This service is aligned with the NEW Early Years Foundation Stage Nutrition Guidance (Sept 2025).

Meeting dietary requirements and staying on budget can take up hours of valuable time. I can review your current menus and suggest changes to help bring them in line with the guidelines.

My Experience:

I have provided education and training to staff (and parents) in a number of nurseries and schools throughout London (for V&Me) as well as providing menu reviews and development for other childcare providers in the UK.

I have worked with Chef James Taylor at Harrington Hill School Hackney to develop their new nursery menus.

I have also helped several nurseries to achieve the ‘Healthy Early Years London Lord Mayor Bronze Award’.

What you will get with Nutrition-Certified Nursery Menus:

• Menus that are nutritionally balanced and meet the needs of all the children in your care.

• Peace of mind for parents, knowing their children are enjoying a wide range of meals and snacks that support their health and development.

• Confidence that your menus are nutrition certified with the official stamp of approval from an experienced paediatric dietitian.

Who is this for?

Nurseries, childminders, and early years settings providing food, snacks, and drinks for children aged 6 months to 5 years.

What is included in my Nutrition-Certified Menu packages?

• A full review by a registered paediatric dietitian, in line with the new EYFS Nutrition Guidance (Sept 2025).

• Personalised recommendations and practical swaps to ensure your menus meet the standards.

• Fresh recipe ideas (if required) to inspire variety and balance.

What will set you apart from the competition?

• The opportunity to certify your menu as ‘Menu Approved by’ or ‘Menu Designed by’ Jo Lenz.

• You can showcase to families that you work hard to put nutrition at the heart of your business; a priority for many families when choosing childcare.

• Recommendations for allergic children will ensure any free from products used are nutritionally superior.

Packages

Menu Revamp

• Evaluate your existing menu.

• Provide feedback on what changes need to be made to ensure your menu meets the EBSB guidelines.

• Make changes to the existing menu cycle and to individual dishes/recipes to ensure they meet guidelines.

New Menu Design

• Menus are designed to include breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch including starter or dessert, mid-afternoon snack and tea-time dish including starter or dessert.

• Vegetarian alternatives will be given for all meat/fish-based dishes.

• Dishes will be carefully thought out to ensure balance across the weeks, practicality, and nutritional adequacy.

• Recipes will be developed using portion guidelines for this age group.

• Recipes will be tested to ensure they meet high standards in terms of taste, texture and appearance.

• Styled photographs can be taken of selected recipes for use on your social media accounts and/or website.

• You will receive the recipes which will outline the portion sizes to meet the nutritional needs of all children and a guide of how to scale the recipes when you have an increased number of children within the nursery.

Extras

• 1 hour webinars covering healthy eating for young children and tips for supporting fussy eaters at mealtimes (parents and staff) with time for Q&A.

• Full nutritional analysis of the recipes (using a nutritional software programme).

• Sample food policy to implement into your nurseries, to support you in parent communications.

• Development of 4 seasonal menus/year (3 week cycle for Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) using seasonal produce.

• Adaptations to dishes for children with allergies.

• Allergens highlighted for each dish. It is useful to provide a guide for parents outlining the common allergen content of your dishes. You will need clear guidance and an allergy policy.

• Content for newsletters, blogs or your website.

Happy Clients…