Cold weather or not, soups are always a great idea to pack for lunch! They can be made ahead of time, served for dinner, and the leftovers packed for lunch later in the week. Plus, soup is always better the second day.

In this post, I am going to share with you my family’s favorite soups to bring to school and the office; and therefore, they are my best soups to pack inside a thermos for lunch!

What is the best thermos container for hot soup?

If you want your soup to stay warm, you will NEED a durable thermos container to pack any of these delicious soups or hot lunch. Check out my top thermos picks in the video below to see which one is the right fit for your family.

You can buy the thermos containers inside my Amazon Store at no additional cost to you. But if you’re looking for the individual thermos links here you go:

• Foogo Thermos 
• Funtainer Thermos
• KidsKonserve
• Lunchbot Insulated
• Stanley Thermos

Now that we got the “technical” out of the way, let’s talk about the recipes.

The best soups to pack in a thermos for lunch, in my book, are simple recipes that incorporate ingredients that I keep a stock of in my fridge or pantry.

That’s another reason I love using the Classic Meal Plan for my family. The recipes always help me incorporate ingredients we love and leftovers make terrific thermos lunches!

Here are our favorites:

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

All the flavors of lasagna in a warm, hearty soup! Pack with Garlic Parmesan Rolls for dipping.

Easy Tomato Tortellini

Creamy, cozy, and super quick to make this soup is a great option for cold weather days. Pack it with toasted bread for the ultimate comfort food meal. Print the recipe here.

Mexican Bean & Vegetable Soup

This hearty, robust soup is a great way to use up all those lone veggies in your fridge and pantry. Make it on the stove-top for a quick meal or set it in the slow cooker overnight, to pack in the morning. Print the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle

This list wouldn’t be complete without the classic Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s comfort food at it’s best. I recommend purchasing a rotisserie chicken, using half for another meal, and the rest to make this soup even more effortless. Print the recipe here.

Homemade Ramen Noodle Soup

It’s like the packaged version we all know but so much better with fresh veggies and whole wheat pasta in a savory broth. Toss in leftover chicken for a little extra protein. Print the recipe here.

These recipes also yield 6 to 8 servings making them an excellent option for dinner one night and the leftovers for lunch. It’s all part of our meal plan routine which includes recipes, prep tips, and completed shopping list because we know that having a plan sets you up for success especially when it comes to preparing meals and lunches.

Want to freeze these soups for future use?

Go for it! These recipes are 100% freezer friendly. Place the chilled soup into a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months for a family sized meal.

For a thermos serving, transfer 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of chilled soup into a quart freezer bag. This will vary by thermos but a 1 cup is a decent lunch serving.

To use, thaw in the fridge before heating and enjoying.

If you are concerned with keeping the soup hot until lunchtime here are a few tips to help you out:

1. Make sure to heat the soup or food you plan to make thoroughly, which you can see how to in the video below.

2. Warm your thermos container before packing the food, check out my best method here.

Which one of the soups above will you make first?