RSPH Level 1 Award in Nutrition for Health
Level 1 Nutrition and Health Course – RSPH
Foundational nutrition qualification for catering, hospitality, healthcare, and leisure professionals. On-site delivery only — minimum 5 participants.
The RSPH Level 1 Award in Nutrition for Health is the Ofqual-regulated entry-level qualification (603/2124/6) covering the basics of a healthy, balanced diet for catering, care home, school and workplace kitchen teams.
Recognised by school, care and healthcare catering commissioners as evidence of a documented nutrition baseline across the team.
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Who is RSPH Level 1 Nutrition for Health for?
Catering and front-line teams in settings where the food on the plate matters as much as the safety behind it — schools, nurseries, care homes, hospital catering and community kitchens. This Ofqual-regulated entry-level award (603/2124/6) gives staff a shared vocabulary for healthy eating: how the main food groups work, what balanced means, and how to talk credibly about nutrition with parents, residents, inspectors and contract holders. Delivered in-house only, with a minimum of 5 participants.
- School and nursery catering teams
- Care home and assisted-living catering staff
- Hospital and NHS catering teams
- Community catering and welfare meal services
- Public-health-focused contract catering teams
- Kitchen assistants supporting nutrition-sensitive menus
What you’ll learn
The official RSPH syllabus (603/2124/6) is structured around 1 unit that you will be examined on. The headlines:
- 1. Understand the concept of healthy eating
- 2. Know the composition of a healthy balanced diet
- 3. Understand the role of food labelling in achieving a healthy balanced diet
The full learning outcome references for each unit appear in the Syllabus & Accreditation section below.
Accreditation
This qualification is the RSPH Level 1 Award in Nutrition for Health, awarded by the Royal Society for Public Health and Ofqual-regulated under qualification number 603/2124/6. Kitchen Tonic delivers it as an RSPH-approved training centre; the synoptic examination is set, supplied and marked by RSPH and the certificate is issued directly by RSPH.
Awarding body
RSPH
Royal Society for Public Health
Ofqual number
603/2124/6
Regulated qualification
Learning hours
8 GLH · 10 TQT
Guided · Total time
Recognised by Environmental Health Officers, primary authorities, BRCGS and SALSA auditors, third-party certification bodies and insurers as evidence of senior-manager-level food safety competence.
Prerequisites & entry requirements
RSPH recommended prior learning
No prior learning required. RSPH recommends a level of literacy and numeracy equivalent to Level 1.
Kitchen Tonic — no paid risk
None. Minimum Level 1 literacy and numeracy recommended. Minimum 5 participants required.
Delivery & pricing at a glance
A one-day Ofqual-regulated entry-level nutrition qualification (RSPH 603/2124/6), with 8 guided learning hours and a 20-question multiple-choice exam marked by RSPH. Delivered in-house only, with a minimum of 5 participants per booking.
Public Course
£250
per person
- 5 training days, 10:00–16:00 at our London venue
- Exam sat the same day as your training day
- At your premises — we send the approved RSPH invigilator
In-house
From
£250
+ £25 per additional learner
- 1 training day at your premises — minimum 5 participants
- Your team — group sizes by quote
- Exam sat the same day as your training day
- Exam at your premises (included)
Ofqual-regulated RSPH certificate issued direct from the Royal Society for Public Health for every delivery mode.
Course Syllabus & Accreditation
Download PDFOfficial course syllabus · Expert-led, Ofqual-aligned food safety training trusted by UK hospitality and manufacturing teams.
RSPH Syllabus — Learning Outcomes
1. Understand the concept of healthy eating
- 1.1 Government guidelines for a healthy balanced diet
- 1.2 Key issues of concern for public health nutrition
2. Know the composition of a healthy balanced diet
- 2.1 The reference intake values of key nutrients
- 2.2 Foods that are important sources of key nutrients
- 2.3 Nutrient requirements at different stages of the lifecycle
3. Understand the role of food labelling in achieving a healthy balanced diet
- 3.1 The purpose of food labelling
- 3.2 The nutritional and allergen information required on a food label
Assessment
45-minute multiple-choice examination set by RSPH — 20 questions, 12 correct required to pass. Strong performance in some areas of the qualification content may compensate for poorer performance in other areas.
Grading
Pass / fail. A pass is 12 out of 20 correct answers.
Entry requirements
No prior learning required. RSPH recommends a level of literacy and numeracy equivalent to Level 1.
How the Course Actually Runs
One on-site training day, a 20-question MCQ exam, and a clear no-risk entry route.
Daily Schedule: 8 GLH, One Training Day, On-Site Only
A single training day at your premises, 10:00 to 16:00 UK time, with lunch (12:00–12:45) and a short afternoon comfort break — 8 guided learning hours in total. Delivered in-house only; we do not run public or webinar courses for this award. Minimum of 5 participants per booking.
- In-house: At your school, care home, hospital kitchen or community site — minimum 5 participants, dates arranged around service.
Exam: 20 Multiple-Choice Questions, 45 Minutes
A 45-minute multiple-choice paper of 20 questions, with a pass mark of 12 out of 20. Marked by RSPH and counts toward the Ofqual-regulated certificate. Sat at your site on the training day.
