Re-heating food with just a kettle - possible?
Discussion
Is there a way of heating homemade pre-cooked pasta dishes in an office environment with just an electric kettle for heat?
I'm getting really bored of sandwiches, salad and cold pasta at lunchtime and would like to reduce my bread intake. Previously we had a microwave in the office which enabled me to heat up pasta dishes brought in from home. The microwave has now been removed and will not be returning. Is there perhaps a device into which you pour boiling water which then heats food in a seperate container? I realise it won't be piping hot but even lukewarm would be better than cold pasta. Google has not proved helpful and I guess I could try to rig something up myself but I'd rather just buy something off the shelf.
Also would it actually work? Or would the water cool too quickly to provide a useful heat source once out of the kettle and in contact with receptacle holding cold pasta?
I'm getting really bored of sandwiches, salad and cold pasta at lunchtime and would like to reduce my bread intake. Previously we had a microwave in the office which enabled me to heat up pasta dishes brought in from home. The microwave has now been removed and will not be returning. Is there perhaps a device into which you pour boiling water which then heats food in a seperate container? I realise it won't be piping hot but even lukewarm would be better than cold pasta. Google has not proved helpful and I guess I could try to rig something up myself but I'd rather just buy something off the shelf.
Also would it actually work? Or would the water cool too quickly to provide a useful heat source once out of the kettle and in contact with receptacle holding cold pasta?
Nyphur said:
I do a fair bit of camping and have a variety of cooking devices but I think they'd last 2 minutes before the Health and Safety Nazi (sorry Office Manager) went nuts. Naked flames are definitely out of the question. I'll certainly have a look at the kettles, but I suspect I may need rig something up myself, as bringing my own kettle in may also cause H&S issues. Dragons Den here I come, I'll be a millionaire next year Rodney!
Anyone any thoughts on whether it would actually work, ie produce enough heat?
condor said:
I used to have a travel kettle that you could use to heat up soups etc.
You could always buy a food thermos flask.
Why has the microwave gone? - can't you just buy a replacement and use that?
Would a Thermos keep pasta hot enough, probably looking a 6hrs from micowave at home to lunchtime. Soups tend to go into a Thermos at boiling point, I can't imagine pasta would be anywhere near as hot, but I could be totally wrong. Anyone used one?You could always buy a food thermos flask.
Why has the microwave gone? - can't you just buy a replacement and use that?
Microwave went because of misuse (users not cleaning it) but mainly because we moved offices and our new kitchen is now in an open area adjacent to our reception - the powers that be are not keen on people heating up Kippers 5 mins before a client walks in, fair enough really. Hence why doing anything that appears to be "cooking" such as using a stove or having my own kettle will likely be frowned upon. I figured pouring hot water into a small device to warm up pasta would go by un-noticed.
http://www.gizmag.com/trekmates-flameless-stove/23... or buy a food flask
dienamic said:
http://www.gizmag.com/trekmates-flameless-stove/23... or buy a food flask
That is bloody brilliant, so my idea was not as stupid as I first thought it was. However, I'm not sure I could live with £1.30 per meal for the fuel sticks, being the tightwad that I am. I'll give the vaccuum sealing a go in the first instance, as that would also enable the freezing of large quantities of individual meals which can be defrosted whilst in work and then stuck in the kettle at lunchtime.
Cheers for the help.
I would have suggested one of these:
A 'Bubba Grub' by Bubba Keg, I can really recommend their stuff as I've got 2 of their different size large capacity thermal mugs, and coffee will still literally be piping hot 3+ hours after filling, easy.
Search eBay/amazon and google for 'Bubba grub' or Bubba food.
But... For food like pasta, I would suggest 6 hours and it will be luke warm at best. For someone like me who leaves the house at 8:45 and eats in the office at 12:30 this wouldn't be a problem, but your 6 hour time gap is the issue
A 'Bubba Grub' by Bubba Keg, I can really recommend their stuff as I've got 2 of their different size large capacity thermal mugs, and coffee will still literally be piping hot 3+ hours after filling, easy.
Search eBay/amazon and google for 'Bubba grub' or Bubba food.
But... For food like pasta, I would suggest 6 hours and it will be luke warm at best. For someone like me who leaves the house at 8:45 and eats in the office at 12:30 this wouldn't be a problem, but your 6 hour time gap is the issue
JQ said:
Microwave went because of misuse (users not cleaning it) but mainly because we moved offices and our new kitchen is now in an open area adjacent to our reception - the powers that be are not keen on people heating up Kippers 5 mins before a client walks in, fair enough really.
Heating kippers in a kettle has to be easier than pasta!?!The best way to cook pasta with a kettle is, as someone else has said, to use one with a concealed element. Bit of insulation tape to hold the switch in position et voila, instant pasta vessel.
Use a thinish sauce, which goes on to the cooked pasta cold, and you have a tasty meal.
(Clearly no ex-students who lived with "no cooking in hall" rules.)
If you feel guilty about gunging up the kettle for other users, just buy an identical one and stash somewhere convenient...
Just buy a 12v Microwave for £130 and bung it in the boot of your car. Charge your mates 50p each to warm their food up too. 
http://www.mynewcheap.co.uk/products/details/waveb...
http://www.mynewcheap.co.uk/products/details/waveb...
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