Nourishing Our Future
Exploring food and nutrition in Essex early years settings
“We must move beyond judgement towards understanding, support and systemic change of our food landscape.”
About NOF
Food and nutrition in the early years is complex and varied.
Nourishing Our Future (NOF) is a pioneering project, researched by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the first of its kind in Essex, and one of the first nationally, exploring the food environment within private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years settings, which make up 94% of the early years sector in Essex.
NOF celebrates the incredible commitment from early years practitioners to children’s food education and nutrition, as well as identifying significant challenges when it comes to providing healthy meals to under-fives.
Essex County Council (ECC) Public Health (commissioners of the research) recognise that early years settings hold significant potential to develop long term positive change for young children’s health and nutrition.
Conference Report
The NOF report offers a glimpse into the powerful voices, experiences, and insights shared by early years practitioners and parents through the Nourishing Our Future project, the first research of its kind into food provision in Essex early years settings.
Nourishing Our Future in 90 seconds
The Nourishing Our Future research project brings together early years educators, children, families, public health professionals, partners and communities across Essex, to explore how we can create healthier food environments for our youngest children.
In just 90 seconds, this video captures the essence of the project, why it matters, what we’ve achieved so far, and how collaboration is driving change.
To dive deeper into the findings and hear more voices from the project, explore our full Conference Report above.
A Day of Nourishing Futures
“It just felt like we’re being listened to.”
The Nourishing Our Future Conference bought people from across the public health and education sectors together.
This short video captures the spirit of the day, the engagement, the conversations, the shared passion and commitment of early years educators, health professionals, and partners across Essex. It’s a celebration of community, collaboration, and the collective drive to give our youngest children the healthiest start in life.
NOF Blog
Stay informed with the latest research updates and practical insights.
If you’d like to contribute a blog post, please get in touch we’d love to hear from you!
NOF Gallery
749 photos were collected by 55 settings. Of these, 507 photos depicted A Typical Day on Our Plate, showcasing the meals either provided to children by the setting or the lunchboxes and food that children bought from home.
Exactly 50% of these illustrate food consumed by 3 year olds, while 19% represented meals for 2 year olds, 12% for 1 year olds and another 18% for 4 year olds.
The remaining 242 photos depicted children’s educational experiences Beyond Our Plate showcasing the diverse opportunities for children to explore various aspects of food education.
What people are saying
“Fantastic research backed by provider evidence which can be used to highlight the challenges faced by parents and the sector to hopefully make a positive change to our Early Years children lives.”
Conference Evaluation.
“I think it is very good what you are doing. I have problems with my son not eating many different foods and not trying new foods. It does not help if he goes to nursery with his healthy lunch box and other kids at the same table eat donuts and chocolate bars. I hope you will manage to change minds of parents as that a key to all kids eating healthy and be happy about it.”
Parent.
“We are going to increase ‘daily’ exercise, start a lending library for parents with children’s cookery books. We are going to provide specific resources for parents to have and refer to (Eatwell plate placemat etc) and look into more recycling and sustainable packaging. (To name but a few!)”
Early Years Setting.
Contact us
NOF@aru.ac.uk
emily.fallon@essex.gov.uk
kay.aaronricks@aru.ac.uk
nourishingourfuture.co.uk 