When preparing lunch every morning, many families pack food in a lunch box to send to children at school or employees to the office. Although special thermal containers exist for work, finding such solutions for children is more difficult. Even when using these containers, the food often cools down several hours after being opened at school or the office.
It is not always possible to use a microwave oven to reheat food. Therefore, the question arises as to how to prolong the warmth of food in a lunch box, and for this, it is not necessary to buy expensive electric containers. Heat can be preserved by making small changes to the packaging method.
Before placing hot food directly into the container, it is recommended to first pour a little hot water into it and leave it for a few minutes. Then, the water must be removed, the container thoroughly wiped, and immediately filled with hot food. This approach prevents the initial cooling of the container and slows down heat loss from the dish.
If the food cools slightly before being placed in the container, it will quickly lose residual heat. Therefore, whether it is vegetables, beans, or rice, you should ensure that the food is well heated and close the lunch box immediately.
The more free space inside the container, the faster the temperature will drop. Therefore, it is necessary to use a box of the appropriate shape corresponding to the amount of food and avoid filling a too large container with a small amount of food.
Bread cools quickly. Instead of putting it directly into a steel container, it should be wrapped in a clean cotton cloth or foil. After that, it can be placed in a tightly closed lunch box, which will help keep the bread warm longer.
After packing the food, the lunch box should not be left open for long or in a cool kitchen area. It should be immediately placed in an insulated bag. This method will be useful for both schoolchildren and people working in an office.
If the food is consumed after many hours, a good quality insulated bag can provide significant help. It partially protects the container from external temperatures and contributes to the prolonged retention of food heat.
If the container has been sitting in a cool place for a long time and hot food is immediately placed in it, some of the food's heat will be spent heating the container itself. Therefore, it is better to preheat the container slightly before packing.
Sometimes people open the lunch box during the day to look at the food. This action causes hot air to escape inside, leading to rapid cooling of the food. Therefore, the container should only be opened during mealtime.
If you have a regular steel lunch box, it is best to put it in an insulating cover rather than just placing it in a bag. This trick is especially beneficial when there are many hours between packing and consumption.