Providing a Healthy Food Environment in Early Years Settings

Course Description

This course looks at the nutritional fundamentals for children aged one to four. It uses the Eatwell Guide from Public Health England to explain the importance of achieving a healthy diet through a balance of the four main food groups. It shows how much young children should eat by giving examples of portion sizes for meals and packed lunches. The course contains a range of helpful tips and tricks for providing healthy food at mealtimes and for lunch boxes. The course was written in partnership with experts from the Early Years Nutrition Partnership. *

Course Content

Module 1: Nutrition Fundamentals for Children Aged One to Four

• Why nutrition in the early years is so important. The benefits that good nutrition can have upon a child’s health.

• How to achieve a healthy balanced diet in the early years by providing children with a variety of foods from the main food groups.

• The four main food groups: starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, proteins, and dairy and alternatives. What each group contains, how much children should eat, and why these foods are important in the early years.

• Oral health in the early years. The causes of dental erosion in children’s teeth and how to avoid this.

Module 2: Healthy Portion Sizes​

• Healthy eating for pre-school children in order to get all the energy and nutrients they need for their growth and development.

• Why portion size is important to avoid overeating and childhood obesity.

• Key food groups and guidance on portion sizes for pre-school children.

• Helpful hints for preparing meals for young children.

Module 3: Healthy Packed Lunches

• How to provide a balanced, healthy packed lunch by including portions of food from the key food groups.

• Guidance on portion sizes for pre-school children’s packed lunches.

• How to introduce variety in a child’s lunchbox across the week.

• A comparison of pre-packed and processed food with their home-prepared equivalents.

• How to read and understand nutritional information on food packaging.

• How much sugar children should eat.

• The best drinks for children aged between one and five years.

• Hints, tips and tricks for preparing nutritious and varied packed lunches for pre-school children.

Key Features

• Written by experts at the Pre-School Learning Alliance in partnership with the Early Years Nutrition Partnership.

• A fully interactive course, including optional narration for accessibility, comprising one module and one questionnaire.

• Three CPD hours with a personalised downloadable certificate.

• 70% pass mark

How to apply

This online training course normally costs £43.79 but is available free to Childcare.co.uk gold members. For more details see our online training page.