University of Melbourne researchers interviewed 118 young people who took part in the program between 2008 and 2010, and 84 per cent said it had a positive impact on their lives.

The 15-year evaluation also found the program had an impact on career aspirations of 11 per cent of those youth.

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Building on a pilot in Collingwood in 2001, the program was expanded to 87 Victorian schools by 2012 and included 45 minutes in the garden and 90 minutes in the kitchen classroom.

In 2019, the Foundation supports almost 2000 education centres and schools nationally to deliver kitchen garden programs, including nine schools in Albury and Wodonga alone.

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation chief executive Josephene Duffy welcomed the results.

"The potential of the program is enormous, and the study points to benefits not just in developing food literacy and positive food behaviours, but also the education and social benefits of the program," she said.

"We're very grateful to everyone involved, especially the kitchen garden kids who contributed."