A worker dishes up lunch selections for students in the Oxford High School cafeteria. The Institute of Child Nutrition at the University of Mississippi provided training and resources to help improve the quality and preparation of lunches in the school district. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services
Institute of Child Nutrition celebrates 35 years with reflection on past, vision for future
Anyone familiar with public schools knows the drill. The lunch bell rings, and the lines form to gather the fuel necessary to make it through the second half of the day.
Behind every tray of balanced meals and carefully chosen ingredients lies the unseen work of the Institute of Child Nutrition. For 35 years, the institute has helped improve the meals – and lives – of millions of children nationwide by empowering the professionals who prepare their meals.
Housed in the School of Applied Sciences at the University of Mississippi, the institute has become a critical research and training hub for child nutrition professionals nationwide.
Research consistently shows that good nutrition significantly benefits children in child care and education settings. Through strategic initiatives, the institute develops evidence-based resources and conducts in-person and online training that assists child nutrition professionals in improving meal quality and program effectiveness.
“Child nutrition programs have completely transformed over the past 100-plus years,” said Aleshia Hall-Campbell, ICN executive director. “We all know the critical role a healthy, nutritious diet plays in our overall mental, physical and behavioral health, and academic success.
“ICN’s role is to ensure child nutrition professionals have the knowledge, skills and resources to prepare safe, healthy and nutritious meals to ensure our nation’s children receive quality meals.”
Over its 35-year history, the institute has helped transform school nutrition landscapes across the United States. In the 2023-24 fiscal year alone, the institute delivered nearly 500 live training sessions reaching some 12,000 child nutrition professionals.
Its digital platform, iLearn, boasts more than 404,600 registered users and has recorded 313,199 course enrollments, demonstrating ICN’s expansive educational reach.
This far-reaching impact aligns with the university’s mission to serve the state and nation, UM Provost Noel Wilkin said.
“For 35 years, ICN has played a key role in facilitating healthy nutrition of children across the country,” Wilkin said. “ICN is an exemplar as to how universities, which are dedicated to discovery and dissemination of knowledge, can play key, practical roles in the lives of citizens.”
Foundations for Progress
In the late 1980s, policymakers recognized a growing need for guidance and training for school nutrition professionals across the country. Congress responded by amending the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act in 1989, which established the institute.
The ICN, which gained permanent authorization in 1994, stands as the nation’s sole federally funded center dedicated to advancing child nutrition programs.
Jeanette Phillips, former professor and chair of the UM Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management, worked to bring the institute to Ole Miss. Then known as the National Food Service Management Institute, the building was located on University Avenue near the space now occupied by the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
In 2000, the institute moved into a new facility – on Jeannette Phillips Drive – that was named for former chancellor R. Gerald Turner in 2007.
The institute continues to advance its mission thanks to considerable external funding. During the 2023-24 fiscal year, the ICN secured approximately $10.5 million in federal funding, grants and other contracts. Of that, $1 million was due to the efforts of child nutrition champion Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
“The growing demand for the knowledge and expertise offered by the ICN is proof enough that federal investment in this program is worthwhile,” Hyde-Smith said. “This demand is rooted in the growing understanding that school nutrition programs play a key role in how well children grow physically and educationally.”
A key strength of the institute has been its ability to evolve to meet new needs and respond to challenges.
In 2019, ICN administrators established the Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition to help school districts elevate the school lunch experience with more meals cooked from scratch. The following year, they pivoted to virtual training during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The work of the ICN has not gone unnoticed. The institute has received honors for its innovative Cooks for Kids Video Training Series and its professionals have been invited to the White House to take part in the Chefs Move to Schools Initiative.
Several of the institute’s team members serve on advisory boards for prominent national organizations, including the School Nutrition Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and American Commodities and Distribution Association.
Other influential organizations, such as the American Heart Association and the nonprofit Food Allergy Research and Education, have sought the institute to partner for new resources and training.
“The outstanding reputation earned by the ICN is due to its effectiveness in demonstrating to schools and state education departments that what it offers works and helps children,” Hyde-Smith said. “That’s no mistake because ICN resources are peer tested through its strong partnership with the Applied Research Division at Southern Miss.”
The Research that Nourishes Change
The institute’s work spans across two universities. At the same time the ICN was founded, so was its Applied Research Division at the University of Southern Mississippi.
The team in Hattiesburg conducts focus groups, surveys, interviews and case studies to better understand evolving needs and processes. This research directly informs curriculum development and training programs, ensuring that child nutrition professionals receive targeted, evidence-based education.
This work is fundamental to the institute’s mission, said Marjuyua Lartey-Gibson, the division’s director.
“The research conducted by researchers at the Applied Research Division serves as the foundation for developing education and training resources at the institute,” she said.
“The collaborative work between divisions at both universities has led to the development of research-based resources that have served as foundational sources of information for defining child nutrition professionals’ roles, establishing standards of professional practice and quality assessment resources for child nutrition operations.”
One example of their work is the Competency, Knowledge and Skill Research Series, which Lartey-Rouser notes is unique in the child nutrition field.
“We are the only group in the child nutrition arena identifying the competencies, knowledge and skills needed for all positions in the School Nutrition Program,” she said.
It is that research from the ICN’s Applied Research Division that makes the resources and training unique, Hall-Campbell said.
“These findings are at the heart of ICN’s educational materials, ensuring our resources are practical, effective and tailored to the needs of schools nationwide,” she said.
Training for Transformation
Since its creation, the ICN has become a go-to source for information, resources, research and on-site training at schools across the country, all at little to no cost. For local school districts, the institute’s impact extends far beyond basic training.
Take the Oxford School District, for example. The district’s director of nutrition, Daniel Westmoreland, credits the ICN’s participation and input with transforming his team’s capabilities over two decades.
“While many times the contributions are subtle, not noticed; it’s the little things that really make things click,” Westmoreland said. “Trainings from professionals at the ICN take the investment to another level.”
From specialized skills such as knife handling that reduce workplace injuries to shifting its approach to professional development, the ICN has been instrumental in elevating school nutrition programs’ operational excellence and safety.
“There is a huge benefit for our department in our employees hearing it from someone other than us,” he said.
The Next Plate
Even as the institute has established itself as the gold standard in child nutrition, Hall-Campbell notes that there is work to be done.
“With a growing emphasis on improving the taste and image of school meals, many progressive school districts are transitioning to making food from scratch to better control the flavor and nutritional value of school food,” she said. “Schools are working with chefs to create healthier, student-friendly recipes and enhance the culinary skills of their kitchen staff.
“These efforts have increased student participation, higher fruit and vegetable consumption, and reduced food waste.
Looking ahead, ICN is poised to elevate child nutrition programs through innovative strategies. The institute plans to expand chef-led culinary training, develop leadership certificate pathways and enhance digital learning platforms.
By providing technical assistance, creating interactive e-learning modules and supporting scratch cooking initiatives, the institute aims to continually improve school meal quality and student nutrition nationwide.
“Through these future initiatives, ICN aims to remain at the forefront of child nutrition, ensuring that school meal programs continue to evolve and serve the best interests of students nationwide,” Hall-Campbell said.
While work remains to be done, one thing is clear: the future of child nutrition will be shaped by the training and resources developed and offered by the ICN. And it all starts here in Mississippi.
By Edwin Smith
