Things I Like: The Crock-Pot Lunch Crock

I am finally back with another Things I Like post- I feel like it has been forever since I’ve done one of these! So, for those of you new to the blog, or who haven’t seen any of these posts (hint- you can read about many more Things I Like by clicking the label in the right sidebar) here is a little refresher:

Every once in a while, I’ll post a TIL – it can be anything from a household item, to a water bottle, to a Filofax accessory – it is literally just a way for me to share little things that make my day with you. And as a disclaimer, I’ve paid for everything I include in this list, or I have received it from a family/friend that has paid for it- these are solely my thoughts/opinions on things that make me smile or make my day easier!

Today’s item began as a quest to fulfill a New Year’s goal (not really a resolution since it isn’t a full lifestyle change…) Anyway, I digress.

One of my work goals this year is to pack my lunch at least four of the five days of the week. I’m typically terrible about packing lunches, and as I’m not a big homemade sandwich girl, I would quickly give up and opt to grab soup from the cafeteria instead. Which is expensive, and not too healthy since I’m sure the pre-made soups are full of sodium and God only knows what else.

I also happen to be a girl who works strongly based on rewards, or pre-rewards as I like to call them. For example, if I want to drink more water, I have to buy myself a fun new water bottle as inspiration. A bit rediculous, but it works for me.

So, I started off the New Year in search of a cool new lunch box/bag to inspire me to pack more lunches. While browsing Target’s website, I came upon this:

Of course, after reading all about it along with 10 million reviews, I knew this was my answer. Instead of a new lunch bag, I needed something that allowed me to heat up food without the use of a microwave. See, not only do microwaves not heat leftovers very well, but the only microwave I have access to at work is also used by about a billion disgusting college students (my office is on a college campus and the closest microwave is in the student center eight floors down). I have nothing against college students, but apparently the parents of these students never taught them to wipe out their spilled food when done using said microwave.

Anyway.

By the next day I was at Target and for $20, this little guy was mine. The website and reviews promised that his 20-ounce capacity could heat everything from soup, to oatmeal, to leftover dinners. So far, it has been true! Now, I’ve only had it about a week, but I’ll definitely come back and update this post if it breaks/stops working, etc. in the coming days/weeks/months. However, I’ve heated soup, leftover Chinese food, leftover pasta and sauce, and leftover chicken and dumplings in it, and so far so good! I get to work, plug it in at about 9 a.m., and by noon my food is super hot and ready to go.

Instead of rambling on in paragraph form, here’s a quick little pros/cons list for you:

PROS:

• Lightweight, easy to carry to work. I’ve been carrying the whole thing in a small tote bag- though I could save even more weight by just carrying the removable insert

• It has said removable insert- making it super easy to clean

• Heats food without a microwave- in my opinion it makes leftovers taste much better

• I can re-heat at my will, or keep something warming as I eat. Since I get called away from my desk a lot, it is nice to not have to go down eight floors to reheat something in the microwave

• It saves money. Not only am I saving money by not buying lunch, but I’m also finding that I’m eating a lot more dinner leftovers that would otherwise sit in the fridge until they were tossed. Double win!  

CONS:

• The lid on the inner container doesn’t fit quite as snug as I’d like, but it works. I commute by train, with at least two miles of walking daily, and I have yet to have anything spill. But it would be nice if the inner lid was a bit more tightly snapped so I wouldn’t have to worry about always making sure it was upright in my bag

• It does not cook food- it only reheats. I don’t really consider this a con since I knew that going in, but for someone looking for an item that you could stick raw chicken in and have lunch ready by noon this isn’t going to work

• There isn’t an on/off switch – it simply turns on by plugging it in. Again, not a huge deal, but it would be nice if I could leave it plugged in and just turn it on and off with a button

• It does make a small clicking sound as it cycles on and off while reheating, but again, this isn’t really a con considering I completely drown out the sound unless I actively listen for it

Funny, none of those cons are really even true cons in my mind, but for the sake of an honest review I figured I would just mention a few of the things that might be deal breakers for people. Many people have asked if the smell of the food might bother other people in the office, but I can’t smell anything that I’m reheating until I open the lid and start eating, so that hasn’t really been an issue either.

How is it that I can ramble on forever about the strangest things? I guess I’m just a girl who is easily won over by simple, everyday things. Seriously though, I can’t stop raving about this little guy!

Have any of you used one? Or have any questions? I tried to not repeat all the basic info here, since that can be found online, but if you have any questions, feel free to share in the comments as always!