School Lunch Box Recipes Using Corn You Must Bookmark!

The corn season is here and you’re sure to have a bhuttawala sitting on your street corner fanning the fire to roast the yummy tender corn cobs and slather on some lime and chaat masala. But this incredible super healthy food doesn’t have to be eaten only on the cob. There are plenty of dishes you can make with corn kernels that are tasty and easy to make.

We understand that as parents we want our kids to eat nutritious food. 

Did you know that sweet corn is loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote healthy vision?

Also, a serving of corn is actually packed with dietary fibre.

Don’t forget to check out the year-long KSP Meal Plans Subscription Programme where you get weekly meal plans, grocery lists, recipes, tips and lots more EVERY SINGLE WEEK of the year. We have a special offer on. Don’t forget to check it out!

So I have put together some recipes that would be perfect for your child’s school lunch box – yummy & healthy to eat.

Corn Filled Bread Tarts – Makes 6 tartlets

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These are easy to make and convenient to put into the tiffin box. What’s not to like about crispy bread baked, brushed with butter and filled with corn and cheese?

Ingredients

• 6 slices of Bread (sides removed)
• 1/2 Cup Sweet Corn Kernels (cook in the microwave for 5 minutes)
• 2 Tsp Butter and some extra for brushing
• 2 Tsp Flour ( Maida)
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 5-7 Tbsp grated Cheese
• Salt & Pepper

Method

For The Tartlets

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• Grease a muffin tray or 6 tart moulds.
• Using a rolling pin (belan) flatten each slice of bread.
• Press each slice of the flattened bread into the greased muffin tray or tart moulds.
• Brush the bread tartlets with melted butter. It will help turn them a nice shade of brown and crisp the tartlets up.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5 to 7 minutes or till they turn golden brown in colour. Keep aside to cool.

The Filling

• Melt the butter in a pan and add flour to it. Cook on a slow flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously. Add the milk and mix well. Continue to cook on a medium flame till the milk starts boiling and thickens. Make sure no lumps form. ( I use a whisk to deal with that)
• Take the sauce off the gas and add the sweet corn, cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Cool slightly and divide the filling into 6 equal portions and keep aside.

Putting It Together

• Put the corn mixture into each baked bread tartlet.
• Sprinkle ½ tbsp of cheese on each tartlet and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 3 to 4 minutes or till the cheese melts.

These tartlets hold well in the tiffin box and taste nice hot or cold. 

Corn Sundal

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This South Indian snack is a good change for the tiffin box. You can serve it just like that, or add it to a kathi roll to make it more filling.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1/4 tsp Hing
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds (kali rai)
• 1 Tbsp Urad Dal
• 2 Red Chillies broke or 1 Green Chilli Slit
• 1/2 Tsp Ginger grated
• 1 1/2 cup Sweet Corn or 2 Cobs
• 2-3 Tbsp Grated Fresh or Frozen Coconut
• Handful of Curry Leaves

Method

• If you’re using fresh corn, scrape it off the cob with a knife and boil or steam it. If using frozen corn, rinse and put it in the microwave for about 5 minutes. I feel even frozen corn needs a little pre-cooking before using it.
• Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Throw in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds to crackle.
• Add urad dal, curry leaves, ginger and green chillies. Saute it all together.
• Once the dal turns a nice golden, put in hing, sweet corn, salt and turmeric.  Keep cooking it till the moisture evaporates.
• Add the coconut and take it off the heat and mix well.
• Your corn sundal is ready to be packed for tiffin.

Corn Parathas

A paratha is always a healthy and filling option for the lunch box. You can add some veggies to it if you want like grated carrots. It will up the healthy quotient of your parathas.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups Atta ( wheat flour)
• 1 Cup Sweet Corn or 1 fresh Corn Cob grated
• 2-3 Green Chillies (optional)
• 1 medium sized Onion finely chopped
• Pinch of turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds (jeera)
• Hara Dhania Patta
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Method

• Grind together the corn, green chillies and cumin seeds into a paste using a blender.
• In a bowl, mix onion, wheat flour, corn paste, hara dhania, turmeric and salt. Knead it into a soft dough.
• Make small sized balls for the parathas and roll them out into rounds.
• Once your tawa is hot, put the rolled-out dough on it and cook for a minute.
• Put some oil on it, flip it and fry it till it’s cooked.

