This online nutrition course for early years practitioners gives your team the knowledge to plan balanced menus, manage allergies and intolerances safely, and build positive food habits in the children you care for. The eating patterns children develop in their earliest years can shape their health for life — and early years providers are in a unique position to get them off to a good start.
For your setting, good nutrition practice is more than a wellbeing goal. Since the Food Information Regulations came into effect, anyone who serves food must provide information to customers who need to avoid certain ingredients because of an allergy — so a well-managed, nutritionally balanced menu protects children, reassures parents and supports your compliance obligations all at once.
What you’ll learn
- An introduction to nutrition: important terms, definitions, and the business benefits of a well-managed, nutritionally balanced menu
- What a healthy diet contains and how to provide a balanced diet in your setting
- How to support staff and parents in making healthier choices
- Allergies and intolerances, and how to manage them
- Menu planning for 0–5s, with practical guidance on what to provide and how
- Tips for involving parents and carers in children’s food and nutrition
Who this course is for
Early years practitioners, room leaders and setting managers who plan or oversee meals and snacks for young children. It is equally valuable for any member of staff who wants to help children build a healthy relationship with food from the very beginning.
Why this training matters
Many people grow up with poor eating habits, or learn to satisfy emotions with food rather than treating it as fuel for growth and development. Early years providers carry a real responsibility here: your input while children are young can make a lasting difference to their health and development. Under the Food Information Regulations, settings that serve food must also be able to inform families about ingredients that affect children with allergies — knowledge this Level 2 course puts firmly in place.
How the course works
The course is delivered entirely online through media-rich learning with voiceovers, so your team can work through it at their own pace, on any device. It takes approximately two hours to complete, and its practical menu-planning guidance can be put to use in your kitchen straight away.
Your certificate
On successful completion you will receive the Nutrition in Early Years (Level 2) course completion certificate, which can be used as evidence for compliance and audit and counts towards continuing professional development (CPD). National Nursery Training is an NFAQ-accredited provider, so your certificate carries recognised accreditation for your training records.
