Cold Weather Recipes for a Warming School Lunch
When the weather is chilly, a cold sandwich just doesn’t cut it. Keep your little ones fed, fueled and warm while they’re at school with a tasty – and toasty – lunch. Not only does changing the school lunch routine keep things fun, but packing a warm lunch is just as easy as packing a cold one! We’re sharing some tips for keeping their food heated throughout the morning, plus some of our favorite cold weather recipes they’ll love to find in their lunchbox.
How Can I Keep My Kid’s Lunch Hot?
The secret to keeping your kid’s food hot until lunchtime is in how you pack it. If you’re already using an insulated lunch box to keep your kid’s food fresh and cool, then you’re already halfway there! These lunchboxes are designed to maintain their temperature for long periods of time, which means the same lunchbox can be used to help keep their food warm, too.
If you’ll be packing soups, pastas, stews or anything else that may contain liquid, you’ll want to invest in a specialized container to keep food hot, like a food thermos. These handy vessels preserve temperature, hot or cold, for hours. Plus, they come in different sizes to suit your needs. When using a thermos food jar, you’ll want to pack it in the morning with food that’s been heated a little higher than necessary so it’s still piping hot at lunch time. Another way to prep your thermos for food in the morning is by rinsing it with boiling water, which heats the container up before you even add the food.
If they’ll be noshing on quesadillas, nuggets or other hot hand-helds, consider wrapping the items in aluminum foil after heating them, and storing them in an insulated food container to slow heat loss. Aluminum foil isn’t insulated, but it does a good of trapping heat for short periods of time, so when put in an insulated container, the heat can be retained for hours. If you don’t have an insulated container that’ll fit in their lunchbox, try wrapping the foil-covered items in a towel to help contain the heat.
What are Good Winter Lunch Ideas for Kids?
When hot lunch is just as easy, why would you opt for cold? Keep things simple by packing their lunch with last night’s leftovers or put together one of these delightfully delicious hot lunch ideas for kids.
More Warming School Lunch Recipes
Keep the inspiration going with more School Lunch Ideas for Kids and packable recipes, or head to our Meal Planning page for weekly dinner ideas. Plus, visit our blog, The Fresh Lane, for expert cooking tips, kitchen hacks, DIY projects and much, much more.