Lend Me Your Ear: Tips to Get Kids to Eat Their Corn

Mom developed numerous strategies to coax us into eating our veggies as little kids. While peas and lima beans were basically lost causes, corn was one we were easily tricked into consuming. How’d she do it?  

 

1. Break the cob in half.

With one quick snap, we split the ear of corn into two, which meant less veggies in our tummies and more room for strawberry ice cream later.

 

2. Use corn holders.

Our looked like miniature ears of corn, complete with cute little kernels etched into the plastic, which we stuck into either end of the cob to prevent burning our fingers. Mom and Dad did need to put them in for us though since their sharp prongs and us little kids didn’t mix.

 

3. Cut the corn off of the cob.

Not only did this solve the problem of corn painfully wedged between our teeth, but it also became a competition to see who could get the biggest chunk of kernels all stuck together after being sawed off of the cob. I always ate those chunks first, seeing as playing too much with the pieces would just break them apart anyway.

 

But times have changed. I now cook twice as many ears of corn, entirely because I’m licking my lips and reaching for a second helping before anyone else has even sunk their teeth into their first! And I find this sweet corn and tomato bruschetta just as addicting as the plain corn by itself. Guess Mom’s tricks worked after all!

 

 

Tomato and Sweet Corn Bruschetta

serves 4-6 as an appetizer

The corn adds an irresistible sweetness to the acidic tomatoes and savory onion. It’ll be hard to save room for dinner with these around!

1 ear of sweet yellow corn

2 tomatoes

½ tsp olive oil

½ tsp dried onion flakes

½ tsp dried basil

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 baguette

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Husk the corn and rinse. Wrap tightly in two layers of plastic cling wrap, and microwave on high for 2½ to 3 min. Carefully remove the corn from the plastic wrap, and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Finely dice the tomatoes, and add to a medium bowl along with the olive oil though pepper. Mix well.
4. Slice the baguette into ½-inch slices. Place slices on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. (Optional: lightly spray each side with an olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt.) Bake for 7-9 min or until bread is golden and dry. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Once corn is cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off and add to the tomato mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min, or up to 4 hours. Serve with crostini.