Easy Thermos Lunches

Find easy thermos lunches for kids (and parents) that work for sending hot lunches to school, daycare, or a day out of the house. Find reheating tips, storage info, and the best kids thermos options, too.

Make it easier to send leftovers and easy hot meals as lunch with these thermos lunch options. These recipes are easy to make—and then easy to reheat and pack in a thermos. Some basic options that are great for thermos lunches include mac and cheese, chili, scrambled eggs, pasta, pizza bites, burritos, rice and beans, and rice-based dishes.

You can send almost any hot food your kids like in a thermos. A thermos will typically keep food hot for 4-6 hours, so it’s an easy option for kids lunches.

Keep reading for the easy hot lunch options, plus safety tips and storage info.

(You may also like hot lunch ideas and my go-to preschool snacks.)

Best Kids Thermos

I have used the 8- and 12-ounce thermoses from Lunchbots for years and find them to be affordable and reliable.

You can also go with the OmieBox Bento Box, which has a thermos component so you can pack hot foods and cold foods together in the same kids lunchbox.

Find my full list of kids thermos options, too.

Tips for Food Safety

Always read the manufacturer’s instructions for your thermos, but in general you should also:

1. Rinse the inside of the thermos with boiling water. Discard water.
2. Meanwhile, warm up the food until very hot.
3. Add the hot food to the warm thermos Seal.
4. Pack the thermos in an insulated lunch bag, away from ice packs.
5. Enjoy within 4-6 hours, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Quick Pasta with Peas

It’s rich in vegetarian protein, it’s very fast, and it’s easy for little kids to eat—and for grown-ups to enjoy, too.

Mac and Cheese with Peas

It comes together quickly, you’re not actually making anything from scratch, and it’s a complete and satisfying meal. Hip, hip, hooray!

Vegetarian Bean Chili

Loaded with kid-friendly vegetables including sweet potato and corn, as well as plant-based protein from beans, this makes enough for 2 dinners—so you can stash enough in the freezer for a future meal that’s all ready to go!

Vegetarian Rice and Bean Burritos

With just 5 simple and nutritious ingredients, you can make these Vegetarian Rice and Bean Burritos for family dinner. They’re great to make ahead, too!

Vegan Tomato Soup

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this super creamy soup is one of our favorite healthy comfort foods. Bonus: It’s perfect to share with babies and toddlers too, and it freezes really well!

Quick Pastina Soup

I love how fast this soup for kids cooks up, how easy it is to adjust (sometimes I omit the onion and use more carrot, for example), and how much it helps us all feel satisfied and nourished.

4-Ingredient Chicken Meatballs

They use super simple ingredients, are easy to mix together, and are a wonderfully easy-to-eat texture for little kids.

How to Make Eggs in the Microwave

Learn how to make eggs in the microwave (so you don’t even need to dirty a pan!) in less than 1 minute. These fluffy scrambled eggs are perfect for busy mornings!

Easy Cheesy Rice (with Veggies!)

I love this approach to Cheesy Rice because the 4 flavor variations make it easy for kids (and adults!) to eat, the veggies are soft, and there’s just enough cheese for it to be creamy and yummy.

Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese

This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, uses 2 veggies in the mix, and has a seriously easy cooking method.

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