The Edgy Veg Trail has once again returned to the Macedon Ranges, with the initiative kicking off last week as part of the Autumn Festival.
The award trail initially started in 2022 to encourage people to eat more vegetables and try new dishes.
This year, it has an added motive of encouraging people to substitute meat-free alternatives in their meals as the cost of living continues to hit residents across the country.
Project coordinator Lucy Campbell said the initiative runs from April 5 to 28, and there are 21 dishes across the 17 venues involved. This covers the two categories of best in cafe and pub, and a restaurant category.
“You can vote on as many dishes as you like, but you can only vote once on each dish,” she said.
“The winning dish is calculated with reference to the number of votes received… across three categories [of] taste, presentation and the likelihood is that it will be reordered.”
Some newcomers to the trail include Macedon Ranges Wholefoods, 600 Above, Pig and Whistle Hotel, Lost Watering Hole Lancefield Brewery and Harvest and Soul Providore.
Ms Campbell said she is looking forward to seeing if any of last year’s winners defend their title, and the voters will enter a chance to win a $100 voucher.
“A prize of either $100 voucher at Mort and Pestle, which is a kitchenwares shop, or a eat more veg workshop at the Big Bowl of Happy which is like a cooking school.
“I think it’s a great competition for people that might be a bit hesitant to try [plant based]… or haven’t cooked that way before.
“[When you try eating plant based meals out] I think people realise that you can have beautiful food and don’t need meat on dairy or anything to make it super tasty.
“A lot of the cafes are using local produce, so things that are growing seasonally in the Macedon Ranges and they’re working with what’s local.
“It helps keep prices down to eat locally sourced food and that can be amazingly cheap to have legumes as your protein source as opposed to buying meat.”
