Much more than a stylish and environmentally friendly way to tabao (takeaway) lunch to the office, Thermos® Food Jars can also be used to cook fresh, homemade meals while you’re out and about. It is the perfect solution for busy modern lifestyles.

How Thermos® Food Jars Cook On-the-Go

Using the same vacuum insulation technology as Thermos® Tumblers, the Food Jars are able to effectively retain temperatures by eliminating the convection process. The vacuum-insulated structure traps heat to keep hot contents warm while barricading external heat to keep cold contents chilled.

The key is preheating. Preheat a Food Jar by filling it with hot boiling water full to the inner rim, close the lid tightly, and let it sit aside for 5 to 10 minutes. It also works well for cold dishes, where you pre-cool the Food Jar with ice- cold water.

Cooking With The Right Thermos® Food Jar

While all Thermos® Food Jars are able to keep food warm or chilled for at least 6 hours, some product models, such as those with an inner lid cover, are designed to retain heat better and are thus more suitable for cooking. Size and capacity are also factors to consider. 

Here are some recommended Thermos® Food Jars for cooking:

Thermos® Food Jars JBQ-300 and JBI-380

Pictured: JBI-380 Food Jar

Petite and portable, the 0.3L and 0.38L capacities are great for babies and young kids. That equates to a full meal for babies or a light snack for toddlers.

Heat insulation (6 hours): 56°C & above
Cold insulation (6 hours): 12°C & below

Recipes to try: Carrots, Mushroom and Meat Porridge and Yoghurt

Thermos® Food Jar JBQ-400

Recipes to try: Broccoli-Chicken Mac and Cheese

Thermos® Stainless King Food Jar SK-3000

Clad in rugged stainless steel, this Food Jar makes lunching on-the-go a hassle-free affair with its own compact serving bowl and foldable spoon. It also comes in 4 chic colours – Copper, Midnight Blue, Cranberry, and Cool Grey.

Heat insulation (6 hours): 58°C & above
Cold insulation (6 hours): 11°C & below 

Recipes to try: Curry Chicken Udon Noodles and Chilled Mango Sago

Thermos® Food Jars JBM-500 and JBM-501

Pictured: JBM-501 Food Jar

This colourful series of Food Jars are designed with a wide mouth for easy filling and eating. They also have a detachable inner lid, allowing you to give it a thorough cleaning. Leak-proof yet easy to open, they are great for kids.

Heat insulation (6 hours): 61°C & above
Cold insulation (6 hours): 12°C & below

Recipes to try: Rainbow Millet Porridge and Tomato Egg Farfalle

Thermos® Stainless King Food Jar SK-3020

Able to hold a bigger capacity, this 0.71L Food Jar works well for packing a hearty meal for one or a lighter bite to share with friends. The attached serving bowl and foldable stainless steel spoon means you can travel light.

Heat insulation (6 hours): 60°C & above
Cold insulation (6 hours): 9°C & below

Recipes to try: Mushroom Quinoa and Chilled Papaya White Fungus Sweet Soup

Thermos® Food Jar HJC-750

With the largest capacity of 0.75L, this Food Jar is perfect for communal meals. Designed with a side handle for spill-free pouring, this water bottle and food jar hybrid is great for bringing soups or desserts to share.

Heat insulation (6 hours): 65°C & above
Heat insulation (24 hours): 42°C & above
Cold insulation (6 hours): 5°C & below

Recipes to try: Ginger Cane Sugar Sweet Potato and Chilled Avocado Soup

Find more recipe inspirations for Thermos® Food Jars here.

Caring for Your Thermos® Food Jar 

How should I clean my Food Jar?

• Use a soft sponge and gentle dishwashing soap to avoid damaging the Food Jar.

• Warm water will help with cleaning up any greasy residue and filling it with soapy water sit aside for few hours will help with stubborn ones.

• Make sure to rinse thoroughly before allowing the Food Jar to air-dry overnight with the lid open to get rid of food odours and prevent bacterial growth.

My Food Jar feels hot – is that normal?

• If the exterior surface of your Food Jar feels very hot or if you observe condensation forming, this could be that the vacuum-insulation feature has malfunctioned, likely caused by damages to the product, such as dents or punctures.

• If there are no visible damages, please email a photo of your Food Jar to customerservice@thermos.com.sg and we will get in touch with you within 3 to 5 working days.

Can I place my Food Jar in a steriliser?

• Placing Thermos® Food Jars in a steriliser is not recommended as the treatment may result in product malfunction, discolouration, paint peeling, and deformation.

• Hand-washing is the best way to clean the product.  

How can I get rid of the rubber smell from the silicone parts?

• Remove the rubber odour with the below cleaning method; or watch it in action here.

Materials required:

• Water

• White vinegar

Instructions:

1. Detach the silicone parts from the product.

2. Fill a bowl with vinegar and water with a ratio of 1:10.

3. Soak the parts for 1 to 3 hours.

4. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean towel.

What should I do when I have trouble opening my Food Jar?

This is a common problem caused by air pressure created when hot foods emit steam in a vacuum-insulated Food Jar.

To open stubborn lids, we recommend the following methods:

1. Allow the contents in the Food Jar to cool down for at least 1 to 2 days. The cover lid should open easily once the temperature drops.

2. To speed up the process listed above, turn the Food Jar upside down and soak the cover lid in a bowl of hot water for 1 minute. Make sure the water only reaches the lid as the quality of the heat insulation function may be affected if the entire product is soaked.   

If you are regularly using your Food Jar to store piping hot contents, consider using models with double lids, such as JBQ-300, JBQ-400, JBM-500 and JBM-501.

• For JBQ-series, simply press and open the top lid to release some air pressure, for easy open.

• For JBM-series, the inner lid kept the air pressure within, allowing the outer lid to remain easy to open.

What should I not do with my Food Jar?

• Do not place it in microwave, dishwasher, on the stove or near fire.

• Do not put dry ice, dairy or carbonated drinks.

• Do not fill food or soup above the inner rim of the Food Jar, to prevent overspill when closing the lid.

Where can I find more recipes for Thermos® Food Jars?

• Check out some Food Jar recipes here.

• New recipes will be updated regularly.

• Subscribe to our e-Newsletters to receive latest news, recipes and tips from Thermos Singapore

For other enquiries, please reach out to the team through our contact form.

Partial guide and tips courtesy of Sheryl Ariel Boh from fb.com/musingsatweivilla and founder of ’Cooking with Thermos’ Facebook group, with permission.

This article is updated with more information from the Thermos Singapore team.