How to Find Nutrition Education Templates

Why Canva?

Canva is an easy-to-use design program. You can create gorgeous visuals using a simple drag-and-drop approach. Best of all, it’s free to use and offers additional paid design elements if you need something special.

There are other options for creating client handouts, but Canva offers an array of design tools that make it stand out as a clear winner for DIY-designers. However, you’re likely just scratching the surface of what it can do – unless you spend some time learning how to use it.

Let’s dive in!

What is a template?

Templates are a shortcut to good design. Instead of starting from scratch, you update a pre-designed template with your content and brand elements.

Templates typically have a combination of text, pictures, color, illustrations and more.

Canva has 50,000+ templates. The sheer volume can be overwhelming – scrolling through the options can leave you feeling indecisive and stuck in design fog.

Choosing a template can be the hardest part of getting started – that’s why we’re going to talk in detail about this step. But first…

Here’s an example of how you can take a template and change it to match your needs. As you can see, there are some elements of the original design remaining, but much has been customized to fit the content of the resource.

Creating a Client Handout in Canva: Step-by-Step

Now that you’ve seen an example of a customized template, let’s tackle each step in the process so you can create your own client handout in Canva.

Step 1: Choose the right template

A common mistake people make is not using the right type of template. When creating client education handouts, it can be difficult to find a template that fits your content. Unless you know where to look!

Pro Tip! Start your search with a category that is well-suited to your content. This will narrow down your results to templates that are the best fit for creating client education resources.

Best template categories for handouts

Worksheets – perfect for creating resources that feature blanks for your clients to fill in or complete as homework.

Example FREE worksheet template below.

Flyers – great for items that have a combination of text and images.

Example of a FREE flyer template below.

Infographics – offer excellent inspiration for translating information into a visual format. However, the size of these aren’t optimized for printing on 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheets of paper. Use these with caution if you plan to print these resources.

Example FREE infographic template below.

Pro Tip: If you have the paid version of Canva, you can resize any template (including infographics) to flyer and it will be ready to design as a printable. NOTE: you will need to make some changes to have design elements fit in the new size.

What if you can’t find a fit in the Canva template library?

You can purchase templates and add them to your Canva account. For example, Creative Market has over 1300 templates available for purchase.

Most often, you’ll find the best fit for creating client education handouts if you search for templates labeled as a workbook or lead magnet.

Aren’t there any templates created specifically for education handouts?

Yes! RD2RD has a set of 18 designer-created Canva templates. These are available FREE for vendors with a premium membership or for purchase. These have been designed just for creating nutrition handouts and worksheets. Below is a peek – gorgeous, right? 

Give yourself the gift of great design. Get access to 18 gorgeous Canva templates created just for nutrition pros! Designs include 10 handout and worksheet pages, perfect for creating resources to use with clients.

Using a well-designed template as a starting point can dramatically improve the quality of your final product and save you time.

Step 2: Update the template with your content and branding

Once you’ve selected a template for your resource, the real work begins. In Canva, you’ll edit the text, colors, fonts, images and more. Customizing a Canva template takes a gorgeous design and makes it match your brand and fit your content.

Pro Tip: Get organized! Be sure to have branding details such as hex codes for your brand colors and font names handy. This will save you time and make sure your products have a cohesive look.

In this video tutorial, designer (and Canva template creator) Jessica Safko walks you through how to update a Canva template. Grab the FREE template previews and follow along with the steps presented.

Templates are a starting point! A common trouble spot for DIY-designers is expecting a template to fit your needs 100%. Instead, they offer a starting point. You can edit entire sections, add additional images or shift text and sizing. Don’t feel boxed in by a template. It offers a solid design structure to begin from.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by the process of creating your resource, you can outsource the design. Working with a designer can be more affordable than you think. Sites like Fiverr and Upwork offer well-priced services.

Step 3: Download and test your resource

Once you’ve customized your template and created a handout for use with clients, put it work! Most of the time client handouts will need revision after you’ve had a chance to use it in practice.

If you’re creating resources to sell in your RD2RD store and don’t have clients of your own to test the resource out on, reach out to colleagues for feedback. Offer to send a copy in exchange for feedback and a review when you’ve listed it for sale.

Summary:

Using templates to create client resources give you a shortcut to great design. Learning to customize templates to match your brand and fit your content takes a little effort, but can offer great results. In addition to wow-ing your clients, you can sell your handouts in your RD2RD store and earn passive income. Put your work to work!

Join the 600+ nutrition experts that are already part of the sharing economy. With more than $100K in earnings paid out to dietitian sellers, RD2RD is a great way to monetize your expertise.