Recent acquisitions

OK so recently, and somewhat in conjunction with my previous "left overs" post, I ventured out to get a thermos to put the kids' food in for school. I had attempted the use of the inexpensive "take alongs" tupperware bowls I had, by warming the food in the bowl, then wrapping it in a dishtowel to insulate it some, while at the same time insulating it from getting the rest of the lunch (drink, fruit, yogurt, etc) hot and making it go bad. I was super-heating the food in order to get it (hopefully) hot enough to still be warm by lunch time. However, after a few days of this, I realized it wasn't going to work, and I went to get the lunch thermoses. I went to Target to get mine, however I know Wal Mart and other retail stores like that sell them. I had actually looked for one at Kroger first, because I was there at the time, but did not find any. At the store, they had many brands in different sizes. They also had nice looking ones that were plate-shaped and had a folding spork in the lid. This would have been perfect for an adult, but for the purposes I needed them for, notsomuch. (had it been for me or the hubby, I most likely would have gotten that) So I got the 10 oz food thermos for the kids. Now, being as I had one of the kids with me, I was conned into getting the character thermoses, but had I not had them, they would have had the plain, less expensive, off brand ones.
Now, a tip I learned on day 1...you definitely want to temper the thermos first. Apparently, foods that are not soups do not transfer heat into the thermos as well as liquids do. I had used chicken pot pie, and when I picked the oldest up and asked him if his lunch was still warm at lunch, he told me that it was cold. The next day, I put hot water in it and put the lid on and let it sit for 10 minutes, then dumped out the water and put lunch in, and that day I was informed that his lunch (spaghetti and meatballs) was still warm at lunch.
Another thing, when doing leftovers, I go ahead the night before and portion out what lunch will be in a separate bowl from the rest of the leftovers. Then I warm it in that container in the morning while I'm tempering the thermos, and transfer it into the tempered thermos.
Having worked in food service throughout high school and college, I'm really big into safe food temperatures. I try to make sure to get the food hot enough that it stays at a safe temp until lunch (which for my kindergartener is 1030), while at the same time keeping the cold foods at a safe cold temperature. This was my biggest reason for not liking how I did the hot lunches the first couple of days. I was not comfortable with the fact that the food may not be at safe temperatures. So with the Thermos, I can have the hot food in a container in which it will stay that way, while at the same time having the ice pack in the insulated lunchbox to keep the cold foods/drinks cold. This really helps me to feel more comfortable that they're getting a nutritious and healthy lunch, but also a safe lunch.