10 Thermos Lunch Ideas for Kids
For busy parents and caregivers, a kids’ hot lunch container offers a convenient way to prepare leftovers, soups, pastas, and more for your child to bring to school. With the right recipes, thermos lunches can help reduce the stress and time involved with packing hot lunches for kids while still giving your growing youngsters the ideal blend of nutrition and yum.
Want some inspiration for delicious and nutritious hot lunches for kids? Below you’ll find 10 low-prep, easy-to-pack thermos lunch ideas to give your children the midday brain boost they need!
1. Taco Soup
Because so much flavor comes from the spices, taco soup can incorporate nearly any meat, vegetable, or legume without losing that signature taco taste. Ramp up the nutrients (and fullness factor!) by loading up on beans and lentils, two of our favorite superfoods for kids.
2. Mac and Cheese
There’s hardly another dish as quintessentially kid-friendly as mac and cheese—but Nurture Life’s Mac & Cheese isn’t your processed boxed variety. Smoothly blended “hidden” cauliflower and whole wheat pasta provide extra fiber with no added sugar. Just 1–2 minutes in the microwave makes this meal one of the quickest hot lunch ideas for kids!
3. Warm Tuna Wraps
If you’re using a thermos for kids’ lunch-packing, why not try a warm take on a classic sandwich? Tuna melt wraps are protein-packed and low-prep, requiring light tuna, Greek yogurt, a whole wheat tortilla, and your favorite veggies or cheese. To make it more thermos-friendly, we suggest using crunchy veggies like carrots instead of lettuce. Just wrap it all up, pack it in your kids’ hot lunch container and go!
4. Alphabet Soup
Another classic children’s dish, alphabet soup adds an element of learning to lunch. Use whole wheat pasta and plenty of fresh-cut veggies or legumes to keep your kids feeling full and ready to learn.
5. Scrambled Eggs
Eggs are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and protein and a favorite food of one of our registered dietitians, Lara Field. They also offer an incredibly versatile way to incorporate protein into thermos lunches for kids! Serve with spinach and mushrooms for an egg scramble, or make your own house specialty with your kids’ favorite vegetables.
6. Thai Coconut Chicken
Why not send your little one on a lunchtime adventure? One of our favorite hot lunch ideas for kids, our Thai Coconut Chicken incorporates plenty of colorful veggies alongside deliciously roasted chicken and fiber-rich brown rice. Stewed with garlic, ginger and coconut milk, the taste is just adventurous enough to still be totally kid-approved!
7. Oatmeal
Who says oatmeal just has to be for breakfast? These kid-friendly oatmeal options offer a variety of ways to spice up your basic bowl, all while staying delightfully warm and tasty in a kids hot lunch container.
8. Broccoli Soup
Even kids who struggle to get down their greens will love this broccoli soup. Frozen or fresh-cut broccoli, carrots and celery contribute plenty of vitamins and minerals, and you can easily incorporate extra fiber by blending in beans, chickpeas or lentils.
9. Cheesy Zucchini Pomodoro
This hearty meal serves up your kid’s favorite Italian flavors in a housemade pomodoro tossed with a tasty three-cheese blend and fun shell-shaped whole wheat pasta. Roasted zucchini adds a pleasing pop of color to the mix, plus essential vitamins and minerals to power your little one’s active afternoon.
10. Sweet Potato Curry
Curries are perfect thermos lunches for kids because their flavor only gets better over time. Try this sweet potato chickpea curry to deliver healthful vitamins, minerals and fiber with a sweet and slightly spicy kick.
Tips for Making a Well-Balanced Lunch for Kids
For a healthy balance of nutrients at every meal, our pediatric registered dietitian recommends rounding out your kids hot lunch container with a few cold sides:
- Dairy: Incorporate milk, yogurt, cottage cheese or an alternative plant-based milk.
- Fresh fruit: A few kid-friendly, easy-to-pack favorites include apples, bananas, melons and strawberries.
- Wholesome snacks: If your child loves some crunch, forget the potato chips and stick to these kid-friendly junk food alternatives instead.
Whether you’re gearing up for a new school year or are looking to mix up a monotonous lunch-packing routine, these hot lunch ideas for kids will help you create satisfying, well-balanced meals, even when time is tight! Want more kids meals in minutes delivered directly to your door? Get started with Nurture Life.
