What is a HotLogic?
WE LOVE OUR HOTLOGIC! We have 2 of the Mini models and have been using them regularly for 2 years.
If you do not know what a Hot Logic is, I am so glad you are here. This will change your life. Well, your car life. It is a soft sided box with a zipper. It heats food to 165 degrees.
Here, let me show you!
It is a personal portable oven. I call it a Crock Pot FOR THE CAR! It is a soft side container that zips closed and contains a heating plate that actually cooks food in whatever container you can fit inside. I use these containers and I love how much easier it is to clean than a traditional Crock Pot.
It gives us so much freedom to travel without having to stop at restaurants and fast food windows. We used to be able to hit the drive thru for $12, 4 kids later, not so much. This thing saves us SO MUCH MONEY!
It takes some adjustments in thinking about what you can cook in this thing, because it is not designed to cook things that contain a lot of liquid like a Crock Pot. This is a great design for portable cooking because eating soup in the car, especially with kids, is a bad idea. Trust me.
Are you seeing the amazing possibilities?! If not, I made you a big list.
Fast Food Style
- Chicken Nuggets – Crisp them up first in the oven or Air Fryer and they will stay hot in the HotLogic when you drive past the golden arches.
- Chicken Biscuit – If you ever find Aldi Red Bag Chicken, you are set for this. Crisp up the frozen chicken patties and cut up to fit into biscuits. This is super helpful for my sister who cannot do Chick-Fil-A because of peanut allergies.
- Chipotle-Style Burritos – When I am craving Chipotle it is hard to find a substitute, but with all the food safety concerns it was worth trying to DIY this one. I love this site for recipes. If I was doing this on the go I would make them ahead of time and throw in a side of guac to dip for the contrasting cold!
Sandwiches
- Greek Chicken Pitas
- Tuna Melt – Toast before leaving and heat the tuna and cheese on the way, crispy and warm.
- English Muffin Pizzas. This is one you could do entirely in the HotLogic.
- Ham Rolls – Hawiian Rolls,deli ham with some honey butter on top? Come on.
- Kentucky Hot Brown – I used to make this early in my marriage and it became a big hit! For the HotLogic, I just replace the croissants with Hawaiian Rolls.
- BLT with some nice hot bacon!
- Steak and Cheese Sub – Great option is to purchase the frozen peppers and onions from Walmart or Dollar Tree to make this come together fast. You could serve with chips and apple slices.
Mexican Inspired
- Tacos – Double up on Taco Tuesday and reheat the meat in the HotLogic for a SUPER satisfying lunch after Grocery Pickup.
- Burritos – This is an ultimate prep opportunity. I like to make all kinds of burritos and wrap and freeze them. That way I have a great easy meal that is easy to grab a lot or a little for a day out.
- Nachos – I like to make a hot cheese dip in the HotLogic and pack a big bag of tortilla chips. I call them tiny tacos for the kids.
- Fajitas – Perfect because it will be assembled on site.
- Rice and Refried Beans – I love this meal and so do my kids. Throw in some tortillas wrapped in foil on top of your lunch container and grab some fresh lettuce for a super satisfying vegetarian or vegan lunch.
Breakfast
- Breakfast Burritos – I love this super frugal breakfast or lunch. I cook up scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, and cheese and wrap it up in a tortilla. I make 30 at a time, wrap them up and freeze.
- Breakfast Sandwiches – I am sure you have seen the simple sausage, cheese and english muffin sandwich prep? That will fill your freezer fast!
- Pancakes – Easy to meal prep and great warm with powdered sugar so you are not trying to travel with syrup!
- Waffles and Sausage – This would be so quick to grab from the grocery store. Grab fully cooked sausage and Belgian waffles. Very travel friendly.
Leftovers
- Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Chili and Rice – The HotLogic is not ideal for runny foods, so mixing some leftover chili with rice will make it perfect for the HotLogic. You could even sprinkle it with some cheese and pack up some cornbread or chips. YUM.
- Baked Potatoes with Toppings- There is nothing simpler than adding a few extra potatoes to the oven when you are roasting them! Add some cheese, chilli, broccoli or bacon and wrap in foil. Smaller potatoes will heat easily for a satisfying budget lunch.
- Pizza – Cold pizza isn’t the only option!
- BBQ Sandwiches – One of my favorite ways to use the HotLogic for the whole family is to fill it with pulled chicken or beef and make sandwiches with the hot filling. It is such a great alternative to fast food and still feels like a treat. Cook up extra, store in a rectangular glass container and pop it in the HotLogic in the van.
From the Grocery Store
- Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches
- Uncrustables and Boxed Mac and Cheese – I like to cook up an extra box when I am making the Mac and Cheese and I put it in my rectangular container so I can easily grab this lunch for the park.
- Deli Chicken Tenders – Grab them on shopping day and reheat easily, maybe grab potato wedges too
Pasta
- Squash Mac and Cheese – Watch me make it here!
- Spaghetti with Sauce – Not the easiest to eat in the car, but great for a longer outing where you can picnic.
- Ravioli – the nugget of the pasta family. I like throwing extras with some butter in a rectangular glass container for a very mess free meal in the minivan.
- Bacon Mac and Cheese – When your offering has to be very convincing to avoid that fast food window.
Paleo
- Meatballs – Great easy alternative to highly processed nuggets, and very dippable.
- Potato Lasagna – This is a great one to bring when you will be packing for your family. Maybe a gathering where you want to participate, but the food might not fit your needs. This one was a revelation to me during my first Whole 30.
- Chicken Tikka Masala
I hope I have inspired you with 31 ideas to keep yourself and your kids fed on the road. There are so many benefits to being prepared when you are out running errands. I feel like such a super mom when I pull out a hot meal at the park, and my kids are much happier.
I am working on building out our trunk area with some gadgets and structure for eating in the car. This makes it much easier and less stressful for frequent family tailgating.
