacy.