15 Recipes for Insulated Containers
For microwave-free lunches, both at school and the office, the ThermosTM is quite the ally. It keeps dishes warm and allows you to enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal away from home. From soup to chili, without forgetting pasta, here are 15 cozy lunchbox recipes.
Soups
Whether they’re smooth and creamy or chunky and loaded with veggies, legumes or meat, soups are great for the Thermos. For best results, opt for versions that are free of dairy products because they keep better.
● Tip:
Make sure your soup is very hot, practically boiling, when you pour it into the insulated container.
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Chili
This Mexican specialty featuring beans and meat or plant protein has many advantages. Its thick and hearty texture won’t leak and it retains heat well. Easy to make and transport, chili is often a popular dinner idea given its cooking time, and the fact that leftovers can easily be enjoyed as a tasty next-day lunch.
How to Keep Your Thermos Hot
Preheating your Thermos for 5 minutes with boiling hot water before adding your food to it is a key step to keeping food hot until lunch.
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Stews
Warm, delicious and comforting, stews are a popular choice around the table. Like chili, they often taste better the next day, as the flavours have time to develop. So treat yourself come lunchtime, but to ensure they’re easy to eat right out of the Thermos, opt for medium-sized meat and vegetable pieces.
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Pasta
There are many types of pasta in existence and a large number of recipes to cook them with. Longer ones, like spaghetti, have a tendency to stick together whereas very thin ones can get mushy fast. Try short pasta like penne, rotini or macaroni, which are much more practical for eating with a spoon. Also, choose a thick and coating sauce, which retains heat better.
Durable Heat:
An insulated container retains its heat for about 4 to 6 hours, all depending on the quality and its contents. More liquidy meals, like soup or saucy pasta, retain heat better than drier dishes (plain couscous, grilled chicken breast, scrambled eggs, etc.)
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Tofu Recipes
This plant protein popular in vegetarian cooking has its place in the Thermos, as long as it’s prepared in a sauce or added to a stir-fry or stew. Choose a tofu that’s firm or extra firm, as it holds up better when cooked, travels well and can be easily eaten with a spoon.
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Choose Your Size
2- or 3-cup (500ml or 750ml) insulated containers are best for complete meals. Smaller containers are best for soups enjoyed on the side of a sandwich.
Clear-Out-the-Fridge Recipes
Leftover rice, a bit of tomato sauce, beans: these types of kitchen-sink recipes allow you to fill up your Thermos without breaking a sweat. Choose ingredients that reheat well and hold once mixed with something else. By combining what you already have on hand, you’ve got a warm and waste-free meal to enjoy at lunch.
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Indian-Inspired Dishes
Rich in flavour, dahls and curries are particularly well suited for the Thermos. The first consists of lentils stewed in spices, whereas curries are often made with vegetables, chickpeas and often tofu or chicken. Both are served with rice, which can be added, conveniently, directly to the insulated container.
The Secret to Successful Rice
Carrying rice in a separate container helps optimize texture; dahl will be creamier and curry sauces won’t be absorbed by the rice. In any case, opt for a rice that holds up well to heat, like basmati and jasmine. ]
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Less Adapted Choices
Fried foods like chicken nuggets, fish sticks, foods with a crust, even roasted vegetables and hot sandwiches aren’t suited for an insulated container. The condensation that forms inside the Thermos will leave the food soft and soggy.