What is the NOF Award?
The NOF Award supports early years settings across Essex to implement the new EYFS Nutrition Guidance (DfE, 2025), creating healthier food foundations for young children and families.
The NOF award has been co-created in response to the Nourishing Our Future research (2025), led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and commissioned by Essex County Council (ECC) Public Health, and in partnership throughout Summer 2025, with local early years settings, ECC Public Health, ECC Education and ARU.
If you are an early years setting in Essex, you can join to become part of a vibrant, county wide community, committed to innovation, collaboration and shared learning. We will work together to drive continuous improvement, share successes, and champion sector leading practice in early years food and nutrition.
Training and Support
The NOF Award offers a dedicated space that includes practical guidance, support, training, and resources to help early years educators, parents and carers to embed good nutrition, food education, and positive mealtime experiences into everyday practice.
Recognition and Reward
Whether you’re just beginning your healthy eating journey or looking to build upon strong foundations, the NOF Award helps you grow with confidence, celebrating progress through an accreditation framework and connecting you with like minded professionals.
Reflect and Evaluate
Together, we position Essex as a leading example of how early years settings can champion children’s lifelong health and wellbeing through collective action and excellence.
NOF Principles
Child
We believe that every child in Essex deserves the knowledge, nurturing and nourishment they need to thrive.
Parent / Carer
We are proud to work in partnership with parents and carers, supporting families to make healthy choices at home and strengthening the links between setting and home life.
Early Years Settings
We are part of a growing movement, sharing ideas and learning from each other.
By collaborating in this way, we are improving practice in our own settings and helping to make Essex a national leader in children’s food, drink, nutrition, health and wellbeing.
NOF Award Toolkit
You can view and download the NOF Award toolkit below:
nourishingourfuture.co.uk 