Lorrene Ritchie, PhD, RD, now Emeritus, was the inaugural Director of the Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI) and Cooperative Extension Nutrition Specialist in the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The mission of NPI is to conduct research that informs nutrition policy and programs for healthy children, families, and communities. NPI provides nutrition policy leadership built from ANR's numerous research, and education activities, and works in synergy with research and outreach efforts being conducted throughout the UC system.

Dr. Ritchie has devoted her career to the development of interdisciplinary, science-based and culturally relevant solutions to poor diet and food security. She has conducted studies in numerous settings on the impact of nutrition policies and programs. Current research interests include evaluation of the relationship of school-level programs and policies on student health, the impact of policy on nutrition practices in childcare settings, and the relationships of federal, state and community-level programs and policies with child nutrition, weight status and health.

Recent publications include:

1. Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Polacsek M, Olarte DA, Read M, Patel AI, Schwartz MB, Chapman L, Orta-Aleman D, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W (joint last authors). Parent perceptions of school meals and how perceptions differ by race and ethnicity. Health Affairs Scholar 2024;2:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1093/haschl/qxad092
2. Martinez SM, Singh S, Esaryk E, Ritchie L. SNAP student rules are not so snappy: Lessons learned from a qualitative study of county agency workers. J Nutr Ed Behav 2024;56:133-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2023.12.004.
3. Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Patel AI, Olarte DA, Chapman LE, Reach M, Schwartz MB, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W (joint last authors). Parent perceptions of school meals influence student participation in school meal programs. J Nutr Ed Behav 2024;56:230-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2024.01.003
4. Zuercher MD, Orta-Aleman D, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Poloacsek M, Patel AI, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W. The Benefits and Challenges of Providing School Meals during the First Year of California’s Universal School Meal Policy as Reported by School Foodservice Professionals. Nutrients 2024;16:1812. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121812
5. Chaney AM, Anderson CE, Arnold CD, Whaley SE, Ritchie LD, Pundi GR, Nguyen CJ, Au LE. Evaluating the association of the increase in the WIC cash value benefit on the diversity of MyPlate fruits and vegetables redeemed and consumed by children in low-income households. Curr Dev Nutr 2024;8:103778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.103778
6. Hecht AA, Gosliner W, Turner L, Hecht K, Hecht CE, Ritchie LD, Polacsek M, Cohen JFW. School Meals for All: A qualitative study exploring lessons in successful advocacy and policymaking in Maine and California. J Acad Nutr Diet 2024;May 6:S2212-2672(24)00206-5. https:/doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2024.04.018.
7. Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher MD, Bacon KA, Chelius C, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Ritchie LD, Cohen JFW, Gosliner W. Students’ Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of Universal School Meals Related to Food Accessibility, Stigma, Participation, and Waste. J Nutr Ed Behav 2024;0001-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2024.04.011.
8. Chapman LE, Gosliner W, Olarte DA, Ritchie LD, Schwartz MB, Polacsek M, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Turner L, Patel AI, Zuercher MD, Read M, Daly TP, Cohen JFW. Universal School Meals During the Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Parent Perceptions From California and Maine. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2024 May 11:S2212-2672(24)00217-X. https://doi.org/0.1016/j.jand.2024.05.005.
9. Tsai MM, Anderson CE, Whaley SE, Yepez CE, Ritchie LD, Au LE. Associations of increased WIC benefits for fruits and vegetables with food security and satisfaction by race and ethnicity. Prev Chron Dis 2024;21:E19. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.230288
10. Ritchie LD, Bacon KA, Felix C, Lee DL, Marshall SK, Vitale EH, Matias SL. Child and Adult Care Food Program: Family Childcare Home Providers’ Perceptions of Impacts of Increased Meal and Snack Reimbursement Rates During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Nutrients 2024;16(19):3241. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193241
11. Zuercher MD, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE. Hecht K, Orta-Aleman D, Olarte DA, Chapman LE, Read M, RitchieLD, Gosliner W (joint last authors). Household food insecurity is associated with parental perceptions of and student participation in school meals. Nutrients 2024;16:3375. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193375
12. Lang I, Kim Y, Ritchie LD, Au LE, Colabianchi N. Looking to the past: Investigating 10-year place histories as a determinant of home food environments in the Healthy Communities Study. Social Sci Med 2024:363: 117478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117478
13. Chaney AM, Arnold CD, Frongillo EA, Ritchie LD, Steele EM, Au LE. Infant diet quality index predicts nutrients of concern and ultra-processed food intake in low-income children in the United States. Curr Dev Nutr 2024;8:104483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104483
14. Pedroza-Tobias A, Cradock AL, Blacker L, Ritchie LD, Schmidt LA, McCulloch C, Salomon JA, Brindis CD, Cabana MD, Patel AI. “Water First" School Water Promotion and Access Intervention: A Cost Analysis Study. J Acad Nutr Diet 2024;Nov 6:S2212-2672(24)00924-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2024.10.022
15. Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher MD, Hecht C, Hecht K, Poudel I, Olarte DA, Patel A, Polacsek M, Ritchie LD, Cohen JFW, Gosliner W. Perceptions and experiences of Universal School Meals in California: Qualitative insights from school food authorities on participation, stigma, and operational benefits and challenges. J Acad Nutr Diet 2024;Nov 9:S2212-2672(24)00941-9. https://doi:10.1016/j.jand.2024.11.002
16. Au LE, Thompson HR, Ritchie LD, Sun B, Zimmerman TP, Whaley SE, Reat A, Sankavaram K, Borger C. Longer WIC participation is associated with higher diet quality and consumption of WIC-eligible foods among children 2-5 years old. J Acad Nutr Diet 2024;Nov 25:S2212-2672(24)00989-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2024.11.012.
17. Cohen JFW, Chapman LE, Olarte DA, Hecht CA, Hecht K, Mine L, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Orta-Aleman D, Patel AI, Polacsek M, Ritchie LD, Zuercher M, Gosliner W. Perceived Influence of a State-Level Universal Free School Meal Policy on Households With Varying Income Levels: An Analysis of Parental Perspectives. J Acad Nutr Diet J Acad Nutr Diet 2024;Oct 9:S2212-2672(24)00871-2. https://doi:10.1016/j.jand.2024.10.001
18. Gerstenfeld L, Blacker L, McCulloch CE, Ritchie LD, Ordonez VM, Schmidt L, Patel A. The impact of a water promotion and access intervention on elementary school students in the presence of food insecurity. Public Health Nutr 2025:28:e2,1–7. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980024002283
19. Zuercher MD, Orta-Aleman D, French CD, Cohen JFW, Hecht C, Hecht K, Chapman LE, Read M, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Schwartz MB, Patel AI, Ritchie LD, Gosliner W (joint last authors). Factors and outcomes associated with using scratch-cooked, organic, and locally-grown foods in school meals in California. J School Health 2025:2:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13533
20. Bacon K, Chelius C, Orta-Aleman D, Zuercher M, Ritchie L, Cohen JFW, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Gosliner W. California Middle and High School Students Report Wanting “Fresh” and “Healthy” Free School Meals. J Nutr Ed Behav 2025;Feb 7:S1499-4046(25)00010-7. https://doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.01.006   
21. Chapman LE, Gosliner W, Olarte DA, Zuercher MD, Ritchie LD, Orta-Aleman D, Schwartz MB, Polacsek M, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Patel AI, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Read M, Cohen JFW. Impact of mealtime social experiences on student consumption of meals at school: a qualitative analysis of caregiver perspectives. Public Health Nutr 2025;Feb 4:1-29. https://doi:10.1017/S1368980024002349
22. Zaltz DA, Neff RA, Ritchie LD, Chriqui JF, Benjamin-Neelon SE, and the ECE Beverage Collective. Child Beverage Consumption in US Early Care and Education Settings, 2008 – 2020. J Nutr Ed Behav 2025;Jan 31:S1499-4046(25)00008-9. https://doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.01.005
23. Chapman LE, Gosliner W, Schwartz MB, Zuercher MD, Richie LD, Orta-Aleman D, Hecht CE, Hecht K, Polacsek M, Patel AI, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Read M, Olarte DA, Cohen JFW. Understanding Free or Reduced-Price School Meal Stigma: A Qualitative Analysis of Parent Perspectives. J School Health 2025;0:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70004
24. Olarte DA, Gosliner W, Chapman LE, Hecht C, Hecht K, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Patel A, Read M, Ritchie LD, Schwartz MB, Zuercher MD, Orta-Aleman D, Polascek M, Cohen JFW. Foodservice directors’ perceived barriers to student participation in school meals when meals were served free of charge during the 2021-2022 school year. J School Health 2025;95:575-86. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.70019
25. Fiedler KC, Ezekiel M, Vasicsek R, Felix C, Lee DL, Thompson H, Gosliner W, Heiges J, Willits S, Madsen K, Ritchie LD. Lessons learned from reusable serviceware implementation in school lunch in a California school district: a qualitative exploration of school staff and parents’ perceptions. J Child Nutr Management 2025;49. https://schoolnutrition.org/journal/spring-2025-lessons-learned-from-reusable-serviceware-implementation-in-school-lunch-in-a-california-school-district-a-qualitative-exploration-of-school-staff-and-parents-perceptions/
26. Woodward-Lopez G, McLain AC, Frongillo EA, Colabianchi N, Collie-Akers V, Ritchie LD. Community and school programs, policies and environments related to child dietary intake: The Healthy Communities Study. Pediatr Obes 2025;0:e70043. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.70043
27. Ramponi F, Zhou H, Gosliner W, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Orta-Aleman D, Ritchie L, Schwartz M, Turner L, Verguet S, Cohen J. Universal free school meal policies increase participation in the U.S. National School Meal Programs. JAMA Pediatr 2025;(in press). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.2301  
28. Grau RC, Ritchie LD, Patel A, Thompson HR. Impact of Milk Fat Intake on BMI Change and Nutrient Intake in WIC-Enrolled Toddlers. J Nutr Ed Behav 2025;(in press).
29. Cohen JFW, Zuercher MD, Orta-Aleman D, Chapman LE, Hecht CA, Hecht K, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Olarte DA, Patel AI, Polacsek M, Ritchie LD, Schwartz MB, Gosliner W. Impact of De-implementing Universal Free School Meals on Schools: School Food Authority Perspectives. J Nutr Ed Behav 2025;(in press).
30. Orta-AlemanD, Schwartz MB, Patel AI, Polacsek M, Hecht CA, Hecht K, Zuercher MD, Ritchie LD, CohenJFW, Gosliner W. Statewide Universal School Meal Policies and Food Insecurity in Households with Children. Am J Prev Med 2025;(in press). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379725004337
31. Au LE, Arnold CD, Domfe C, Ritchie LD, Whaley SE, Bitler M, Frongillo EA. Diet quality and weight status is predicted by complex patterns of federal nutrition assistance program participation, health, and demographics. Curr Dev Nutr 2025;(in press). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107505