Nurturing Nutrition Club

Discover food, try new flavours and learn how food helps our bodies grow! 🥕🍓🥦

Our Nurturing Nutrition Club is a fun, practical and interactive club where children can discover the importance of healthy eating while exploring a variety of foods, flavours, textures and ingredients.

Through a mixture of food tasting, simple food preparation, games, activities, crafts and nutrition challenges, children will learn how the food we eat provides our bodies with the nutrients and energy we need to grow, learn, play and stay healthy.

The club provides a relaxed environment where children can try new foods without pressure, ask questions and develop a positive understanding of healthy eating.

🍓 What foods might we try?

The foods and ingredients will vary throughout the sessions and may include:

🍎 Fruits

• Apples

• Bananas

• Strawberries

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Grapes

• Oranges and satsumas

• Kiwi

• Pineapple

• Melon

• Mango

• Pears

🥕 Vegetables

• Carrots

• Cucumber

• Peppers

• Tomatoes

• Sweetcorn

• Peas

• Broccoli

• Spinach

• Avocado

• Sweet potato

🥛 Dairy and alternatives

• Milk

• Yogurt

• Cheese

• Fortified dairy alternatives

🌾 Grains and carbohydrates

• Wholemeal bread

• Oats

• Rice

• Pasta

• Wholegrain cereals

• Wraps

🥚 Protein foods

• Eggs

• Beans

• Chickpeas

• Lentils

• Hummus

• Seeds

• Nut-free alternatives where appropriate

Children may use these ingredients to create simple, healthy recipes and snacks such as fruit kebabs, colourful wraps, homemade energy bites, overnight oats, vegetable faces, smoothies, healthy pizzas and fruit salads.

💊 Why are vitamins and minerals important?

Children will discover that vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that help our bodies work properly.

For example:

• 🍊 Vitamin C – helps support the immune system and helps the body absorb iron. Found in foods such as oranges, strawberries, peppers and broccoli.

• 🥕 Vitamin A – supports normal vision and helps maintain healthy skin and the immune system. Found in foods such as carrots, sweet potato and leafy green vegetables.

• 🌞 Vitamin D – helps the body absorb calcium and supports normal bones and muscles. It can be obtained from sunlight and certain foods, including fortified foods and oily fish.

• 🦴 Calcium – important for normal bones and teeth. Found in dairy products, fortified alternatives and some green vegetables.

• 🩸 Iron – helps make healthy red blood cells and supports normal energy metabolism. Found in beans, lentils, leafy greens, meat and fortified cereals.

• ⚡ B vitamins – help the body release energy from food and support normal body functions. Found in wholegrains, eggs, dairy products, beans and vegetables.

• 🧠 Iodine – supports normal cognitive function and helps maintain normal thyroid function. Found in dairy products, fish and some fortified foods.

Children will learn that no single food provides everything our bodies need and that eating a varied and balanced diet helps provide a range of important nutrients.

🌟 What do children get from the club?

Nurturing Nutrition Club gives children the opportunity to:

• Discover how food helps our bodies grow, develop and stay healthy.

• Try a variety of new fruits, vegetables and ingredients.

• Explore different tastes, smells, colours and textures.

• Develop basic food preparation skills.

• Learn about vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients.

• Develop confidence when trying unfamiliar foods.

• Learn about making balanced and varied food choices.

• Develop independence through practical activities.

• Build confidence in preparing simple foods.

• Develop communication and teamwork skills.

• Learn about food hygiene and safe food preparation.

• Develop an appreciation for where food comes from.

• Have fun exploring healthy food in a positive environment.

📚 What learning takes place?

The club combines science, food education, practical skills and personal development.

Children will learn about the different food groups and the nutrients they provide. They will explore why we need vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibre and water and how these contribute to a healthy body.

Practical activities provide opportunities to develop maths skills, such as counting ingredients, measuring quantities, comparing portions and following simple recipes.

Children will also learn about food hygiene and safety, including washing hands, keeping preparation areas clean and handling food safely.

Food tasting activities encourage children to use their senses and develop vocabulary to describe taste, smell, texture, appearance and flavour. Children are encouraged to try foods at their own pace and there is no pressure to eat anything they do not want to try.

The club also introduces children to the idea of a balanced and varied diet, helping them understand that healthy eating is about enjoying a variety of foods rather than labelling individual foods as simply "good" or "bad."

🍓 Fun, food and healthy discoveries!

Nurturing Nutrition Club is a fantastic opportunity for children to explore food in a fun, positive and practical way. They will learn new skills, discover interesting facts about nutrition and have the chance to taste and prepare a variety of foods.

💷 Fee: Block bookings are £6.25 per week or ad-hoc sessions are £7.00 per session

📌 Spaces: Limited spaces available – early booking is recommended.

Food activities and ingredients will vary from session to session. Please inform us of any food allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements before your child attends. Children will always be encouraged, rather than pressured, to try new foods.