Taco Pinwheels

If you're looking for more school lunch box ideas or easy snack recipes, I got you covered with these Taco Pinwheels! They are so easy to make with no cooking required, they are so versatile and use whatever you have on hand, and they even sneak in a few veggies. All these reasons make these Taco Tortilla Pinwheels a great lunch or snack idea for kids.

Easy tortilla lunch idea

We always have soft flour tortillas in the fridge for quick and easy breakfasts. They're great for pizzadillas, mini quesadillas, and these amazing egg tortilla rollups. And one of my favorite things to do with tortillas is to make pinwheels for lunch!

I use whatever meat I have on hand, chopped bell peppers, shredded cheese, and cream cheese. Sometimes I add fresh herbs and other seasonings. Sometimes I add beans for more nutrition. 

Taco pinwheels are one of my favorite kind of pinwheels to make!

The cream cheese balances out any spice from the taco meat, making it perfect for a lunch for kids. These are also great for lunch because:

• They can be prepared the night before.
• They keep well overnight and in an insulated lunch box.
• They do not need to be reheated.
• They are very snackable, no utensils needed!
• Kids can help make these! I write about the benefit of cooking with toddlers, and I think it's so important that kids learn to cook and see how food is made!

Ingredients

For the pinwheels:

• 4 - 6 large flour tortillas
• 8 ounces cream cheese (1 bar), softened (you can also use 8oz whipped cream cheese)
• 1 cup leftover cooked seasoned taco meat (see other meat ideas below the instructions)
• 1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican blend
• ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper (or any other color pepper, or just use only red pepper to make things simple

For serving:

• Guacamole, salsa, and/or sour cream. I like to pack these in condiment cups, I save them from takeout and wash them (and reuse them!!!) but you can buy some condiment cups on Amazon.

Equipment needed:

• Plastic kitchen wrap
• Sharp knife

Instructions

Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, taco meat, shredded cheese, red, and green bell pepper together until combined.

Step 2: Evenly spread ⅓ to ½ cup of the cream cheese mixture onto each flour tortilla. Add a little more than the picture below if you want more flavor, but if you add too much more it might get messy after slicing and harder for kids to eat.

Step 3: Roll the tortillas up tightly and wrap each tortilla in plastic wrap to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Do not skip the chilling step, these pinwheels slice easier when chilled.

Step 4: Before school or work (or before serving), slice each tortilla into 1.5 inch pinwheels and place in the lunch box. You can also slice them in the evening, just make sure to pack them in a sealed container so they don't dry up.

Recipe variations and other tortilla filling ideas

• Use rotisserie chicken, chop it, and season it with taco seasoning
• Add finely diced cucumber
• Add cooked crumbled bacon instead or in addition to the leftover taco meat
• Add fresh herbs, such as fresh cilantro leaves or diced scallions
• Add a splash of hot sauce to the cream cheese mixture
• Experiment with different types of shredded cheese