The modern office lunch hour is a battlefield. You only have 45 minutes to eat, but you waste the first 15 minutes waiting in line to use the single crusty microwave in the breakroom. Meanwhile, your coworkers are quietly judging the smell of your leftover fish, and the sad, wilted desk salad you brought isn't giving you any joy. It is time to rethink how you do lunch at work. It is time to embrace the ultimate comfort food: Thermos Cream Soups.
When the air conditioning in the office is blasting and you are stressed over spreadsheets, a piping hot bowl of rich, velvety cream soup is like a warm hug for your nervous system. By using an insulated stainless steel thermos, your soup stays perfectly hot for up to 8 hours. You completely bypass the microwave line, you avoid smelly office food politics, and you get to enjoy a luxurious meal right at your desk while you catch up on emails.
Our Master Recipe for Blender Tomato Basil Cream Soup is naturally gluten-free and requires zero chopping. It is so rich and flavorful, you would easily pay $12 for a bowl of it at a boutique café or off a premium restaurant menu. And if you really want to make your coworkers jealous, pack a small Tupperware container filled with crunchy tortilla chips and our legendary allrecipes queso. Dipping a cheesy, crunchy chip into this hot tomato soup is an absolute game-changer.
The Secret to Transporting Cream Soups
Many people are terrified to pack soup for the office because of two major fears: spilling it in their laptop bag, and the cream curdling. Both are easily avoidable if you follow the right technique.
First, never transport soup in a standard plastic snap-lid container. The pressure from the hot liquid will inevitably pop the lid open. Invest in a wide-mouth, double-wall vacuum insulated thermos with a screw-on lid. Second, to prevent curdling, always use heavy cream instead of milk (the higher fat content stabilizes the soup) and never let the soup boil once the dairy has been added.
Let's take a realistic look at your office lunch options to see why the Thermos Soup method reigns supreme:
If you are looking for ways to meal prep solid proteins for the office without wasting money, make sure to read our highly-rated 5-Day High-Protein Office Prep Guide!
The Master Recipe
The beauty of this recipe is that the blender does 90% of the work. You don't even need to chop the garlic or the basil; the high-speed blades will completely pulverize them into the tomatoes, creating a silky smooth texture.
Final Thoughts
Your lunch break should be a moment of peace and recovery during a chaotic workday. Don't waste it standing in line for a microwave or chewing on a sad salad. A hot, velvety cream soup will lift your spirits and power you through the rest of the afternoon! If you want to make a large batch of meals for the whole family, check out our Healthy & Yummy Family Dinners.