- In person (in-house): Sat at your premises on the training day. You supply a quiet room; we supply the approved RSPH invigilator and the official paper.
Entry Route: No Paid Risk
There are no prerequisites — Level 1 is the entry-level introduction to healthy eating, designed for kitchen teams without prior nutrition training. If you are unsure whether Level 1 or Level 2 fits the role, we will talk it through first at no cost. You only book and pay once we have confirmed the right fit and the group size.
What is included
Everything you get with RSPH Level 1 Nutrition for Health
The Ofqual-regulated qualification (603/2124/6) is delivered by Kitchen Tonic as an RSPH-registered training centre, with the official RSPH multiple-choice examination. Designed for catering teams in schools, care, healthcare and community kitchens — settings where balanced eating is part of the duty of care.
Included with every delivery format (Webinar · Public course · In-house)
In-house at your site
Delivered by Our Kitchen Tonic Centre Manager — BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Biology & Dietetics
Your tutor holds a BSc (Hons) in Nutrition, Biology & Dietetics, manages Kitchen Tonic as an RSPH-registered training centre and has 16+ years delivering accredited training across UK catering, including public-sector kitchens. Content stays close to UK healthy-eating guidance and what contract holders, parents and inspectors expect catering teams to know.
Built for public-sector and community catering
Kitchen Tonic’s Level 1 Nutrition groups have included school catering teams, nursery staff, care home kitchens and community meal services — settings where balanced eating is part of safeguarding, contract performance and Food Hygiene Rating conversations alike.
On-site delivery only — minimum 5 participants, scheduled around your service.
About the Trainer
Kitchen Tonic Centre Manager & Lead Food Safety Trainer
BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Biology & Dietetics · Kitchen Tonic Centre Manager · International food safety auditor (retail and manufacturing) · 16+ years
Kitchen Tonic training is delivered by our degree-qualified Centre Manager — BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Biology & Dietetics — who runs Kitchen Tonic as an RSPH-approved training centre, has 16+ years delivering accredited food safety training across UK hospitality, catering and manufacturing, and works as an international food safety auditor for retail and manufacturing clients. Course content is mapped to what Environmental Health Officers, BRCGS and SALSA auditors actually check on inspection — not textbook theory.
- BSc (Hons) Nutrition, Biology & Dietetics
- Kitchen Tonic Centre Manager (RSPH-approved training centre)
- International food safety auditor (retail and manufacturing clients)
- Has trained Environmental Health Officers active in UK inspections
- 16+ years delivering accredited Level 2, 3 and 4 food safety training
Ready to book RSPH Level 1 Nutrition for Health?
One on-site training day, a 20-question MCQ marked by RSPH, and the Ofqual-regulated certificate. Delivered in-house only, with a minimum of 5 participants.
Enquire or book a dateFrequently Asked Questions
Level 1 Nutrition for Health: Common Questions
What is the RSPH Level 1 Nutrition qualification?
It is an Ofqual-regulated Level 1 Award (qualification number 603/2124/6) issued by the Royal Society for Public Health. It introduces the principles of a healthy, balanced diet and is designed for staff who plan, prepare or serve food and need a credible nutrition baseline without prior study in the subject.
What does the syllabus cover?
The course covers macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, protein) and key micronutrients, the Eatwell Guide, hydration, the importance of breakfast and regular meals, healthier cooking methods, and reading food labels and front-of-pack nutrition information.
How is the exam structured and what is the pass mark?
The assessment is an RSPH-supplied multiple-choice exam: 20 questions, 45 minutes, pass mark 12 out of 20. It is sat at the end of the training day under invigilation, and the certificate is issued by RSPH after marking.
Why is this course in-house only?
Kitchen Tonic runs the Level 1 Nutrition course exclusively in-house at your premises, with a minimum of 5 participants. That keeps the price per head fair and lets us tailor examples to your menu, your customer base and your service style — school caterers, care homes and workplace canteens all benefit from sector-specific examples rather than a generic public class.
Who should attend this course?
Catering assistants, kitchen porters, school meal staff, care home kitchen teams, workplace canteen staff and front-of-house team members who serve and describe dishes. It is also useful for new starters before they progress to Level 2 Nutrition.
Why does nutrition training matter for school, care and healthcare contracts?
Tenders and contract renewals in school catering, care homes and healthcare increasingly ask for evidence that kitchen staff hold regulated nutrition training. A documented Ofqual-regulated certificate, named to each staff member, is more credible at audit than an internal briefing — and protects the contract when commissioners and parents ask how meals support resident or pupil health.
What is the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 Nutrition?
Level 1 is an introduction to a healthy, balanced diet and is suitable for any team member, including those new to formal study. Level 2 (603/2159/3) goes further into nutritional needs across the life course, special diets and the link between diet and health, and is more appropriate for cooks, chefs and supervisors who plan or design menus.
How long is the certificate valid for?
There is no statutory expiry. Most operators refresh nutrition knowledge every 3 years, or sooner when menus, dietary guidance or contract specifications change.