Living Food Instructor
The complete professional training in herbal medicine. Four years of study, clinical practice, and apprenticeship, leading to qualification as a Master Herbalist.
Train to teach raw vegan nutrition and living food preparation. A practical, hands-on programme grounded in vitalistic principles and whole-food health.
Course Delivery
Online + 5 Practical Saturdays
Duration
5 Months part-time equivalent
Start Date
21 September 2026. Enrolment now open
Investment
€1,800 (from €1,260 with funding)
Food that is alive teaches you something different
The Living Food Instructor Course is a professional training programme that teaches you the principles of raw vegan nutrition and how to teach them to others. On completion, you will be equipped to run your own living food preparation classes, whether in a community setting, a therapy centre, a school, or as part of an existing natural health practice.
The course goes beyond technique. It grounds your practice in vitalistic principles, the understanding that food above 40°C loses its life force, and that the body heals most effectively when given living, whole, unprocessed nutrition. You will understand not just what to prepare, but why it matters and how to communicate that to the people you teach.
The course is suitable for those who want to begin a new career in natural health, and for existing practitioners, herbalists, nutritionists, and reflexologists who want to add living food instruction to their practice.
What the Living Food Instructor course looks like
In this short film, student Friederike Grace describes her experience of the course, the food preparation, the philosophy, and what she took away from it.
Online learning with five hands-on Saturdays
The academic content of the course is delivered online through a structured online programme. You are assigned a personal tutor who moderates group discussions and is available to answer questions throughout the five months.
Five practical Saturday workshops are held at Core College in Castlecomer, approximately once a month. These are full-day sessions covering hands-on food preparation, recipe development, sprouting and fermentation, and the practical skills you will need to run your own classes.
What you will learn
The course covers the full range of living food knowledge,
from nutritional science to practical preparation to teaching skills.
The principles of living food and raw vegan nutrition
Transitioning to a raw food diet, the challenges and how to support others through them
Growing and preparing wheatgrass in a cold climate
The mind-body connection: how diet, air, water, and sunlight interact
Reaching a wider audience: clubs, schools, therapy centres, community groups
High sources of protein, calcium, minerals, and vitamins in living foods
Sprouting grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts
Preparing delicious raw meals for family, friends, and clients
Launching and running your own living food instruction classes
Health, hygiene, and food safety regulations for instructors
Saturday practical dates 2026/27
Five full Saturdays are held at Core College, Castlecomer,
approximately once a month throughout the five-month programme. Dates to be released soon.
Your practical day tutors
The online content is developed by a team of natural health experts. The five practical Saturdays are delivered in person by two experienced living food practitioners.
Helen Costelloe
Helen Costelloe is a Living Food Chef, Instructor, and former owner of a busy plant-based restaurant. She shares her passion for the health benefits of incorporating more organic living foods into the daily diet.
Veronica O'Reilly
Veronica is a Living Food Chef and author of Raw in a Cold Climate, volumes one and two. She has taught living food preparation for many years, making raw vegan food accessible and sustainable in Ireland.
Next steps ❋
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On successful completion of the programme and its assessments, students are awarded a Certificate in Living Food Instruction by Core College.
Graduates are equipped to teach living food preparation classes in a professional capacity, in community settings, therapy centres, schools, health clubs, and as part of an existing natural health practice.
The course is a standalone qualification. It does not require any prior study at Core College, and there is no obligation to continue to further programmes after completing it.
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Study fees are €1,800. However, students who are employed and residing in the Republic of Ireland are eligible for €540 funding through the National Organic Training Skillnet, reducing their payment to just €1,260
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The next course commences on the 21st of September 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. The course is designed to take you from the beginning. An interest in food and health is all you need to start.
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If you are employed and living in the Republic of Ireland, you are likely eligible for funding that reduces the course fee from €1,800 to €1,260. Ask us about this on your Discovery Call and we will confirm your eligibility.
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Yes. The practical days are a core part of the programme and attendance is required. Dates are set in advance so you can plan around them.
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Yes. Many students combine the Living Food Instructor course with another Core College programme. The online delivery format makes it possible to study more than one course at a time, though we recommend discussing this with us first to make sure the workload is manageable.
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Graduates go on to run their own living food classes, in community centres, yoga studios, health food shops, therapy practices, schools, and online. Many use it to complement an existing natural health practice or to begin a new one.
Book a Discovery Call
Not sure if this is the right path for you? A Discovery Call is the best place to start.
A 20-minute Discovery Call gives you the opportunity to ask questions, understand how the course works in practice, and get a clear sense of whether it is the right step for you.
There is no pressure and no obligation. Many students tell us that this conversation simply made the decision feel clear.
You can simply phone the college during office hours to arrange this. The phone number is +353 56 4440254.