You could make it into a roll to make it easier for the kids to eat in school or just fold it and pack it up.

Corn/Makkai Idlis

Give your regular idli a miss and try this one

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Makkai Daliya (Cornmeal)
• 1 ½ Cup Curd
• ½ Cup Water
• 1 Cup Grated Red Carrot (optional)
• ½ Tbsp Green Chilli & Ginger Paste
• Handful Coriander Leaves
• ½ Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tsp Chilli Powder
• ½ Tsp Jeera & Coriander Powder
• Salt as per taste
• Ghee for greasing

Method

• In a bowl mix two cups of cornmeal, curd, ginger chilli paste, carrots & all the spices.
• Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. Then add water and mix again.
• Adjust the quantity of water to get a smooth batter-like consistency.
• Grease the idli mould with ghee and pour the batter into it.
• Steam for 15 minutes in a pressure cooker without the whistle or in a deep utensil covered.
• Serve it with a bowl of curd and green chutney.

Note: If the makkai granules are too big in size then coarsely give it a quick blitz in a food processor.

Corn Pancakes With Cheese – Makes 4-5 pancakes

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These sweet savoury pancakes are a keeper. All kids love pancakes, but by adding this interesting tasty twist, you’re giving them something new to enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3/4 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Cup Cornmeal (Makki ka atta)
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Cup Milk
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 3/4 Cup Corn, about 1 ear grated
• 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese grated

Method

• Put flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl.
• Mix the milk, eggs and butter together in another bowl.
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients together to make a smooth batter. Don’t over-mix it.
• Add the corn and cheese.
• Heat a pan over medium heat and brush a touch of butter on it.
• Ladle a big spoon of the mixture into the pan and cook until the surface starts to bubble and the bottom is golden brown. It takes about 2-3 minutes.
• Flip the pancake and cook the other side until the bottom is golden brown for another 1-2 minutes.

You can pack it with some tomato salsa or maple syrup, depending on what your children prefer. The sweet and savoury combination tastes pretty good.

Corn And Cheese Sandwich – Makes 2 sandwiches

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These easy-to-make corn and cheese sandwiches are a tasty addition to the lunch box menu.

Ingredients

•  4 Slices Bread
•  3/4 Cup Sweet Corn
• 1 Capsicum finely chopped  (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 green)
• 2 Tbsp Cheese Spread
• 2 Tbsp Butter for toasting
• Salt & Pepper

Method

• Microwave the frozen corn after rinsing it. If you’re using fresh corn, then steam it before using it.
• Mix all the ingredients together.
• Put the corn mixture on a slice of bread and cover it with another slice.
• Heat the tawa making sure it’s hot and brush it with butter. Put the sandwich on it and let it cook until it’s crisp and golden brown. Flip and repeat it on the other side as well.

Be sure to pack your sandwich properly so that your child doesn’t have to deal with a soggy sandwich for tiffin. You can learn all about sandwich packing hacks here.

Corn & Carrot Tikkis

Ingredients

• 200g Sweet Potato (boiled) 
• 100g Grated Carrot
• 50g boiled Corn & Peas
• Salt
• Chilli powder
• Coriander
• 1/2 Cup Milk 
• 1 Tsp Flour

Method: 

• Mix all the veggies and seasonings together. Add the milk and flour and mix thoroughly. Then shape them into patties and shallow fry them with a tablespoon of oil.

Corn Peanut Chaat

Ingredients

• 2 cups Corn, frozen
• 1 cup Peanuts
• 1 tablespoon Oil, I used vegetable oil
• ½ Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 small Tomato, diced
• 1 small Red Onion, diced
• 1 Garlic, minced
• 1 juice of Lemon
• 1 Tbsp Chaat Masala
• ½ Tsp Cumin Powder
• ¼ Tsp Red Chili Powder
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnish

Method

• Boil the corn for 5 minutes on the gas or put them in water and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the peanuts and let them lightly brown for about 6-7 mins while stirring constantly. The peanuts will brown fast so don’t let them burn! Once they’re toasted, remove from heat and let them cool.
• In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Jhatpat chaat ready in minutes!

Notes

The masalas have salt included so I recommend tasting the chaat before adding salt and adjusting to your taste.

Scroll down to shop for ingredients/equipment

Muffin Tray

Idli Maker

Makkai Daliya