Creative Hot Lunch Ideas Kids Will Love

Ten hot food ideas that you can pack into a food flask or thermos and send to school for a warm lunch for kids

As the weather cools, sending children to school with a warm lunch is a comforting and practical option. Hot lunches add variety to daily meal prep and are often more filling, helping to keep kids energized through the afternoon.

Below are simple, kid-friendly ideas ideal for packing in a food flask or thermos. Each recipe in this article is based on a 250ml food flask—adjust quantities to suit larger or smaller flasks.

Tips For Packing Hot Food For Lunches

Packing hot foods becomes easy once you practice. Use these tips to keep lunches warm and safe:

• Pre-heat the flask by filling it with boiling water and leaving the lid on for at least 10 minutes before emptying and filling with food.
• Fill the flask to the top to minimize cold air, which helps the food stay warm longer.
• Make sure food is piping hot before sealing the flask and close the lid promptly.
• Dishes with sauce or liquid retain heat best, so stews, soups and saucy pastas work well.
• Practice opening and closing the flask at home with younger children so they can handle it at school.

Lunchbox With Food Flask

There are many lunchboxes designed to work with food flasks. The images here show a lunchbox paired with a food flask for convenient hot-and-cold packing.

You can use a combined lunchbox and food flask or a food flask on its own, depending on what you need for the day.

Hot Packed Lunch Ideas for Kids

Note: these recipes are scaled for a 250ml food flask. Adjust ingredient amounts if your flask is larger or smaller.

1 – Chicken Sausage Bites

Ingredients:

• 340g chicken sausages
• 75g carrot, grated
• 40g grated cheddar cheese
• 25g dried breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Remove skins from the sausages and place the meat in a bowl.
2. Add grated carrot, cheese and breadcrumbs and mix well.
3. Form heaped tablespoons of the mixture into bite-sized balls; you should get about 18–20.
4. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 17 minutes on lined trays, or air-fry for about 11 minutes (in batches if needed).
5. Place cooked bites into a pre-heated thermos. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

2 – Chicken Noodles

Ingredients:

• 40g dried egg noodles
• 120ml chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 60g frozen peas & corn
• 50g cooked chicken, diced

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to packet instructions and drain.
2. Whisk stock and cornflour together, then add to a pan with soy sauce, frozen veg and diced chicken.
3. Heat for 3–4 minutes until piping hot, stir in the noodles, then transfer to a pre-warmed thermos.

3 – Cheese & Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

• 50g dried pasta
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated cheese to top

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and meanwhile simmer chopped tomatoes with oregano, smoked paprika and seasoning for about 10 minutes.
2. Combine sauce with drained pasta, ensure it is piping hot, then transfer to a pre-heated thermos and top with grated cheese.
3. Extra sauce keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days or can be frozen.

4 – Airfryer Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 300g cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt & pepper
• Spray oil
• 100ml hot water
• 1/3 vegetable stock cube

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes, garlic and basil in an ovenproof dish, season and spray lightly with oil.
2. Air-fry at 190°C for 12 minutes or roast in the oven at 190°C for about 15 minutes.
3. Blend roasted ingredients with hot water and stock cube until smooth, then transfer to a pre-warmed thermos.
4. Make extra portions as needed; leftovers store in the fridge for 2–3 days or freeze.

5 – Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:

• 50g dried pasta
• 480g jar roasted red peppers (including juice)
• 150g cottage cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and drain.
2. Blend roasted peppers, the jar juice and cottage cheese until smooth.
3. Toss sauce with the drained pasta in a pan and heat through, then transfer to a pre-heated thermos.
4. Store leftover sauce in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze.

6 – Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 150g gnocchi
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 120ml milk
• Dash of Dijon mustard
• 30g grated cheese
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cook gnocchi as per packet instructions and drain.
2. Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour briefly, then add milk and cook until the sauce thickens.
3. Stir in mustard and cheese, season, add gnocchi and heat through. Transfer to a hot thermos.

7 – Nut Free Pasta Pesto

Ingredients:

• 50g dried pasta
• 15g basil leaves
• 70g parmesan, coarsely grated
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 150ml olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and drain.
2. Pulse basil, parmesan and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, add olive oil and lemon juice and blend to combine.
3. Toss a portion of pesto with pasta in a warm pan, heat through and transfer to a pre-warmed thermos.
4. Pesto keeps for 2–3 days in the fridge or can be frozen in portions.

8 – Leftover Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:

• Leftover spaghetti bolognese
• Grated cheese

Directions:

1. Reheat leftover spaghetti bolognese until piping hot on the hob or in the microwave.
2. Transfer to a pre-heated thermos and top with grated cheese.

9 – Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:

• Chicken nuggets or goujons

Directions:

1. Cook according to the package instructions in the oven or airfryer.
2. After pre-heating the thermos, dry it quickly and place a sheet of kitchen paper in the bottom. Add the cooked nuggets on top to help keep them crisp and warm.

10 – Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• Small tin of baked beans

Directions:

1. Heat beans on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot, then transfer to a pre-heated thermos.

More Lunchbox Recipes?

For additional lunchbox ideas and recipes, consider recipe collections and apps that focus on kid-friendly meals and include planners and shopping lists for easier weekly meal prep.