I try to pack a Hot Lunch for my son at least once a week. Just because you are packing doesn’t mean it has be to cold. When packing hot lunches including foods like soups, pasta, corn dogs, chicken nuggets or even a pizza pocket you should always pre-heat a thermos. To pre-heat simply fill it with boiling water. Use a hot pot, microwave or stove-top to boil your water then pour inside the container. Pour the water out and dry. Then fill it up with your hot food. To keep it hot don’t open again until lunch time.
We have done this with spagettiO’s, ramen noodles, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, corn, soup, corn dogs and more!
I love to use this Homemade Chicken Nugget Recipe or Homemade Corndogs recipe and pack them in the thermos. My son loves to eat a hot lunch at school.
You may want to check out this step by step video on how to pre-heat your thermos too. It is shot by my 6 year old 🙂
Other Lunch Box Ideas:
Lunch Notes – Sending Your Children Off With Love
Quick Tips for Better Sack Lunches
Other posts you may enjoy:
First Day of School Pancakes
Transitioning from Summer to School
After School Snack Ideas
Tips for Homework Success
Creating a Homework Station
Melissa is a soccer mom who has been married to her best friend for 20 years. She loves sharing recipes, travel reviews and tips that focus on helping busy families make memories.
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anna
September 7, 2011 at 9:01 pmI wish my kids would eat hot food. Seems like the only hot thing they like is pancakes. What’s wrong with my kids? Or is it me? Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s me.
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Angela Symes
September 19, 2011 at 4:12 pmYour kid is pretty steady. Better than many adults I have seen.
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
August 16, 2013 at 4:32 pmThanks! 🙂
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Christy
September 19, 2011 at 4:17 pmHow long does it stay warm after you close the lid?
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
September 20, 2011 at 12:13 pm3 hours. My son eats at 11:00 am. I did it at 8:00 am.
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Mary
September 19, 2011 at 8:21 pmWhat were you putting in there?
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
September 20, 2011 at 12:12 pmPizza Pockets 🙂 I went to lunch that day with my son and they were still warm and not soggy.
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Tracy
September 21, 2011 at 8:38 pmI love the idea of Pre-heating the thermos! Where did you get such a cute thermos? I’m having such a hard time finding one that isn’t way over priced. 🙁
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
January 12, 2016 at 10:20 amKroger – It is great to look “off season” – around November/December time to find them on clearance.
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Wendy Sweedman
February 4, 2012 at 7:33 pmAwesome idea and thanks for sharing
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Jeffrey
February 4, 2012 at 7:38 pmI’ve never done a hot lunch for my kids, not sure they would like it. maybe I should try!
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Cathi
February 4, 2012 at 7:57 pmyou can put hotdogs in the hot water and they are perfect at lunch time!!
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
August 16, 2013 at 5:42 pmI love that!!! He loves hot dogs! I could pack the bun separate!
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julie
February 6, 2012 at 4:22 pmGreat ideas, I will have to remember them for my sons lunches next year
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Hannah
February 7, 2012 at 11:19 amGood to know! 🙂
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May
February 10, 2012 at 7:50 pmGreat ideas! Thanks for sharing!
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Geri
February 12, 2012 at 7:08 pmGreat idea~thank you!
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Angela
February 13, 2012 at 8:44 amI use this method all the time for soup, but never tried corn dogs!
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Susan
September 19, 2012 at 7:11 amMy son says that the fishsticks or corndogs are soggy? WHat am I doing wrong?
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Brittany
July 29, 2014 at 3:28 pmYou have to wipe out the thermos before you put the chicken nuggets etc. in. make sure it’s completely dry then try.
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
January 12, 2016 at 10:21 amWipe it quickly with a paper towel.
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Kim B
January 11, 2016 at 12:57 amI had the same problem. I wonder if wrapping them in a paper towel would help?
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Leslie Ramey
September 4, 2013 at 1:23 pmYou are my hero (and now my son’s hero too). He has has a cold lunch for almost 2 years now at school because I had no idea how to keep his food warm. Thank you a million times!! I am now going out to buy a thermos. And by the way, I just loved your site, always good information!!!!
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Melissa@StockpilingMoms
September 8, 2013 at 12:14 amAwe…thanks 🙂 You made my day!