How to Pack a Burrito for School Lunch

I’ve been sending burritos to school with my kids for years and below, you’ll learn my hack that keeps them warm until lunch!

Even if they don’t have access to a microwave, you can send a warm homemade or frozen burrito for school, and I show you how with my tips and in a video below.

Laura holding up a burrito with a lunch box with a surprised face

Can You Send a Burrito For Lunch

Yes! In fact, it’s one of my teen’s favorite meals to pack for school because it keeps them full longer -and we all know how difficult it can be to pack healthy lunches for teens!

My kids love that they can fill their burritos with whatever’s in the fridge, and I love that I can use leftovers from taco night. Win, win!

What many people struggle with (as did I) is how to keep them warm in the lunch box for hours -and that’s exactly what I show you how to do here. Once you learn how; your kids are going to be asking for burritos every week for lunch!

Can You Pack a Homemade or Frozen Burrito for School Lunches

Yes! Whether you buy frozen burritos for their convince or make homemade burritos with ingredients you have at home, as long as you heat them up before you pack them for school, burritos will become part of your school lunches rotation.

homemade burrito next to a frozen burrito

How to Pack a Large Burrito for Lunch

Just like packing any warm lunch for school, there are a few steps to packing burritos which I outline below. If you’re a visual learner, make sure to watch the short video that includes more tips for you.

Make or heat up the burrito
Make a burrito filled with your favorite ingredients. Once it’s wrapped, heat it in the microwave. If you’re packing a frozen burrito, follow the cooking directions on the package.
Wrap it up
Although foil alone won’t ensure the burritos stay warm until lunch, wrapping them in foil makes it easier for my kids to hold and eat.
Place it inside a thermos
The key to keeping the burrito warm for hours is to place it inside a thermos container, which needs to be tall enough to fit the burrito.
Pack in the lunch bag
Take the thermos container and any other snacks and pack them in a lunch bag.

Tip: Some frozen burritos require flipping over halfway through heating to ensure food is warmed throughout.

First time packing a burrito for lunch? Check out this quick video showing you how it’s done:

Best Container for Packing Burritos for Lunch

The best thermos containers don’t always fit a burrito so, make sure that yours is large enough for the burrito to comfortably fit standing up inside without getting smooshed by the lid. On the right is my favorite extra large thermos container that I use for my kids. And as you can see, the one on the left (a regular-sized thermos container) is not big enough.

a small and large thermos with burrito wrapped in foil

How to Keep a Burrito from Falling Apart in the Lunch Bag

Whether you use a thermos to keep the burrito hot or a regular lunch box and eat it at room temperature, it’s a good idea to wrap it in foil or parchment paper to keep it rolled up tight. This makes it easier to eat with your hands and prevents it from falling apart. Wrapping it in foil alone will not keep your burrito hot.