Five hacks to keep your lunch warm for a long time
Sustaining warm food from morning to lunchtime can be a great hassle. Since no one enjoys cold food, unless it is meant to be eaten cold, people have devised different ways of taking lunch, some of which are unhealthy resolutions to unhealthy snacks. If that is not you, it may be time to think of a way to get the best out of your lunch. Other than hitting the microwave every time you have to warm food, there are several different ways to keep your lunch warm for longer than usual, without getting it spoilt. Here are our top 5 hacks to get you started:
- Use a thermos
The most common hack is to use a thermos. However, while most people may think of this idea, not all of them get it right. The best way to use a thermos is to first fill it up with hot boiling water. The idea is to heat the thermos before using it. You want to let the hot water to sit for 5-10 minutes. The preheating is the best way to lengthen the time with which your food stays warm. Afterward, heat the food you are prepping for lunch and make sure it is super-hot before putting it in the thermos. This is also a trick to help the lunch remain warm longer. Also, make sure you close the thermos immediately after putting your lunch, to lock out any chances of the food getting cold.
- Use an insulated lunch bag
If you are using a Japanese bento box or any other lunch box for that matter, it counts how you package the food along with other things you are carrying. Most times, people carry warm lunches alongside cold foods or drinks. Worse, they pack the food in brown package bags that do nothing to preserve the temperature of the foods thereof. In such a case, consider an insulated lunch bag, as a strategy that will help ensure that all the warm food stays warm and the cold food stays cold.
- Make good use of paper towels and napkins
In a case where you do not have an insulated lunch bag, a paper towel or a napkin can do the job. Once you pack your food in a container, make sure you wrap a paper towel or a napkin around the container to help retain the heat within the lunch box. The paper towels are the best when it comes to preserving the temperature of chicken nuggets or pizza rolls, more so because they can become soggy by packing them in a thermos or a lunch box. In this case, placing a napkin or paper towel underneath helps to not only insulate the lunch box but also, soak out and absorb any moisture that will get the food soggy and unpleasant to eat.
- Using Aluminum Foils
Do you ever wonder why aluminum foil is a big deal in the food industry? One of the major reasons is that it is an excellent way to keep food warm before serving time is due. Ideally, wrapping your food in paper foil increases the possibility of your foods retaining temperature until lunchtime. Better yet, if you can wrap your food with an aluminum foil and then pack it in a lunch box, then your chances of serving a hot chance are higher than most people could say about their lunches. The logic behind using the foils is that they are poor heat conductors, which means they do not allow the transfer of heat like other materials would.
- Use a cooler
Coolers are obviously used to keep food cold, but only when they are stacked with ice. If you can get rid of the ice, then a cooler will be your warmer until you get to lunch.