I use modules, sowing several seeds to a cell, then potting up to 3" pots or equivalent. Sometimes I use the very small modules, especially with F1 varieties where you get 25 seeds to the expensive pack, and pot on to larger modules first. I find the seedlings transplant well in this way: if you thin down to two or three well separated seedlings in a large cell, you should get all to grow on.
I've not tried the nursery bed approach but I am intending to do it with leeks this year, as my pot grown seedlings never get to pencil size, just biro refill.