APPROVED DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SKILLS PROVIDER

courses for teenagers and young people

D OF E SPORTS NUTRITION COURSE

welcome to our d of e approved sports nutrition course

The Organic Cookery School is a not for profit community cookery school which delivers online and face to face cookery and nutrition programmes across the UK. Since 2004, we have worked with over 100,000 young people, children and families through lottery and local authority funded community cookery projects. We support young people from hundreds of schools and colleges around the UK in achieving their D of E award every year and are delighted to be launching our SPORTS NUTRITION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE home study skills course in Autumn 2025, in partnership with Senior Sports Nutritionist, Dan Richardson (MSc, SENr).

calling all sporty teens and young athletes

This course is aimed at young people who are looking to extend their knowledge of sports nutrition, optimise their training and performance (and create and enjoy some delicious sports-nutrition focused recipes on the way!).

Your D of E Approved Sports Nutrition Course Structure

Structured in fortnightly modules over three or six months, the course offers robust nutritional knowledge and expertise, fun learning activities and flexible cooking challenges designed to meet the requirements of the skills section of Duke of Edinburgh Award at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. 

Why This Course?

Completing your Duke of Edinburgh Award is all about challenge, independence, and pushing your limits. Whether you’re training for an expedition, playing team sports, or just wanting to perform at your best, what you choose to eat matters.

This 3-6 month online course combines sports nutrition know-how with practical cookery challenges, so you can fuel your body, cook with confidence, and make food choices that support your active lifestyle.

By the end, you’ll have the knowledge and recipes to:

• Eat well for training, performance, and recovery

• Cook simple, tasty, nutritious meals and snacks from scratch

• Plan and prep balanced meals for your active lifestyle

• Build healthy habits that last beyond the award

And yes—this course is approved by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and fully meets the requirements of your skills section at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels.

What You’ll Learn

Over 3 (or 6) months, you’ll get a mix of sports nutrition theory and hands-on cookery practice.

Month 1- 3: sports nutrition fundamentals

• Differences between general and sports nutrition

• Importance of nutrition and meal planning for training, performance and recovery

• Understanding the Eatwell Guide and how to apply this to meal planning on training/performance and rest days

• Reading and Understanding Food Labels 

• The Role of Macronutrients in Sports Performance 

• Importance of Hydration - tracking your hydration/signs of dehydrations

• On-the-Go Nutrition (portable meals and snacks for training and performance)

• Supplements for Sports Nutrition - common supplement myths/taking a food first approach

Recipes include - Chicken/Tofu Stir Fry, High Energy Flapjacks, Homemade Energy Drinks, Chilli Con Carne, Homemade Energy balls, High Protein Wraps, Cajun Turkey Fajitas, Cheesy Quinoa Muffins, Hidden Veg Bolognaise, Herby Sausage Rolls, High Protein Chocolate Breakfast Pudding.

Bonus Module -  Female focused Sports Nutrition (including awareness of changing nutritional needs throughout the menstrual cycle)

Months 4-6: Extension course

• Advanced Nutrition Strategies

• Nutrition Strategies for Team Athletes - pre-game, during and post-game nutrition

• Tailoring Nutrition for Individual Sports - personalised sports nutrition guide

• Travel Nutrition/Smart Eating on the Go

• Preparing for University Life as an Athlete

• Eating for Recovery and Injury Prevention - key nutrients and foods that aid recovery and prevent injuries

• Importance of anti-inflammatory foods and proper post-training nutrition

Recipes include: Spiced Salmon Fishcakes, High Protein Veggie Enchilada Cups, Breakfast Muffins, Overnight Oats, Chicken Katsu Bites, Lamb Kofta and Moroccan Couscous, Greek Yoghurt and Berry Granola Pots, Tuna and Pasta Salad, High Protein Brownies

Bonus - Nutrition strategies and menu planning for D of E expeditions

How It Works

• Fortnightly video lessons (short, practical, and easy to follow)

• Step-by-step recipes with shopping lists in metric UK measurements

• Downloadable nutrition guides and expedition meal planners

• Interactive challenges to put your skills and knowledge into practice

• Final project: Create and share a personalised sports nutrition meal or D of E expedition meal plan relevant to your goals

Who’s It For?

• Young people aged 13–25 completing their DofE award (Skills Section)

• Anyone who plays sport or loves being active

• Beginners in the kitchen who want to learn fast, tasty, healthy cooking

What You’ll Gain

✅ Practical cookery skills for life
✅ Confidence to fuel your body the right way
✅ Recipes and strategies you can use every day
✅ A personalised assessor report and certificate of achievement for your DofE Skills Section (Bronze, Silver or Gold)

Course Fee

£197 for 3 months / £297 for 6 months

Includes all lessons, resources, and end of course assessment for your DofE Skills sign-off.

Key Dates

Our D OF E SPORTS NUTRITION launches starts on 1st November 2025, a new cohort starting on the first of each month through 2026. Reserve your place now (we will email you on purchase to check your preferred start date).

FAQS

Here are a few of the questions we’ve been asked about the course which may help you decide if it’s right for you.

who’s behind this course?

Sports Nutrition for Young People is partnership between The Organic Cookery School (Duke of Edinburgh Award Approved Activity Provider) and Dan Richardson. Dan is a Yorkshire-born nutrition specialist with a Sports Science degree from Durham University and a master's in Sports Nutrition. With over 7 years in elite sports, including a stint as Head of Nutrition at a professional rugby league club and a Premier League Academy football club, he provides tailored nutrition consultancy to elite athletes, clubs, and schools across the UK. 

what will i Learn?

