Description

What you’ll learn in the Menu Planning training

How to plan your menus to ensure they meet the Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance
How to meet the requirements for the provision of healthy, balanced and nutritious food and drink as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework
The importance of providing healthy, balanced and nutritious menus in your early years setting
Practical guidance on what details to include on your menus
Recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, tea (additional dishes) and snacks
How to develop menus that cater for all special dietary requirements (including vegetarian diets, allergies, cultural and religious diets)
Ideas to celebrate birthdays and special occasions in your setting
How to create a positive mealtime environment.

Who is this training suitable for?

This guidance is for early years providers in England who are caring for early years children aged 0-5 years, including:

early years providers (including childminders and settings providing wraparound care before and after school or during the school holidays) registered with Ofsted in the Early Years Register or with an Early Years Childminder Agency
school-based early years providers (including maintained schools; non-maintained schools; independent schools; free schools; and academies)
chefs and caterers who prepare and develop meals for early years settings
local authority early years teams.

Learning content

This training is comprised of information lessons and interactive activities.

You’ll be provided with resources to support the development of your menus and eating environment, along with resources to share with families.

Estimated study time 1.5 – 2 hours.

Assessment

Short multiple choice assessment

Knowledge Development Plan (KDP) to reflect on your learning.

Certification

Certificate issued on successful completion of the course and the Knowledge Development Plan (KDP).

Cost

£36

Testimonial

“I found the Menu Planning training very informative and useful. It has helped refresh my knowledge and given me a better understanding of the updated nutrition guidance, particularly around planning balanced meals and snacks, portion sizes, food labelling, allergies and providing a variety of foods for children. I have also gathered a lot of useful resources throughout the training, which I have downloaded and saved on my computer. I intend to use these regularly within my setting and share relevant resources and guidance with parents to support healthy eating at home as well as within the setting.” Rehana Akhtar, Childminder Educator, August 2026.

“The menu planning training was very informative and highly relevant to working in an early years setting. It provided me with clear guidance on how to plan balanced, nutritious meals and snacks that support children’s growth, development, and healthy eating habits from a young age. The training helped improve my understanding of portion sizes, nutritional requirements for young children, choking prevention, food safety, and the importance of offering a variety of healthy foods. Overall, the training has increased my confidence in planning healthy menus that meet the needs of young children while promoting safe, enjoyable, and inclusive eating experiences in an early years setting.” Sheikh Runa Akhter, May 2026.

Sign up for Menu Planning training today!

For more information on the Nutrition Team and the work we do- click here(opens in new tab)

Menu Planning