iBites Podcast – S2E3 – Crystal Beers
Welcome to iBites, the podcast from the Institute of Child Nutrition.
On iBites, we talk with school nutrition professionals from around the country. Our guests share real experiences, practical tips, and proven strategies to support your work. Whether you’re an experienced nutrition director, a manager, or new to child nutrition, this is your community to connect, learn, and get inspired.
Grab your coworkers or your earbuds, put on your walking shoes, or find a comfy spot. It’s time to dive in!
Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you, your dedication, and the difference you make each day in nourishing the next generation.
Crystal Beers shares her approach to leading her staff and making sure all her students are fed with a smile and warm greeting.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
The Mix Up Podcast – Episode 31 – Shaping Student’s Relationship with Food
Host Patrick Garmong sits down with national school nutrition leader Stephen O’Brien to talk about how school meals can shape a student’s relationship with food for life. They dig into scratch cooking, smart procurement, small-district strategies, building allies, and why universal free meals shift the conversation from access to quality.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
iBites Podcast – S2E2 – Rosalynn Ordonez
Welcome to iBites, the podcast from the Institute of Child Nutrition.
On iBites, we talk with school nutrition professionals from around the country. Our guests share real experiences, practical tips, and proven strategies to support your work. Whether you’re an experienced nutrition director, a manager, or new to child nutrition, this is your community to connect, learn, and get inspired.
Grab your coworkers or your earbuds, put on your walking shoes, or find a comfy spot. It’s time to dive in!
Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you, your dedication, and the difference you make each day in nourishing the next generation.
In this episode, Rosalynn Ordanez shares her best kept secrets for keeping staff engaged and motivated. Rosalynn is a compassionate leader for her school nutrition team.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
The Mix Up Podcast – Episode 30 – Finding Purpose in School Nutrition with Leah Botko
On this episode of The Mix Up, Patrick Garmong sits down with Leah Botko, who shares her journey from starting in food service as a teen to leading school meal programs in Massachusetts—and now stepping into a new role in Old Orchard Beach, Maine.
Leah reflects on career growth, mentorship, and the impact school nutrition leaders can have in shaping healthier, more engaging meals for students. Her story offers both inspiration and practical takeaways for anyone working in child nutrition.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
iBites Podcast – S2E1 – Trailblazing Leadership with Tina Hastings
Welcome to iBites, the podcast from the Institute of Child Nutrition.
On iBites, we talk with school nutrition professionals from around the country. Our guests share real experiences, practical tips, and proven strategies to support your work. Whether you’re an experienced nutrition director, a manager, or new to child nutrition, this is your community to connect, learn, and get inspired.
Grab your coworkers or your earbuds, put on your walking shoes, or find a comfy spot. It’s time to dive in!
Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you, your dedication, and the difference you make each day in nourishing the next generation.
In the first episode of Season 2 of the iBites Podcast, Tina Hastings brings her transformative approach to school nutrition leadership. A passionate and humble trailblazer, Tina shares insights on career development, team building, and creating meaningful professional growth opportunities in school nutrition. Listeners will be inspired by her strategic vision and commitment to empowering nutrition professionals.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
The Mix Up Podcast – Episode 29 – Raising the Bar: Brittney Rodriguez
Raising the Bar: Brittney Rodriguez on Scratch Cooking and Food Quality in School Nutrition
In this episode of The Mix-Up, host Patrick Garmong welcomes Brittney Rodriguez, Nutrition Services Supervisor at Hacienda La Puente Unified School District in California. Serving over 15,000 students across 28 schools, Brittney shares how her team is making strategic changes to improve food quality, expand scratch and speed-scratch cooking, and strengthen operational consistency. From menu development to workforce training, Brittney emphasizes how thoughtful leadership and strong systems can transform a school meal program. This episode is packed with practical strategies for directors and supervisors aiming to modernize their operations and boost meal appeal for students.
#CulinaryJourney #SchoolMeals #TheMixUpPodcast
Music: Dirty Gertie by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe with: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS | More
ICN 30th Anniversary Celebration
In conjunction with our 2019 National Advisory Council Meeting (NAC), ICN hosted a 30th Anniversary Celebration to reflect on the accomplishments of the Institute, and look forward to our continuing mission of serving child nutrition professionals. We were honored to welcome dignitaries from the University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi, United States Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Services (USDA/FNS), School Nutrition Association (SNA), and all members of the Institute’s NAC. ICN’s leadership and staff are excited about the future initiatives and projects that will maintain our vital support for child nutrition professionals across the country.
Team Nutrition’s USDA Standardized Recipes have moved to the Institute of Child Nutrition’s Child Nutrition Recipe Box!
The Child Nutrition Recipe Box provides Child Nutrition Program operators with recipes to prepare healthy and delicious meals that meet meal pattern requirements. These recipes are standardized to provide [Read More]
S.T.A.R. Spotlight
This quarter the S.T.A.R. Spotlight is shining on Deb Potter with Prairie Hills USD 113 in Sabetha, Kansas. Brook Brubeck, Prairie Hills USD Food Service Director, shared that [Read More]
Online Courses Update
Courses Available Current Users Course Enrollments Courses Completions After two full years of providing free, self-paced online courses via [Read More]
Free Webinars
Take advantage of the FREE webinars available from ICN and USDA! The monthly S.T.A.R. Webinar Series is offered the last Thursday of each month. CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursday [Read More]
Face-to-Face Training Update
Summer 2019 brought a record setting number of face-to-face trainings for the ICN Training Team! By the end of August, we surpassed the total number of trainings conducted in [Read More]
eSTAR
USDA’s Team Nutrition E-STAR Program is an enhanced version of the ICN STAR (School Nutrition Strategies, Training, Action Plans, and Resources) training program that focuses on school meal quality. [Read More]