iBites Newsletter
A message from our Executive Director
As the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) celebrates 30 years of ICNspiring child nutrition professionals, we reflect on what has been accomplished and what is still to come. We have three new oral histories that tell the stories of child nutrition professionals from WWII era through the early 2000’s, and our latest iBites podcasts focus on what it’s like [Read More]
ICN Celebrates 30 Years
This year, ICN will celebrate 30 years of serving the dedicated individuals who feed our nation's children. Established by Congress in 1989 and funded in 1991 by a grant administered through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), ICN is the only national center of its kind. We look forward to a year of [Read More]
Education and Training Division News
The ICN Training Team has already conducted 99 Face-to-Face Trainings in the first quarter reaching over 1,800 participants. The Training Calendar is filling up quickly for the remainder of the year with 367 trainings already scheduled for 2019. Click HERE to view the Interactive Training Map for all the locations! On March12, ICN provided a LIVE Virtual Instructor Led [Read More]
Culinary Education and Training Division News
The inaugural Culinary Advisory Board Meeting for the newly established Culinary Training and Education initiative took place on March 5-6 at ICN. The board members were selected based upon their diverse areas of expertise in child nutrition, work force development, and culinary training and education resource development. The program is a collaboration between the USDA and ICN, and will [Read More]
Information Services Division News
We are getting close to two years since the launch of ICN's new eLearning Portal and our usage numbers continue to increase. New courses have been added and updates are made as needed to stay current. Here are just a few: Meal Pattern - Updated Content! Presentation Fundamentals - Tips for New Speakers (Version 2) - NEW! Food Safety [Read More]
Applied Research Division News
In March 2019, ARD researchers completed the following activities: Presented the most recent edition of Competencies, Knowledge, and Skills Needed for SN Managers in the 21st Century at the Texas Association of School Business Officials Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX Facilitated an expert panel of child nutrition professionals as part of an exploratory investigation of the roles, responsibilities, [Read More]
Child Nutrition S.T.A.R. Spotlight – Mary Ann Pitnick
In October 2018, ICN piloted the School Nutrition S.T.A.R. program. During this pilot, managers were asked to create action plans to implement throughout the year in their home districts. Here is one success story from the Kansas pilot group in the fall of 2018: Mary Ann Pitnick works at the Juvenile Service Center in Johnson County Kansas and has [Read More]
iBites Podcast
The Mix Up Podcast – Episode 22 – Eric Span
Join The MixUp as we sit down with Eric Span, the visionary Director of Nutrition Services at Sweetwater Union High in San Diego! Discover Eric’s unique blend of hospitality and nutrition experience that transforms school meals into sustainable, nutritious, and educational delights for students. Tune in for an inspiring journey of taste and knowledge, serving up an episode [Read More]
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