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Lunchbox Wars: Bean & Cheese Burritos

by Laura Fuentes

May 30, 2012
updated Jun 2, 2023

All the articles & recipes on this website have been created through real-life testing and experience (no ai) since 2010. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

It’s hard to beat a burrito when you’re looking for a simple, complete and portable meal to go.  Sadly, the “insides” never look like the picture in the ad.  Today, we are going to show you exactly what you are not missing and how much cheaper making your own can be!

Homemade bean & cheese burrito compared to a popular drive-thru fast food version.

Round 1 – Convenience

A burrito doesn’t take long to make.  You order it at the drive-thru window, pay for it and thirty seconds later they hand you one at the next window.  Or, you buy a frozen box promising deliciousness in 30 microwavable seconds. Tada! No bueno.

MOMables Tip: Get a whole pack (or two) of flour tortillas and make a bunch yourself, ahead of time. They’ll keep in the freezer 3 months. A few minutes in the microwave and you have the perfect on the go dinner for busy activity nights. No more drive-through and no boxed ones!

Round 2 – Contents

I opened up the fast food burrito (at right) expecting to see just beans & cheese. I didn’t know there would also be some kind of sauce, and a lot of chopped onions. There wasn’t much cheese that I could see, but maybe it was just smothered by the sauce.  Slightly unidentifiable, don’t you think?

There were also a few pieces of lettuce. I suppose this was an unintended “freebie” courtesy of assembly line fast food.  When you make your own you know exactly what goes in your burrito.

I only put beans & cheese in my version (at left). No sauce – the seasoned beans and sharp white and cheddar cheeses have enough flavor for me .  If you are using plain re-fried beans or black beans, I’d suggest a dash of salt free taco seasoning.

Round 3 – Cost

The fast food bean burrito costs $1.29.
While the ingredients for the bean burrito were quite a bit more than that, broken down to the cost per burrito, the homemade one is only $ .79!  That is nearly 40% savings!

Bonus Round – Is Lunch Complete?

As filling as a bean & cheese  burrito is, it doesn’t make a very well-rounded lunch on it’s own. What about fruits & vegetables?  Can you get those at the drive through window?  You can have any fruit or vegetable sides you like if you pack your own lunch ahead of time.

I packed my  burrito in an EasyLunchboxes container, adding bite-sized tomatoes & sliced strawberries on the side. For a school lunch, warm the burrito in the morning, then wrap in parchment paper or foil paper before packing. Since avocados are in season, I also added some fresh guacamole & organic blue corn tortilla chips. The guacamole is homemade too. I jazzed it up with some lime juice, diced red pepper, and Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning = Cajun guacamole!

Which would lunch you rather feed your family?

The “MOMables™” burrito lunch is a winner!

This challenge shows that convenience foods often seem cheaper; but in reality, they  actually cost more per unit and  are often nutritionally incomplete. What fast food saves me in time, it costs my family in health.

It makes more sense to pack  my own meals to go, with fresh, healthy ingredients from all the food groups. MOMables menu plans make that easy, by taking the guesswork out of making a nutritionally complete lunch.

by Laura Fuentes
onMay 30, 2012

If you enjoyed the article, please share it with others. Thank you!

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jill B

    August 22, 2013 at 4:35 pm

    Is it in a stainless container? I am needing something to keep things like this warm till lunch.!
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • MOMables

      August 22, 2013 at 10:33 pm

      A stainless steel container won’t keep things warm until lunch. Only a thermos will. You can browse the ones I recommend here.

      Reply
  2. Jill b

    March 14, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    Will this burrito stay warm wrapped till lunch sent to school? And do you ever make your tortillas? Thanks.!

    Reply
    • Laura

      March 14, 2013 at 9:29 pm

      Hi Jill! Yes, I heat it up in the morning and place it in a stainless steel container like in this post. We have a DIY tortilla post coming soon.

      Reply
  3. kathy

    February 09, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    did you know that TB beans are reconstituted from a dry mix? :(

    Reply
    • Laura

      February 09, 2013 at 6:58 pm

      yes..I rather buy fresh beans if you ask me… :)

      Reply
  4. Keeley

    May 30, 2012 at 11:39 am

    if someone IS addicted to the Taco Bell sauces and the flavor, they are now selling all their Bold & Creamy flavors at stores! So you can add it at home!! :)
    i know because the fella loves the chipolte sauce. haha

    Reply
    • Laura

      May 30, 2012 at 11:51 am

      great to know!

      Reply

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