Lincoln University Partners with Discovery Center to Promote Early Nutrition

Kathaleen Lopez-Smith shows a group of children at Little Explorers Discovery Center how to whisk eggs before cooking.

Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) Cooperative Extension educators are bringing hands-on nutrition lessons to young learners through a new community collaboration.

Judith Mutamba, state extension specialist in human health and nutrition, and program assistant Kathaleen Lopez-Smith visited Little Explorers Discovery Center, a Jefferson City daycare, in mid-March to lead a cooking demonstration for two classrooms.

The sessions included a group of 5-year-olds followed by a class of 4-year-olds. During the demonstration, Lopez-Smith handled most of the cooking while Mutamba led the discussion, guiding students through the basics of protein and nutrition.

The lesson aligned well with the center’s own curriculum on protein. Students eagerly shared their own ideas about how to prepare eggs, offering examples such as boiled and scrambled. Mutamba expanded on their answers, explaining how different nutritional values contribute to the yellow and white colors of an egg.

“Protein makes us grow!” Mutamba exclaimed as the group prepared green eggs and ham, a kid-friendly twist to keep students engaged.

While many students showed enthusiasm, not all felt eager to taste the finished product. Some declined to try the green eggs and ham, while others sampled it but decided to leave it on their plates.

The visit marked the first time LU educators have worked with the center since establishing a partnership through the University of Missouri (MU).

“I’m excited,” said Mutamba. “MU invited us because they used to work with children, but they lost the program.”

Judith Mutamba uses a toy fried egg to educate students about the difference between the yolk and whites of an egg.

The center, which has a capacity of 99 students and currently enrolls 82, plans to host monthly visits from LU with lessons tailored to complement classroom instruction. Mutamba said the goal is to introduce nutrition concepts early and in ways children can understand.

“We’re catching them young to teach them about nutrition in a way that fits their age group,” she said.

Mutamba also highlighted the broader impact of the program, noting lessons learned in the classroom often extend beyond it.

“We have an opportunity to teach them as kids,” she said. “And when they go home, they tell their parents what they’ve learned, so we can get the whole family involved.”

LU Extension supports similar efforts statewide, with nutrition program assistants based in St. Louis, Kansas City and the southeast region of Missouri. The central region of the state is supported by Lopez-Smith

Plans for the partnership include bringing students to LU’s commercial kitchen for hands-on cooking experiences and involving them in gardening activities at the university’s Finca EcoFarm. Mutamba and Lopez-Smith said they plan to work with a variety of age groups, stepping into any classroom open to participation as they continue expanding the program.

For more information about programs and partnership opportunities within LU’s Human Nutrition and Health program, please contact Judith Mutamba at MutambaJ@lincolnu.edu.