Nottinghamshire Nurseries trailblaze with Food for Life

For the last 22 months, the Food for Life programme has dedicated their knowledge, expertise and understanding to this early years project. The Nottinghamshire Council-led project was nominated for a Local Government Chronicle Award in the public health category. 

We have recently launched a report on the impact of the project, including two cases studies on nurseries that we worked with. You can read the report here.

Food for Life is a Soil Association project that supports schools and early years settings to promote healthy food and reconnect pupils and children with where their food comes from. 

Funded by Nottinghamshire County Council Public Health, Food for Life worked with seven nurseries throughout the project. These nurseries included: Learning Tree Nursery 2, Creative Hands Childcare, Serendipitys Day Nursery Newark and Kidzgrove Daycare. Food for Life is one of many partners contributing to this project, including Family Action and Loughborough University. 

The project worked to positively influence, enable and support change within the nursery food environment. This included supporting staff to lead the change, providing inspiring food education and reaching out to families. Food for Life also worked with nurseries to review menus and improve the nutritional quality of meals, supporting cooks to serve fresh, local meals to the children in their care.  

As a result:   

• 5 out of the 7 nurseries evidenced an improvement in knowledge, confidence and skills in food and nutrition amongst Early Years Practitioners.  
• 5 out of the 7 nurseries evidenced an improvement in the nutritional profile of meals provided by participating childcare providers. 
• Two nurseries achieved a Food for Life award in the during the project. 
•  Nurseries delivered menus with more fruit and vegetables and freshly prepared dishes – with one nursery moving from buying in frozen meals each day to cooking fresh meals that children and families love. 

They also boosted learning about nutrition and got planting and harvesting with their little ones. A key part was sharing their new approaches with families and local producers. 

The initial Childhood Obesity Trailblazer work focused on areas of Nottinghamshire with the highest levels of childhood obesity, including Bassetlaw, Mansfield and Ashfield Districts. The partnership brought together the skills and expertise from Public Health, early years and school catering, children’s centre services, childcare and early years providers, and importantly, local parents.

As part of the project, Food for Life provided these 7 nurseries with the Food for Life Early Years Award. This award supports nurseries and children's centres with a framework to provide the best possible start to children’s food journey. Food for Life Early Years awarded settings provide tasty, nutritious meals in an environment that creates great social skills. They also work hard to encourage good food habits for life, through practical cooking and growing activities and food-based learning - both for children and their parents and carers.