Early Years Nutrition - guidance for Early Years Providers

You may access tips and information on how to prepare cost-effective healthy food on the Cost effective healthy food guidance (DfE).

NHS – Healthy Eating and Food Safety

Good overview of healthy eating and links to recipe ideas, food safety, vitamins, food allergies, and supporting fussy eaters.

First Steps Nutrition Trust – Recipes and Portions

Excellent resources including portion sizes, and ideas for healthy packed lunches, hot and cold meal recipes. This should be used alongside information from the NHS.

Better Health: Healthier Families – Lunch Box Ideas

Recipe ideas for healthy lunch boxes, as well as links to healthy food swaps, information about useful phone apps and online sugar calculator. These resources target families with slightly older children aged 5 years and older. Portion sizes and safety should be adjusted to suit younger children.

NHS – Help to buy food, milk and vitamins (Healthy Start)

Information on the Healthy Start Scheme which supports eligible families with children under 4 to buy fruit, vegetables, milk and vitamins. 

 Family Information Hub – Emergency Help with Money

Families who may be struggling to afford the basic household items may be able to access additional support.

NHS – Healthy Eating and Food Safety

Good overview of healthy eating and links to recipe ideas, food safety, vitamins, food allergies, and supporting fussy eaters.

First Steps Nutrition Trust – Recipes and Portions

Excellent resources including portion sizes, and ideas for healthy packed lunches, hot and cold meal recipes. This should be used alongside information from the NHS.

Better Health: Healthier Families – Lunch Box Ideas

Recipe ideas for healthy lunch boxes, as well as links to healthy food swaps, information about useful phone apps and online sugar calculator. These resources target families with slightly older children aged 5 years and older. Portion sizes and safety should be adjusted to suit younger children.

NHS – Help to buy food, milk and vitamins (Healthy Start)

Information on the Healthy Start Scheme which supports eligible families with children under 4 to buy fruit, vegetables, milk and vitamins. 

 Family Information Hub – Emergency Help with Money

Families who may be struggling to afford the basic household items may be able to access additional support.

Recommended resources to support settings

Department for Education: Help for early years providers : Nutrition

From September 2025, there is a new requirement in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework that early years providers ‘should’ have regard to the new nutrition guidance on GOV.UK.

Providers must take this into account and should follow it unless there is a good reason not to.

Help for early years providers offers additional information and resources which can help support practitioners meet the EYFS requirement that states: ‘Where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, these must be healthy, balanced and nutritious’.

Department for Education – Food Safety

Useful information highlighting how hygiene and safe food preparation practices protect children in an early years setting. This section includes foods and drinks to avoid as well as catering for allergies.

Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition - GOV.UK

This guidance is for early years providers in England who are caring for early years children aged 0 to 5 years.

It supports providers in meeting the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework requirement ‘Where children are provided with meals, snacks and drinks, these must be healthy, balanced and nutritious’.

First Steps Nutrition Trust – Recipes and Portions

Excellent resources useful for settings and parents including portion sizes, and ideas for healthy packed lunches, hot and cold meal recipes. This should be used alongside information from the NHS.

Department for Education – Cost Effective Food

Some new resources have been created to support settings in providing cost effective food. This can be used in conjunction with the guidance for a healthy balanced meal as set out in the Eat Better Start Better framework.

Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition - GOV.UK

Early Years Nutrition guidance for early years providers in England who are caring for early years children aged 0 to 5 years.

• 45-minute 1-2-1 advice sessions are available for practitioners to discuss their food and drink provision and receive recommendations.

• For 1-2-1 advice about improving the health and quality of food provision at your setting book an appointment with the Change4Life dietitian by emailing [email protected].