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If your kids love mac and cheese but aren’t big on vegetables, this veggie mac and cheese soup is an easy way to serve both. Make it for lunch and eat it at home, or pack it in a thermos to keep it warm until lunch.
Veggie Mac and Cheese Lunch
This was one of the first thermos lunches I packed for my kids when they were toddlers because I knew they would eat it. Mac and cheese has always been a favorite at our house, and I quickly learned that adding veggies to the creamy cheese sauce was an easy way to get more vegetables into their school lunches.
Years later, my kids still love this simple recipe. You can make the veggie mac and cheese recipe below or use your own favorite mac and cheese and add vegetables your kids enjoy. Either way, a thermos makes it easy to send a warm lunch to school.
How to Make and Pack Veggie Mac and Cheese in a Thermos
- Cook the pasta
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. While it cooks, you can prepare the vegetables and cheese broth. - Cook the vegetables
Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan, add the frozen vegetables, and cook for about 5 minutes until tender. This softens the veggies so they’re easy to eat with the macaroni. - Make it cheesy
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the cooked macaroni, cheese, and milk until the cheese melts and everything is combined. - Preheat the thermos
Fill the thermos with boiling water, close the lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes. This warms the inside so the container doesn’t pull heat away from the hot mac and cheese. - Fill and pack
Make sure the veggie mac and cheese is piping hot. Carefully empty the water from the thermos, immediately add the hot food, and close the lid. Pack it upright in the lunch bag.
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Laura’s Thermos Lunch Packing Tips
Absolutely! You can make this veggie mac and cheese soup with boxed macaroni and cheese or homemade. I’ve included both options in the recipe card below. The extra broth and vegetables turn either version into a cozy, spoonable lunch.
I like using a frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend because it saves prep time and the vegetables cook right in the broth. You can also use peas, diced zucchini, or other small vegetables your kids already enjoy. Cut larger pieces smaller so they’re easy to scoop up with the macaroni.
Yes. Refrigerate the cooked mac and cheese promptly and reheat a portion until piping hot in the morning. If the sauce thickens in the fridge, add a little milk or broth while reheating to loosen it so it’s easier to eat from the thermos.
When packing mac and cheese in a thermos, preheat the container with boiling water for 5 minutes, then replace it with piping-hot food. Preheating reduces heat loss, helping the food stay warm longer. Use a thermos that can maintain a food-safe temperature until lunchtime.
Since this lunch already has pasta, cheese, and vegetables, I usually add fruit or another easy side. You can find more school lunch sides here to pack in separate compartments so everything stays fresh.
Veggie Mac & Cheese Soup | Easy Thermos Lunch
Watch How It’s Made:
Ingredients
Homemade mac and cheese:
- 1 ½ cups dry macaroni pasta, or other
- 32- ounce carton reduced-sodium chicken broth/stock
- 16- ounce bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
- ¼ cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
With boxed macaroni and cheese:
- 6- ounce box macaroni and cheese
- 32- ounce carton reduced-sodium chicken broth/stock
- 16- ounce bag frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend
- ¼ cup whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the vegetables, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the cooked macaroni, shredded cheese (or powdered cheese), and milk to the veggies and broth. Stir to combine until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat.
To Pack in a Thermos:
- Preheat the thermos container with boiling water. This step is optional, but it helps.
- Heat the soup in the microwave or stovetop to a piping-hot temperature.
- Drain the water from the thermos.
- Fill the thermos with the very hot soup.
- Close the thermos container and pack it inside a lunch bag.
Dawn says
I made this for my family, but couldn’t get the shredded cheddar cheese to melt into the broth. It kind of just stuck to the cauliflower. I used a block of cheese that I shredded myself to avoid the gritty cellulose coating on pre-shredded cheese.
When it wasn’t melting in, I turned up the heat a little to see if that would help, but it just made it turn chewy.
Any suggestions on how to get it to melt in better?
By the way – my family did eat it as it was, the picky kid needed some coaxing but finished his meal. It would just go better if the soup part were cheesy instead of broth.
Ellinor says
I would maybe mix the cheese with some warmed milk or maybe melted butter before I would mix it in with the pasta.
Heather says
Thx for the reply! We love your site & menus.
Heather says
Looks like a great thermos meal. Do u make it day of? Or does it reheat well?
MOMables says
I typically make it the night before (when the kitchen is already dirty), store it in the fridge and reheat in the morning. check out this post about heating up thermoses.
Robyn says
I’m thrilled to report that both of my kids, ages 5 and 3, like this soup! Phew. Love it when I can make the same lunch for everyone and we’re all happy.
MOMables says
success Robyn!
Jen says
Excited to make this recipe! Do you add the cheese (powder packet) that comes with the mac and cheese and then additional cheddar cheese at the end?
MOMables says
Jen, you make the mac and cheese according to the box directions. Then add to the soup.
C. Burk says
Do you add the prepared mac n cheese to the veggie/broth mixture undrained? I did not drain my veggies and my dish came out very soupy.
MOMables says
prepare mac and cheese as per box directions, set aside. Make the “soup”. Then add prepared mac and cheese into the soup. It’s a mac and cheese soup.
Caisy Gordon says
We did it like a soup. It was delicious, and so easy! My husband and daughter both loved it even without the cheddar cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kristen A says
Can you freeze this into portions and use later for lunches?? Thanks!
MOMables says
You sure can! just make sure you under cook the pasta a little–“aldente”
Dani C says
We love thermos lunches too! We use the 10 oz funtainers but love the one in your pic with the wide mouth. Can you share which thermos you use? Thanks!
MOMables says
Hi Dani! I the two that I use are linked in our store.
Sarah says
Love this idea. We have Annie’s on hand for ‘one of those days’, but this is a great alternative to using them!
Shay Van Raalte says
This looks amazing! My biggest hurdle is finding things that they will eat and that I feel will stay at a safe temperature. My oldest is going into 5th grade this year, and it will be almost 6 hours from the time we put her lunch into her lunch box, and the time she gets to eat it. I’m not sure what will stay safe (warm items…..) to eat. :)
MOMables says
Shay, this will stay safe in a thermos just fine.