I've become a fan of instant cup soups for camping. Everything from the evil/wonderful styrofoam Cup Noodles to the healthier, more exotic veggie variety. All that's needed is boiled water and no dishes to clean afterward except some chopsticks. (Some of those wax paper containers may be burnable, too, but I haven't tested this.) The problem is that those ultra hot cups can burn your hands, especially the flexible ones.

I recently solved the soup burn problem by cutting up one of those neoprene-type beer cozies. You know, those things you buy at the grocery store to hold beer or soda cans, usually with novelty sayings or bad art on them. ;) The can cozies are narrower and taller than the soup cups so some surgery is needed. I sliced down the side vertically, from top to bottom. Then I cut off the bottom inch or so (depending on the brand of instant soup). So you end up with a tube with a slice down the side that opens the ring into a C shape. Place the cut cozie around the hot soup cup and it not only protects your hands, but makes it easier to hold (no smooshing and flexing). It'll cost you maybe a dollar to do this.

The two key things: One, make sure the cozie is slightly shorter than the height of the soup cup or it'll make it unstable when placed on a table -- you don't want spills, that's defeating the purpose. Two, make sure to put the cozie slit/opening at the area of the cup that you will sip from -- you need some space to get your mouth in there or you'll dribble all over yourself.

Hope that helps someone out there.