Peanut butter and jelly is a quick, easy staple for the lunchbox. It is a hassle-free meal that makes being a parent a little easier; however, there are days that call for more than ease. There are days when kids — and adults — crave comfort. That’s when nothing will satiate the taste buds like a grilled cheese. Of course, you can make one in the morning, wrap it up, and have your child noshing on it cold, but it doesn’t have to be like that. You can send a warm grilled cheese to school in the morning and keep it warm until lunchtime by placing it inside a pre-heated thermos.
This often overlooked container has the superpower of keeping hot foods and liquids hot and cold foods and liquids cool. How does this life-changing hack work? Boil some water, pour it into your thermos, and screw the lid on. This step will warm the metal interior and ensure your container is nice and hot before you heat up your skillet. Next, make your ultimate grilled cheese and watch as the cheese melts and the bread becomes golden.
Slice up your sandwich and use your thermos for other hot dishes
Once your grilled cheese is cooked, allow it to cool ever so slightly so it’s not hot and sweaty. While its temperature drops, pour out the hot water and thoroughly dry the thermos so it is ready to hold your sandwich. Of course, a classic grilled cheese, a pimento grilled cheese sandwich, or any sandwich for that matter, is not the ideal shape to fit into one of these contraptions, but if you have a knife and limited cutting skills, you can cut up your warm sandwich into strips and place them inside.
Before you seal it, you can wrap your pieces of grilled cheese in parchment paper to avoid condensation. This one little step can help ensure your sandwich doesn’t become soggy. Then, screw the lid of your thermos on nice and tight, and when your child is ready to eat it, that cheese will still ooey and gooey. If your child likes the way his or her thermos-stored grilled cheese sandwich tastes at lunchtime, try using this hack on other hot sandwiches like a croque monsieur or a warm sweet heat BLT.
