EYLF Outcome 3: The Connection Between Healthy Eating and Children's Wellbeing

January 1, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), healthy eating is directly linked to Learning Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing. By providing nutritious meals and teaching good eating habits, educators lay a crucial foundation for children's overall physical, social, and emotional development.

Quick Summary

Healthy eating falls under EYLF Outcome 3, which focuses on a child's overall wellbeing. It is essential for physical growth, mental development, and concentration in early learning environments. Educators can use play-based activities and role-modeling to instill lifelong positive nutrition habits.

Key Points

EYLF Outcome 3: Healthy eating is a core component of this outcome, which focuses on children having a strong sense of wellbeing.
Lifelong Habits: Early exposure to nutritious foods helps children establish healthy eating patterns that can last a lifetime.
Involvement and Ownership: Engaging children in meal preparation, gardening, and positive food talk increases their desire to eat healthy foods.
Holistic Development: Good nutrition supports not only physical health but also brain development, concentration, and emotional stability.
Positive Role Models: Educators and parents modeling healthy eating habits have a powerful influence on young children's food choices.
Avoiding Pressure: It is crucial to avoid labeling foods as 'good' or 'bad' and to refrain from pressuring children to eat.

Understanding EYLF Outcome 3: The Framework for Child Wellbeing

Learning Outcome 3 of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is 'Children Have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing'. This outcome goes beyond just physical health; it encompasses a child's mental, social, and emotional state. It recognizes that a child who feels safe, healthy, and happy is better equipped to learn, explore, and interact with the world around them. Within this holistic approach, healthy eating is a fundamental component that significantly influences a child’s development.

The Importance of Good Nutrition in Early Years

Good nutrition is essential for healthy living and directly impacts a child's ability to be an active participant in play and learning. Early childhood settings provide numerous opportunities for children to experience a variety of healthy foods, learn about different food choices, and establish positive eating habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. The energy and nutrients from food power a child's physical growth, brain development, and ability to concentrate.

Practical Strategies to Foster Healthy Eating in Early Learning Environments

Educators and families can work together to support EYLF Outcome 3 by incorporating nutrition into daily routines and learning activities. The following strategies provide a play-based and engaging approach:

Cooking Experiences: Involve children in preparing nutritious snacks and simple meals, such as fruit salads or vegetable sticks with dip. This hands-on activity promotes a sense of ownership and encourages a positive attitude toward trying new foods.
Gardening Projects: Start a small vegetable or herb garden where children can plant seeds, water them, and harvest the produce. This experience helps children build a connection with where their food comes from.
Visual Aids: Use posters and charts to teach children about different food groups and the nutrients they provide. Activities like a 'colourful plate challenge' can make learning fun and engaging.
Role-Playing: Set up a pretend play area like a farmers' market or a cafe, where children can engage with food-related scenarios. This allows them to explore food in a non-threatening way and expand their vocabulary.
Modeling Healthy Habits: Educators who eat with the children and demonstrate positive food choices act as influential role models. Sharing enthusiasm for healthy food can have a powerful impact on children's own choices.

Linking Healthy Eating to Broader EYLF Outcomes

While healthy eating is most explicitly tied to Outcome 3, it also influences other areas of development:

Outcome 1: Children Have a Strong Sense of Identity: Sharing food from diverse cultures during mealtime helps children develop a sense of cultural identity and appreciation for different traditions.
Outcome 2: Children are Connected With and Contribute to Their World: Involving children in sustainable practices, like composting food scraps, teaches them about social and environmental responsibility.
Outcome 4: Children Are Confident and Involved Learners: Cooking and gardening activities promote problem-solving, curiosity, and persistence as children investigate and experiment with food.
Outcome 5: Children Are Effective Communicators: Discussions about different foods, where they come from, and how they make our bodies feel, help children express ideas and make meaning.

Comparison of Healthy vs. Unhealthy Eating Approaches in Early Years


Feature	Healthy Eating Approach	Unhealthy Eating Approach
Focus	Holistic wellbeing, encompassing physical, emotional, and social health.	Limited to addressing immediate hunger or as a reward for behaviour.
Food Choices	Wide variety of nutritious options from different food groups, celebrating diversity.	Often involves processed foods, high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
Role of Food	Used as fuel for the body and mind, and as a tool for learning and cultural connection.	Treated with a "good" or "bad" label, creating an unhealthy relationship with food.
Learning Method	Play-based, hands-on activities like cooking and gardening.	Often relies on passive consumption without educational context.
Mealtime Atmosphere	Relaxed, social, and positive, encouraging conversation and exploration.	Rushed, stressful, or used as a source of conflict over food refusal.

Conclusion

Healthy eating is a cornerstone of EYLF Outcome 3, providing the essential nutritional building blocks for a child's robust physical and mental wellbeing. By integrating nutrition education into daily routines through engaging and intentional teaching practices, educators and families empower children with the knowledge and habits needed for a healthy and fulfilling life. The emphasis is not simply on consumption, but on fostering a positive relationship with food and demonstrating its vital role in supporting learning, confidence, and overall happiness.

Encouraging a Positive Relationship with Food

Respectful Practices: Honour children's food preferences while encouraging them to try new things without pressure.
Inclusive Mealtimes: Ensure mealtimes are a positive, culturally appropriate experience that encourages social interaction.
Balanced Education: Avoid labeling foods as "good" or "bad" and instead focus on the value of a balanced and varied diet.
Age-Appropriate Portions: Use recommended guidelines for portion sizes to prevent over or under-feeding.
Family Collaboration: Share nutrition information and mealtime strategies with families to promote consistency between the early learning setting and home.

The Ripple Effect of Early Nutrition

Enhanced Learning Potential: Children with good nutrition have better concentration and cognitive function, maximising their learning potential.
Stronger Physical Development: Proper nutrients are essential for a child’s physical growth, providing the energy they need for active play and motor skill development.
Emotional Regulation: A balanced diet can contribute to greater emotional stability and help regulate mood and behaviour in young children.
Foundation for Lifelong Health: The healthy habits established in early childhood are more likely to continue throughout a child's life, preventing chronic disease later on.
Promotes Independence: Involving children in decisions about their food and routines helps them take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Healthy eating is explicitly addressed under EYLF Learning Outcome 3: Children Have a Strong Sense of Wellbeing. Specifically, a sub-outcome focuses on children taking increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing, which includes good nutrition.

Healthy eating provides the essential nutrients for brain development and energy, which directly impacts a child's ability to concentrate, cooperate, and learn effectively. Good nutrition maximises a child's learning potential.

Engaging activities include involving children in cooking and preparing snacks, planting a vegetable garden, creating colourful food posters, and using dramatic play setups like a pretend market.

Labeling food in this way can create an unhealthy and moralistic relationship with food. It is more effective to discuss how different foods provide different types of fuel for the body and to encourage balance and variety.

Early learning settings can collaborate with families by sharing information about healthy eating practices, inviting parents to participate in food-related activities, and providing menu updates.

Yes, a balanced diet can help regulate a young child's mood and behaviour, contributing to greater emotional stability throughout the day. Positive mealtime experiences also foster a sense of security and happiness.

Play is a primary vehicle for learning in early childhood. Using play-based activities like cooking, gardening, and role-playing allows children to explore food in a hands-on, positive, and non-pressured way, which enhances their food literacy.