Food Flask

mxfun

mxfun

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Sean Logie
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Anyone on here use one. Have had a few over the years and they've all let me down .I'm out in the cold all day everyday and i need to have one at the ready for a cold snap (which we're having just now ) .

Tried

Thermos

Stanley
 
I've used a Stanley (the green hammerite one) that I bought from Amazon up until recently. It was the best I've ever had at keeping the food hot but either the neck expanded or the threaded top wore away and it won't tighten up any more. I was a bit annoyed that Stanley (lifetime guarantee) don't cover things like the lid, only the main body so it's relegated to vase in the kitchen now, only a year old.

I'm using a thermos one that I got in Asda for now, it's not as good temperature wise but it works.
 
mark richards said:
I found if you put boiling water in first, to heat the thermos, then it would retain the heat for a lot longer with the food in,
but never managed to keep it much warm after mid day...
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Spot on this! :plus1:
I use one through the winter on my hikes, Aladdin Food Flask. All plastic, so you can give it a quick nuke (MW) just before you go out. (with lid off!)
 
I'm in a similar boat to Sean up there, I need to keep my food hot for hours, 5 or 6 at least and I've only ever found one that will do that. I object to having to replace it every year though.
 
mark richards said:
I found if you put boiling water in first, to heat the thermos, then it would retain the heat for a lot longer with the food in,
but never managed to keep it much warm after mid day...
Click to expand...

This seems like such a simple thing...but makes perfect sense!
 
mark richards said:
I found if you put boiling water in first, to heat the thermos, then it would retain the heat for a lot longer with the food in,
but never managed to keep it much warm after mid day...
Click to expand...


Thing i've always done with my flasks for the last 35 yrs ;)...

.But food flasks don't seem to do what they're meant to . It's normally my wife's chunky tattie soup i have in the flask ,can't be that much difference between soup and water ? ...or is there ?.

How long before the scientific replies come flooding in ....
 
Steep said:
I'm in a similar boat to Sean up there, I need to keep my food hot for hours, 5 or 6 at least and I've only ever found one that will do that. I object to having to replace it every year though.
Click to expand...


Which one Hugh ?
 
One thing I found that does help is to make sure you heat the food properly, chunky soup takes longer because you need to heat the chunky through.
 
mxfun said:
Thing i've always done with my flasks for the last 35 yrs ;)...

.But food flasks don't seem to do what they're meant to . It's normally my wife's chunky tattie soup i have in the flask ,can't be that much difference between soup and water ? ...or is there ?.

How long before the scientific replies come flooding in ....
Click to expand...

Depends if they're awake in Devon :lol:
 
Steep said:
One thing I found that does help is to make sure you heat the food properly, chunky soup takes longer because you need to heat the chunky through.
Click to expand...


Said chunky food heating and stirred for at least 1/2 hr at high heat ....
 
mxfun said:
Thing i've always done with my flasks for the last 35 yrs ;)...

.But food flasks don't seem to do what they're meant to . It's normally my wife's chunky tattie soup i have in the flask ,can't be that much difference between soup and water ? ...or is there ?.

How long before the scientific replies come flooding in ....
Click to expand...
Food with a higher water content will stay warmer for longer because water has an absurdly high specific heat capacity (c. 4200 J/Kg C IIRC) that means it takes a lot energy to warm up, but then retains it longer (this is why the sea is still cold in May but can be quite warm in autumn even once the air has turned nippy... and also why you get daily sea breezes near dawn and dusk).

The lower the water content, the more quickly it will cool down. So a broth will stay warmer for longer (but be less filling).


Edit 4181 J/Kg C. Close!
 
Have you considered a stove? I use a Jetboil, works a treat.
 
viv1969 said:
Depends if they're awake in Devon :LOL:
Click to expand...

Well, I am!!!

An insulated jacket will help retain the heat - wrap the flask in foil and an old sleeping bag or similar. If practicable, use a small camping stove like a Trangia to reheat the soup/stew. FWIW, the old fashioned glass vacuum flasks seem to keep things at temperature better than the modern steel type but are more fragile.
 
Thanks for the replies but a stove isn't practical for me . As for a broth being less filling ,you need to see my wife's broth (a meal on it's own )
 
You can eat some of Mrs Nod's soups with a fork!
 
Llamaman said:
Food with a higher water content will stay warmer for longer because water has an absurdly high specific heat capacity (c. 4200 J/Kg C IIRC) that means it takes a lot energy to warm up, but then retains it longer (this is why the sea is still cold in May but can be quite warm in autumn even once the air has turned nippy... and also why you get daily sea breezes near dawn and dusk).

The lower the water content, the more quickly it will cool down. So a broth will stay warmer for longer (but be less filling).


Edit 4181 J/Kg C. Close!
Click to expand...

Also, food flasks have bigger stoppers. Most of the heat loss will be through the thread so the larger the opening the (much) greater the heat loss. The really good drinks flasks have tiny holes to let liquid out so more heat stays in.
 
Nod said:
You can eat some of Mrs Nod's soups with a fork!
Click to expand...

Purely by coincidence, my good lady was preparing a batch of celery and celeriac soup for lunch - here's a gobful on a fork!!!
WP_20151128_001.jpg
 
I've had a tip elsewhere about resurrecting my Stanley food jar so I'm going to give it a try.

The tip was to tighten the stopper as far as possible and then screw the top lid on with suitable packing in it to hold the stopper in place. I'm going to add my own idea of putting the whole thing in a ziploc bag in case it leaks :)
 
Nod said:
here's a gobful on a fork!!!
Click to expand...
Looks something like a cross between Tapioca and semolina.
Just like being back at school :p
 
Far tastier than those alleged school puds! A drop of the butter from the bottom of a roasted pumpkin added a touch of richness to the soup and the pumpkin itself was slightly more solid than the soup. Not bad for veggie crap!!! (And sure as hell beat cooking for myself!)
 
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