Over three months, we will cover six modules of sports nutrition, each accompanied by quick and easy optional recipes. Please click here to open a course overview. Our extended six month course offers a deeper dive into advanced nutrition strategies for sport including nutrition for individual and team sports, preparing for university life as an athlete, sports nutrition on the go and eating for recovery/injury prevention.

When will I find out the name and contact details of my d of e Assessor?

After purchase, we will email the purchaser and ask your preferred start date (1st Nov, 1st Dec, or 1st Jan). You will then be sent a short online student registration form. This gives us all the necessary information and parental consents to enrol the young person completing the course and contact them directly.

A few days before your course starts we will enrol you and you will be allocated an Organic Cookery School tutor who will also be your DofE Assessor and complete your online assessment report at the end of your course. If you need the name / contact details of your assessor for your eDofe account sooner, just drop us an email (courses @organiccookeryschool.org) and we can send this to you by return.

Your tutor will be your personal contact throughout the course, and support you with any questions about the programme. You will need to send him or her evidence of the activities you’ve completed, what you’ve cooked, and a copy of your hours log.

You’ll have access to video presentations on key aspects of sports nutrition, quick homework tasks/quizzes to make sure you’ve understood key learning points, and access to a range of curated quick and healthy recipes to cook at home. We suggest you make the most of your tutor, and don’t be afraid to ask questions - they are there to help you and make your Sports Nutrition course as rewarding and accessible as possible.

I’m not sure if I need 3 or 6 months?

We offer a 3 month (13 hour) option and a 6 month (26 hour) option. If you aren’t sure, please choose the three month option and we can offer an extension to a further 3 months of sports nutrition, or the option to swap to another skills on a different cooking theme (such as our popular Street Food and Baking courses). All students will be sent information on how to extend the course/price to extend around the end of month two.

Can I complete the course with a friend?

Yes, you are very welcome to buddy up with a friend! When you enrol, we will send out a pre-course questionnaire (normally to the adult who purchased the course) and in this we ask if you plan to complete the course with a friend. We will then make sure you are allocated the same assessor. Working through the course with a friend is a great idea, and often means you can save time (and money) on shopping, completing learning tasks and supporting each other.

do you offer any other D of E cookery courses?

Yes! We also offer Street Food and Brilliant Baking skills courses, and a D of E Approved Community Chef Volunteering Programme.

How much does the course cost?

Each three month course currently costs £197, which includes access to all materials for a whole year, plus online support from one of our experienced Duke of Edinburgh Assessors.

You can extend the same course to 6 months for an additional £100 (this includes additional training, resources, recipes and support for a further 3 months), making a total of £297.

Do I need lots of fancy cookery equipment?

We devise our recipes using basic cookery equipment, wherever possible, although there are a few gadgets (such as a hand blender and food processor) which you might like to see if you can borrow, for a couple of recipes. You will receive a full equipment list, which is broken down recipe by recipe. If you can’t complete a recipe because you can’t buy or borrow a certain piece of equipment, we will offer advice - and each fortnight there are at least three recipes (four or five if you include bonus recipes), so there will still be plenty you can cook.

Do I need an adult around when I’m cooking?

With any course, whether it be home study or otherwise, safety has to be a priority. We require all applications from students under 18 to be signed off by a parent or legal guardian, and we ask that all students read our ‘Keeping Safe in the Kitchen’ guidelines (covering basic food safety and hygiene and what to do in the case of an accident or injury in the kitchen) BEFORE they start the practical part of the course.

Most students organise weekend or evening cooking sessions, when there is an adult around (often hovering and waiting to taste the finished recipes).

is this course suitable for special diets?

The Organic Cookery School’s Sports Nutrition for Young People course features a wide range of sports-focused nutritional advice and recipes to suit both meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans. We will support you to adapt recipes to avoid major allergens, wherever possible, and to adapt to plant-based, Kosher or Halal principles. Each fortnightly module contains a number of recipe options, so there is plenty of choice for participants with specific dietary needs.

What happens if I get behind?

Over the next three months, you will have the opportunity to access six sports nutrition learning modules and cook over 15 recipes (double this is you are signing up for six months!) Our sports nutrition presentations, activities and recipe demos vary from 4 to 20+ mins. You should aim to commit an average of an hour a week to your skills course, however this can be structured as a couple of hours every fortnight. There are no set times to engage with the resources or cook, and the course is meant to be fun and relaxed, and to fit around your life and your studies, so please don’t worry if illness, or other unexpected interruptions mean you fall behind. Keep in touch with your assessor and everything will be fine.

Is there any support for lower income families?

Over 70% of the cookery classes we run in the community are offered free of charge or with a large subsidy to vulnerable children, families and young people. We work with schools, children’s centres and community support organisations to ensure those who would most benefit from these subsidised classes are able to access them. Every purchase of an Organic Cookery School’s Duke of Edinburgh Cookery Course goes towards supporting these community initiatives. Please contact info@organiccookeryschool.org if you would like to find out more.

can I do this course if i’m not working towards a duke of Edinburgh award?

100%! Approximately 30% of our students haven’t signed up for a D of E Award. Whether you are home schooled, looking for a robust course that meets the requirements of a Guiding/Scouts’ Award or International Baccaulaureate, or just looking to follow the course for fun, you will receive a warm welcome and the same level of support as your D of E peers.

The Organic Cookery School were the first UK cookery school to be approved by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. As a D of E AAP, we offer home study cookery and nutrition skills courses and volunteering programmes to teenagers and young people across the UK.

We offer regular afterschool/weekend and holiday cookery skills courses which can count towards your Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Jamie Oliver Home Cooking Skills BTEC. Both these courses offer a great base in practical cookery skills, nutrition, cooking on a budget as well as some amazing recipes you’ll want to cook again and again.