Guidance on Food Provision

On this page, you will find support with menu planning, allergies and special diets, food groups and portion sizes and more.
In our Cooking and Nutrition section, we have provided recipes suitable for Early Years.

Healthy Start Scheme

Healthy Start Scheme & Best Start Foods: A Practical Guide (PDF)

Healthy Start Scheme - Interactive

Allergies and Special Diets

Allergies, Intolerances and Special Diets in EY Settings (PDF)

Food Groups and Portions

Food Groups and Portion Guidance (PDF)

Food Groups - Interactive

Menu Planning

Nutrition & Menu Planning in the Early Years webinar (FILM)
Maintaining Healthy and Sustainable Menus While Prices Rise webinar (FILM)
Top Tips for Menu Planning (PDF)
Top Tips for Planning an EY Winter Menu (PDF)

Menu Planning - Interactive

Packed Lunches & Snacks

Early Years Packed Lunches Guide (PDF)
Early Years Snacks (PDF)
Early years Snack Recipes (PDF)

Managing Fussy Eating

Managing Fussy Eating webinar (PDF)
Top Tips for Fussy Eaters (PDF)

Tastes and Textures

A Recipe to Grow Play and Learn: Tastes and Textures (PDF)

Nutrition Guides & Policy

1 to 5 Feeding Guidance July 2023 (PDF)
Food Policy Action Plan (PDF)
Eat Better Start Better (PDF)

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