kids, lunch, school - June 3, 2021

Hot School Lunches for Kids - Tips and Ideas for Food Jars

During the cooler months, the kids might enjoy a hot lunch!

Here are some tips and ideas for making kids' school lunches in a food jar.

Whether you call them a thermos or an insulated food jar, they keep food hot for hours so the kids can have a nice warming lunch. We stock both the MontiiCo and the Cheeki food jars.

Tips for Lunches in a Food Jar

Add boiling water to the empty food jar and let sit for a few minutes, tip out, add heated food and quickly close the lid. This is the best way to make sure the food stays at a nice hot temperature.

Don't worry about heating the food too hot, as it will cool a little before lunch time and be at the perfect temperature.

Don't forget to add a spoon or a fork. Don't send your best cutlery though because it might not make it home. The RePlay forks and spoons are fabulous for this!

Food jars also keep food cold as well as hot, so use them in summer to keep salads and cold lunches chilled.

MontiiCo Insulated Food Jar

MontiiCo Food Jar

Keeps food hot up to five hours

Vacuum Insulated, Double Walled Stainless Steel

Wide opening for little hands

Size: 12.5cm

Capacity: 400ml

BUY HERE

Ideas for School Lunches in a Food Jar

Okay, so what to put in the food jar? Well, it depends on what they will eat! Here are some things that work really well for a hot school lunch in a jar.

1. Leftovers

A great time-saver! Make extra of the kids' favourite dinner and simply heat it up in the morning and add to the food jar. The ultimate mum hack!!

2. Soup

Nourishing and healthy, make a batch of soup on the weekend for easy meals throughout the week. Adding a protein and a carb (think chicken noodle) is a great way to keep the kids full and satisfied.

3. Pasta

Pasta or noodles work really well in a thermos and it's usually something that most kids love to eat! Try spaghetti bolognaise, macaroni cheese, ravioli or even two-minute noodles.

4. Meatballs, Nuggets and Wings

Kid food! Meatballs can be made in bulk and frozen and you can easily sneak some vegetables in there. Cut chicken wings in half and take off the tip before you cook for a good fit in the jar. Nuggets are easy to heat up and if you cook a homemade batch, you can make them really healthy and nutritious.

5. Pizza

Yes, you can put pizza, sausage rolls, quiches and similar in the thermos. Just add a small piece of paper towel in the bottom of the thermos to catch any condensation and to avoid soggy bottoms.

6. Fried Rice

Fried rice works so well in food jars! Its a great way to use up leftover rice, meat and vegetables and it's healthy and nutritious.

7. Breakfast for lunch

Think baked beans, scrambled or boiled eggs and bacon. All of these make a great hot lunch!

MontiiCo Insulated Food Jar