This early years nutrition course provides a practical introduction to nutrition for anyone preparing or serving food for babies and young children. It explains the foundations of healthy eating, energy requirements, hydration, macronutrients, micronutrients and balanced meal planning using the Eatwell Guide for Early Years.
Learners also explore how to adapt meals for cultural, health and developmental needs, how nutrition links to EYFS requirements, and how to manage allergens safely when planning and serving food. By the end of the course, you will be able to plan balanced menus, support healthy growth and ensure safe and inclusive nutritional practice across your early years setting.
This course is fully accredited by CPD UK and leads to a recognised Level 2 nutrition certificate suitable for nurseries, preschools, childminders and childcare teams.
Course Level: 2 / Intermediate Reference: ANEY2SFG25 Accreditations: Qualifi, CPD Certificate: Instant PDF download
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What you'll learn
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Foundations of nutrition for babies and young children
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Hydration, safe fluids and signs of dehydration
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Energy needs, energy balance and portion guidance
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Carbohydrates, fibre and promoting good dental and bowel health
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Protein requirements for growth and development
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Visible and invisible fats, healthy cooking methods and School Food Plan limits
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Key vitamins and minerals, deficiency risks and practical food sources
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How to use the Eatwell Guide in Early Years settings
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Allergy awareness, cross-contamination control and emergency response
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Inclusive menu planning for health, cultural and lifestyle needs
Who should take this course
This Level 2 early years nutrition course is designed for:
- Nursery practitioners and assistants
- Preschool cooks and kitchen staff
- Childminders and early years carers
- Supervisors, room leaders and nursery managers
- Anyone involved in menu planning, food preparation or mealtime supervision
Course overview
This course delivers practical, legally relevant food hygiene training. By completing this Level 1 course, you will learn:
This chapter introduces the foundations of nutrition, exploring what balanced diets look like for young children and why nutrients are vital for growth and development. Learners examine energy needs, the purpose of different nutrients and how nutritional care contributes to health in Early years settings.
Learners study the importance of hydration, recognising early signs of dehydration and the role fluids play in wellbeing and cognitive performance. The chapter explains safe drink types, portion guidance, and how hydration needs change across different ages.
This chapter explains where energy comes from, how much children need at different ages and how to recognise imbalances. Learners explore kilocalories, basal metabolic rate and how under-consumption or over-consumption can affect health, growth and behaviour.
Learners explore simple and complex carbohydrates, the importance of fibre and how to balance carbohydrate types in young children’s meals. The chapter highlights links between carbohydrates, dental health and bowel function, offering practical guidance for meal planning.
This chapter covers the role of protein in development, essential amino acids and practical sources including plant-based alternatives. Learners examine portion sizes suitable for young children and how to incorporate protein safely and appropriately into menus.
Learners examine different types of fats, including saturated, unsaturated, visible and invisible fats, and how they contribute to children’s health. The chapter explains healthier cooking choices, School Food Plan considerations and how to reduce excess fat in meals.
This chapter highlights key micronutrients for early development, including vitamins A and D, calcium, iron and zinc. Learners explore food sources, deficiency risks and how to build micronutrient-rich meals for babies and young children.
Learners apply the Eatwell Guide within Early Years settings, understanding food group proportions, calorie guidance and how to create balanced meals and snacks. The chapter includes practical tips on menu planning and supporting healthy eating habits.
This chapter explains the 14 named allergens under UK law and the key differences between allergies and intolerances. Learners explore cross-contamination control, safe service practices, anaphylaxis response and legal requirements for working with allergen-sensitive children.
Learners explore how to accommodate cultural, medical and lifestyle dietary needs within Early Years menus. The chapter covers labelling expectations, food safety considerations and communication with parents and carers to ensure safe, inclusive provision.
Do I have to do any other courses first?
There are no formal entry requirements for this course, although having a good foundation in food safety knowledge is helpful and can be gained through experience in your role or through Level 1 training.
Course features
Try our sample chapter - Micronutrients
Frequently asked questions
Individual learners:
From purchase of a single course or registration of a course code you have 30 days in which to complete the course and take the test. After days, or after you pass your exam (whichever is sooner) your course access will end, but you will still have access to your learner account to download or print your course certificate at any time.
Business buyers:
If you purchase a number of course codes to distribute to your staff, those course codes are valid for one year from the date of purchase. As above, the 30 day course window for each individual only begins when the learner registers their individual course code to access the course material. In most cases we are happy to extend learner course access at no extra charge to allow them to complete.
Individual learners have 30 days from registration to complete the course and exam.
Business buyers have 12 months to allocate course codes, with each learner receiving 30 days of access from activation. Extensions can usually be arranged on request.
FastTrack
If you already have the skills and knowledge required to pass the course, you may be able to take the FastTrack option. If you successfully pass a pre-exam assessment, you will be able to take the exam without spending the specified time studying each chapter. This is a great option for those who are renewing their training as they are able to test out their understanding; if the pre-exam assessment is not successfully passed, areas of concern are flagged up and the learner can access study material in the usual way, spending more time ensuring that the areas of concern are fully understood before the final test.
Most learners complete this early years nutrition course in two to four hours, depending on experience. A minimum study period applies to unlock the final exam.
You will receive unlimited free exam retakes. The exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions with a pass mark of 16/20. If unsuccessful, you will receive guidance on which topics to review before resitting.
Our courses support all learning styles through clear written guidance, video explanations and supportive graphics. Learners can study at their own pace on any device, helping them understand, retain and apply knowledge confidently in childcare environments.
Our awarding bodies
Quality assurance is an important part of Safer Food Group training. We use external experts to review and accredit our courses for academic rigour, fit for purpose, accuracy and currency. This means that you can trust The Safer Food Group to deliver high quality, effective training.
SFG courses are endorsed by Qualifi, an Ofqual registered academic awarding body. Qualifi's focus is qualifications that meet the demands of employers and learners both vocationally and academically.
All SFG courses carry CPD credits. This means that CPD UK has verified SFG training is of suitable quality and content to count towards Continued Professional Development.
