20 Hot School Lunch Ideas for Kids

These hot school lunch ideas for kids are an easy alternative to the usual sandwich!

Easy Hot School Lunch Ideas for Kids

It’s time to think about school lunches for your kids and a hot school lunch is always my family’s favorite. If you have kids that don’t like sandwiches, a hot school lunch is the way to go!

I like to wrap hot dogs and chicken nuggets in foil, but did you know you could also use a Thermos to make them stay warmer for much longer?

I didn’t realize how to use a Thermos properly until a few years ago. It’s really super simple and I can’t believe I wasn’t doing this when they were little!

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Set the alarm a little early on the days you want to send a hot school lunch with your kids. All it takes is a microwave, hot water and a little extra time for a delicious hot school lunch!

Here are some fun hot lunch ideas and tips for using a Thermos to keep your kids lunch hot for hours!

How to Keep Food Hot in a Thermos

Ever wanted to know how to keep food hot inside of a Thermos? It’s so easy and only takes a few steps:

Boil water by adding a large glass full of hot water into the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Fill the Thermos with boiling water, close the lid and let it sit inside for about 5 minutes.
When you’re ready to fill the Thermos, pour out the water and add the food immediately. The Thermos should be piping hot!
Cover your food with the lid as soon as you can to keep the heat inside of the container. The food will stay hot for hours! Don’t forget to add a spoon or fork into your kids lunch box.

20 Hot School Lunch Ideas for Kids

When you need some new ideas beside the usual soup in a kid’s Thermos, here are some fun hot school lunch ideas. Your kids are sure to like one of these hot school lunch ideas.

Chicken nuggets. Probably the most popular at our house!
Corn on the cob.
Pizza – Cut it into strips so it will fit inside a thermos and still be nice and warm when it’s time to hit the cafeteria.
Bacon and scrambled eggs.
Ravioli with butter.
Rice and beans.
Grilled cheese sandwich. Cut into strips.
Spaghetti. A childhood favorite!
Left over Chinese food.
Layered tacos. Layer tortilla chips, taco meat and cheese. Chop lettuce and tomatoes and put in a small container for toppings.
Mashed potatoes layered with grilled chicken and veggies.
Mac and cheese – Add vegetables or hamburger crumbles.
Mini pancakes – Put syrup and fruit in a small container for kids to add on top of the warm pancakes.
Ramen noodles.
Nachos. After heating the thermos, fill with tortilla chips and sprinkle with shredded cheese. The cheese should melt by the time your child is ready for lunch!
Oatmeal with cinnamon and granola sprinkled on top.
Hamburger sliders. Stack a few small hamburgers inside of the thermos.
Chili with chips and cheese sprinkled on top.
Pulled pork with barbecue sauce. Add a bun in the lunch box for a make your own sandwich lunch.
Mixed vegetables with rice.