Breaking Down the new Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Settings
So, the new government nutrition guidance is out — let’s break it down.
The overall goal is simple: to help children eat balanced, nutritious diets that include all the main food groups — protein, starches, fruits and vegetables, and dairy. By improving children’s diets, the hope is that obesity rates will fall and children’s dental health will improve.
But as anyone working in early years knows, achieving that isn’t as simple as handing out carrot sticks and calling it a day. There are real hurdles to overcome — from communication to cost, to children’s taste preferences.
Communication With Parents and Carers
Good communication with parents isn’t just about food — it’s about building trust. Parents need to feel confident that their children are in safe hands, and that settings have clear procedures and policies around food, allergies, and dietary needs.
Staff also need to feel confident that they fully understand each child’s individual requirements. That means being aware of allergies, intolerances, and cultural or religious dietary restrictions, and knowing exactly what to do in every situation.
Building Positive Relationships
Forming open, supportive relationships with parents is key. For example, if packed lunches often contain oversized portions or sugary snacks, you’ll need those strong relationships to start helpful, non-judgmental conversations.
Many children have developed a taste for foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, which can make it hard to encourage them to try healthier, home-cooked meals. The more settings and parents work together, the easier it is to gently expand children’s palates.
Celebrations and Special Occasions
Birthdays and celebrations can quickly become sugar overloads! Settings may want to rethink how these occasions are marked — does it always have to involve food?
Consider:
- Celebrating with a song or special activity instead of sweets.
- A "birthday fruit platter" that still feels fun but stays nutritious.
- A birthday book or badge tradition instead of cake.
Early Feeding and Weaning
Parents should feel confident that their setting welcomes expressed breast milk and has clear procedures for storing and preparing bottles safely. It’s also helpful to reassure parents that staff are knowledgeable about weaning and how to support their chosen approach.
Weaning is a crucial stage. Understanding what’s happening at home allows settings to keep things consistent — especially when introducing new textures or flavours.
(Idea: Include weaning workshops for parents, or send home simple recipe cards for healthy purees. Many baby food pouches are high in sugar and salt — showing parents how to make quick homemade versions can make a big difference.)
Working With Families
Each setting will have different ways to connect with parents:
- Smaller settings might invite parents to share meals or help plan menus.
- Larger nurseries could host cooking sessions or “Cook in a Box” activities — where children cook at nursery and take ingredients home to recreate the recipe with their family.
Other imaginative ideas:
- A “taste of home” week, where families share favourite cultural dishes.
- A “grow your own” garden for children to explore where food comes from.
- Family recipe boards to share simple, affordable meal ideas.
Understanding the Guidance
The new guidance makes it clear: children should be offered balanced, nutritious meals. Communicating this to parents helps them understand what foods are being served — and how they can mirror that at home.
Settings should also share how much children are eating — for example, sending home uneaten packed lunch items helps parents see portion sizes and preferences.
Limiting Processed Foods
Foods high in fat, sugar, and salt are convenient and tasty — but they’re also linked to obesity and tooth decay. Encouraging a move toward fresh, home-prepared foods helps children develop healthier habits early on.
Explain to parents why healthy eating matters:
- It gives children more energy to play and learn.
- It builds confidence around food.
- It supports long-term physical and emotional wellbeing.
Food Poverty and Affordability
For many families, healthy eating isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about cost. Settings can help by introducing children to affordable options, like tinned or frozen fruits and vegetables, and explaining to parents that these are just as nutritious as fresh.
Encourage exploration: let children touch, smell, and taste new fruits and vegetables. Sensory play around food helps children develop curiosity and confidence.
A Few Budget-Friendly Ideas:
- Cook in batches — soups, stews, and pasta sauces freeze well.
- Use lentils, beans, and pulses as cheaper protein sources.
- Swap sugary snacks for fruit, yogurt, or homemade flapjacks.
- Work with local food banks or community volunteer groups (CVS) to run slow-cooker or air-fryer workshops.
Portion Sizes and Family-Style Meals
Being mindful of portion sizes not only reduces waste but helps children learn to listen to their appetites. Serving meals “family style,” where children can choose what and how much to eat, encourages independence and self-regulation.
Unused food can sometimes be sent home with families alongside a simple recipe card — maybe staple foods can be donated from a food bank
Healthy Packed Lunches
For parents providing packed lunches, time and confidence are often the biggest barriers. Settings can help by sharing practical hacks and having open conversations about what works.
Try suggesting:
- Keeping frozen pittas or wraps ready for quick lunches.
- Making simple bean spreads or vegetable dips.
- Batch cooking pasta to make quick salads.
- Grating extra vegetables at the start of the week for easy sandwich fillers.
Partnership is key — when settings support parents with ideas (not rules), change becomes achievable.
The Food Groups at a Glance
- Starchy foods: rice, pasta, bread, couscous, buckwheat
- Protein: meat, fish, chicken, pulses, beans, lentils
- Dairy: milk, cheese, unsweetened yogurt, fortified dairy alternatives
- Fruit and Vegetables: fresh, frozen, or tinned — variety is the goal!
Final Thoughts
Helping children develop a healthy relationship with food takes teamwork between settings, staff, and parents. With open communication, creative thinking, and a shared commitment to making small changes, we can all help children grow up healthier, happier, and more confident about what’s on their plates.
The core aim is for children to be offered balanced, nutritious meals covering all main food groups — proteins, starchy foods, dairy and plenty of fruit and vegetables. Settings are expected to limit foods high in fat, sugar and salt, communicate clearly with parents, and work with families to support healthy habits both in the setting and at home. Yes, in effect. Settings are encouraged to share packed lunch guidance and example menus with parents, so families can match the nutritional approach the nursery provides. The emphasis is on support rather than rules — making healthy packed lunches feel achievable, not prescriptive. The guidance encourages rethinking celebrations that default to sugary food. Alternatives — a special song or activity, a fruit platter, a birthday badge or book tradition — still feel celebratory without the sugar. Small, consistent shifts like these add up. Introduce children to affordable options like tinned and frozen veg (just as nutritious as fresh), share batch-cooking ideas, highlight cheaper protein sources like lentils and beans, and signpost local community support. The goal is always to encourage rather than judge. Regular, simple and non-judgmental updates make a real difference. Sharing menus in advance, letting parents know what their child ate, and sending uneaten packed lunch items home all help parents understand preferences and make adjustments. Strong relationships make difficult conversations — about packed lunch content, or eating difficulties — much easier.Frequently Asked Questions: Breaking Down the new Nutrition Guidance for Early Years Settings