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You’ll learn how to quickly make these burrito bowls so they’re easy to pack and stay hot in a thermos or fresh in a lunch box.
School Lunch Burrito Bowls
My daughter is obsessed with burrito bowls from Chipotle, but since I told her that she had to pay for them herself if she didn’t want a school lunch from home, she now opts for these faster than you can say “extra guac.”
They’re not only cheaper and tastier, but they’re also healthier and a great way to use up leftovers from dinner. Other copycat lunches she now makes are this buffalo chicken rice bowl and Chipotle chicken wrap.
What You Need
Check out the recipe card below for some suggestions or you can pull out those leftovers and get creative!
- Cooked rice: white, brown, or even quinoa. Cauliflower rice is a healthy alternative and just as delicious.
- Protein: grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, black beans, or even tofu are just a few amazing options you can use.
- Toppings: think chopped lettuce, shredded cheese, simple guacamole… the sky is the limit.
- Salsa: jarred, a simple homemade blender salsa, or pico de Gallo, hot sauce (if you like it spicy), cilantro, lime wedges – so many options!
How to Pack a Burrito Bowl for Lunch at School
Here are my tips for packing a burrito bowl that’s filling and satisfying inside a lunch box to be enjoyed at room temperature:
- Build the bowl
Layer the rice, protein, and all the fresh toppings inside a durable lunch container. - Pack the toppings
Shredded cheese and pico de Gallo can be added to the bowl, even some salsa. Anything extra that might be too wet can be packed separately, in a small lidded container. - Pack it for school
Place the burrito bowl container and any healthy sides inside a lunch bag and add an ice pack to keep everything cool -unless you’re packing it hot in a thermos.
Packing a Burrito Bowl Hot in a Thermos
To enjoy a burrito bowl hot at lunch, you’ll need to heat up the rice and proteins in the microwave in the morning and put them inside a thermos container. All fresh ingredients, like lettuce, pico de Gallo, cheese, and sour cream should be packed in a separate container. At lunch, my kids simply combine the two into a meal.
Health Benefits of this Lunch Bowl
Burrito bowls are the perfect protein lunch teens and growing kids love. It’s packed with lean protein for muscle growth, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats to keep them energized and focused.
The best part is that they can easily be customized with more or less of each to meet their dietary needs. It’s one of the healthiest school lunches you can build and pack for hungry kids!
School Lunch Packing Tips
No one likes a soggy burrito bowl, and with a few simple tricks, you can keep everything fresh and crisp until it’s time to eat:
Layer it right
Start with the rice at the bottom, then layer on the protein, followed by the veggies. Limit the wet ingredients added or pack them in one of these condiment containers.
Keep It Cool
Add an ice pack to the lunchbox to ensure everything stays fresh and safe to eat. This is especially helpful if lunch bags will be outside or if lunch is hours away.
Add sides
Complete this meal with one of these lunch box sides that are perfect for school.
Save time
Assemble this burrito bowl after dinner with leftovers for a quick and easy grab-and-go lunch!
More High School Lunch Ideas
Other than this epic lunch, other favorites with my high schoolers include this chicken strip salad, this cheesy Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla, and this lunch box made with leftover chicken.
Lunchbox Chicken Burrito Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 1 ½ cups salsa
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 head cauliflower, riced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro, divided
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces guacamole
- 4 ounces black olives, sliced
- 4 ounces sour cream
Instructions
Cook the chicken:
- In a slow cooker, place chicken and salsa. Cook on high for 4 hours or 6 hours on low. Prior to serving, shred between two forks.
Cook cauliflower rice:
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the riced cauliflower and sauté, for about 5 minutes until the cauliflower rice is heated through and tender. Add in cilantro, stir to combine, turn off heat.
Serve:
- Assemble bowls by making a base of cauliflower rice, topping it with shredded salsa chicken, cheese, guacamole, black olives, sour cream, and additional cilantro.
To pack for lunch:
- Divide the cauliflower rice between the lunch containers. Top each one with the remaining ingredients. In a different compartment, add your favorite lunch sides.
- Pack in the lunch bag with an ice pack if needed.
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