Sweetcorn
Understanding Veg
Sweetcorn grows into tall plants with ears – or cobs – packed with the sweet yellow kernels we love to eat. Each cob has an average of 800 kernels in 16 neat rows. Cornflakes, popcorn and many fizzy drinks are made of sweet corn, but you’ll only unlock the true Veg Power of corn by eating simple sweetcorn, either tinned or frozen or fresh, right from the corn cob.
Nutrition
Sweetcorn provides a good source of fibre to support digestion as well as vitamins C and B plus minerals magnesium and potassium that help to keep our bodies healthy.
Shopping Guide
The kernels of corn on the cob should be firm and the colour can vary between yellow and white. Tinned and frozen sweetcorn should be easy to find in your local supermarket all year round.
Storage
Tinned and frozen sweetcorn is easy to store, but to store whole fresh corn, keep the husks on if they come in them (or wrap tightly in foil if not). These can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Baby corn should be kept in its original packaging or sealed in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.
Serving Suggestion
You can either boil them, or grill them – they are great on the BBQ. Whichever method, cook until soft then add some butter, and sprinkle with pepper, salt, maybe a squeeze of lemon. A bag of frozen sweet corn, just like frozen peas, is a sweet staple to pull out of the freezer when you need a quick side portion.
At Its Best:
August - October
Engage
Here are some of our favourite ways to engage kids with sweetcorn:
Arts & Crafts
Start simple with some non-food based engagement. This is especially helpful for a fussier child or those with sensitivities around food.
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Puzzles & Games
Puzzles and games are all about fun and centering them on veg brings a positive association with it. Like arts & crafts, this is great for those who aren’t yet ready to interact physically with the veg, but it can still be fun for all!
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Sensory
Sensory exploration can be a wonderful introduction to physically interacting with veg. Turn it into a positive, pressure-free experience by starting off with the golden rules of “You don’t need to try and you don’t need to like.” Reassuring a child that, while they have a chance to taste a veg, they don’t have to, and are not expected to like it if they do, can make them more happy to engage with it.
Try exploring different kinds of sweetcorn through touch. Feeling the bumps and texture of a corn on the cob is a great way to stimulate imaginations and get some brilliant descriptive language around what it reminds you of! Having baby corn, frozen corn and/or tinned sweetcorn also gives you the chance to explore the different textures of corn and how that may impact our experience (and like or dislike) of it. Which texture is the favourite? What does each different type feel like and make you think of?
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Kids in the Kitchen
Children who help to prep and cook veg are more likely to eat it. If you feel your child is ready to help and could benefit from it, keep the stress and mess to a minimum by choosing one simple task for them to do as part of the prep, meaning they can be involved and feel like the recipe is in part ‘theirs’, but also not make the process too much longer or more complicated.
For a younger child, why not show them how to cook corn on the cob the easiest way you can – by popping frozen ones in a microwaveable bowl and pushing the buttons on the microwave. Let them be in charge of the side dish under your supervision, even spreading a little butter and black pepper over it before serving so they can take pride in a simple but delicious side dish!
For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to teaching stove skills and how to carefully use the hob by simmering some corn cobs until bright yellow and ready to eat, or by adding baby corn or tinned corn to a stir fry or pasta sauce.
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Use our Kitchen Ninja chart and videos to find simple ways for kids to help in the kitchen.
Your Food
Find your go-to meals in our family favourites section and see what veggies work best with them.
Find out how to add more veg to your suppers here.
If You Like Sweetcorn…Try
Does your child enjoy sweetcorn? That’s great! Sweetcorn is usually soft and sweet, so why not try a similar texture and/or taste…
Serving
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it!
The first thing to do is remove the pressure. If the veg doesn’t get eaten, it’s not the end of the world. There will be other days, other dinners, other chances. Fun is key here – try not to worry about mess, perfect table manners, or playing with food. Instead, focus on making the process of getting the food to the plates, readying the table, and the actual eating relaxed.
The best principles for success here are the Three Rs (role modelling, rewarding, re-offering) which you can read about here.
But there is one more way you can serve for success, and that is giving your child a role. You don’t have to do this every time, just encourage them in their strengths through it when you can.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
Design a menu
Come up with a silly name or story for a dish
Help with making a meal plan and choosing veg for dinners or snacks
Help to serve up the meal on dishes, lay the table or create a centrepiece to be involved in the physical ‘serving up’ process
The Wonderful World of Veg
Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…