Using Thermos at school???

[PoppetUK]

Hi all,

My two kids aren't big sandwich eaters. The sort that nibble bits off, take the meat out etc. DD would go for Vegemite if she had her way but that is saved for those days you forget to look in the fridge until it's 9pm! DS has asked a few times if he could take warm food in (they don't have any school dinner options). I think this might work for DD to.

I end up picking up 2 hungry and tired kids so was thinking about a small thermos?

Do any of you have any experiences with this? What did you put in them?

TIA

Poppet.

I used small thermoses (steel ones, not glass) when my boys had packed lunches. I put all sorts in them - shepherd's pie, chicken pie etc, pasta plus sauce, soup, noodles, porridge, fruit crumbles. I also sometimes put cold milk in the Thermos and gave a dry portion of Weetabix or other cereal to add to it. I also used to make pasties and triple wrap them in foil - still warm at lunchtime.

I was in a school recently where children brought thermoses (sp?) with soup in them. I don't think it should be a problem, and you can buy lunchbox size ones as well. Maybe check with the school first though, even if just to avoid embarrassment on your dc's part

My DS is desperate to get a thermos so that he can have a drink of hot chocolate like his mates. They are 7 and 8.

We have kids who bring them every day with everything from spaghetti hoops to curry in - the only thing we say is no drinks as then there is danger of spilling hot liquids. Soup is fine as its usually thick and they spoon it out. The teacher on duty will always open them and pour anyway - that can be the only problem as they are often quite hard to get open for small hands!

I bought these www.amazon.co.uk/Thermos-CoolKidz-Steel-Food-290ml/dp/B000OW0P72/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1295166158&sr=8-11 and they have revolutionised packed lunches for me! My kids get bored with sandwiches but love their thermos food. By the time they eat it, it has cooled to a safe temperature. They take soups, pastas etc.

I like the idea 0f thermoses but think my 5 year old DS would make a massive mess without support the school probably won't give. [Also if the contents looked healthy he might cry!] He is a notoriously messy eater/ spiller too! Marmite is about the only thing he will accept in a tiny, tiny sandwich. His pack lunch would win no Jamie Oliver awards.... He is a fan of fruity flakes and cheese strings....

Tomorrow my DS 5years,will take his first packed lunch in the thermos.My question is do you have to put the pasta really hot,so by the lunch time ,it gets warm,or just put it warm from the first place.Thanks.

The thermos Cool Kidz flasks needs to filled with boiling water and the lid put on for at least 3-5 mins to heat the inside.

Pasta works well if just cooked or heated with boiling water.

Soup can be a bit hot sometimes, but I have found if you only fill the flask 3/4 it is cool enough at lunch time.

The thing I found is the more liquid the hotter food stays.