Teaching Nutrition to Preschoolers: Messages with the Greatest Impact

This course covers the importance of teaching nutrition in early childcare, along with the different styles and learning objectives used.

Teaching nutrition to preschoolers plays a very important role in the development of lifelong eating habits. Early childhood educators are essential in this process. This course will provide early childhood educators with evidence based nutrition messages and learning objectives that are successful in increasing the knowledge base and understanding of nutrition concepts among preschool aged children.

Incorporating these concepts also help to increase exposure to healthy foods, resulting in a potential increase in willingness to try new foods and decrease food neophobia. This helps to reduce mealtime struggles in the cafeteria. In addition, this training takes theory and turns it into practical application by providing classroom activity examples and suggestions on how to incorporate nutrition education informally through everyday activities.

By the end of this training, successful participants will be able to:

  • State the importance of nutrition education in early childcare.
  • Explain differences between informative, social norm, and health based messages, and state how and why they are used.
  • State the common learning objectives that are effective when teaching nutrition to preschoolers.
  • List at least 3 formal nutrition activities that can be incorporated in the classroom.
  • List at least 2 ways nutrition concepts can be incorporated into everyday activities.

This course offers 2.0 clock hours towards yearly professional development requirements. A certificate of completion will be provided following the conclusion of the course and a brief assessment.

Learn more about Village Table.

This training is approved by:

  • The State of Texas according to §746.1317 of the Minimum Standards for Child Care Centers
  • Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
  • North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Development and Early Education


Your Instructor


Jessica Barnes, PhD, RDN, LD
Jessica Barnes, PhD, RDN, LD

Dr. Jessica Barnes received her PhD in nutrition from Texas Woman's University. Her research focused on food preference development and creating materials to help preschoolers become familiar with healthy foods. She has worked with families and communities as a clinical and community Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
Courses expire after one year from the date of purchase.

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