With the start of a brand new school year, the shine is still on slapping together custom sandwiches (though trust me, that’ll be over by mid-September). When the new has worn off and the kids are sick of seeing the same old when they sit down at the lunch table, it’s time to surprise them with these fun Back-to-School Lunch Rollups from Shelagh at SheCooksDesign. They’re great for kids who can’t tolerate bread and a slick way to sneak more veggies into their lunch box, making them an easy back to school lunch idea. They make great appetizers, too, or are perfect for a picnic.
How Kids Can Help Make Back-to-School Lunch Rollups:
The utensils used to cut the zucchini are sharp and best left to the adult in charge. But kids can have fun rummaging through the fridge and picking out ingredients for their “sandwich” creations. If your garden didn’t yield this year or zucchini’s not your thing, there are many alternatives that roll well. You can help your kids gently roll the wrap and stick a toothpick in each one. Chill, then pop them in the lunch bag the next day!
Substitutions, Alternatives and Options:
Zucchini Pinwheel alternatives
- Deli meat
- Flour tortillas
- Corn tortillas
- Cucumber
- Boston Bibb or Romaine lettuces
- Spinach
- Pancakes or crepes (try dessert rollup with some hazelnut spread!)
Roll-Up Filling options
- Pesto
- Hummus
- Greek yogurt
- Olives
- Cheese
- Pepperoni
- Mozzarella balls
- Chicken
- Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Asparagus
- Pickles
- Any leftovers!
Recipe – Back-to-School Lunch Rollups – Kid Friendly Pinwheels
Back-to-School Lunch Rollups
- Mandoline or sharp vegetable peeler
- 1-2 zucchini (10 in long, 1½ in diameter)
- deli meat or leftover chicken or ham (sliced thin)
- 2 tbsp cream cheese or goats cheese
- ¼ red onion (sliced thin)
- Using a mandoline or vegetable peeler*, make 8 long flat planks of the zucchini. Be sure the planks aren’t too thick, they or they won’t roll up very well. Use a paper towel to dry off the planks, (zucchini exudes quite a bit of moisture).
- Line up the meat on top of the zucchini planks. Place 1/2 teaspoon of cream cheese on at the long end of the plank (or whatever ‘wrap’ vehicle you are using), distribute the rest of the veg on top of the meat. Sprinkle with a little salt and fresh cracked pepper.
- Starting at the long end, tightly roll up the planks, making sure no fillings squish out the sides (just pop it back in with your fingers). Place a toothpick to hold, and you are all set. Tip: try to roll these up very tight, from the start of rolling, it keep the ingredients in and snug.
*Please note, these utensils are sharp, only an adult should do this step. Be sure to use the guard that came with your mandoline. Safety first!
But before we get to the school sales, I think we need to fill our bellies before we fill our backpacks. There is a new pizza and pizza dough that’s made with just two ingredients.
What are the two ingredients?
- Greek yogurt from Wisconsin farms
- 100% organic whole wheat
We enjoyed the frozen pizzas both turkey pepperoni and the cheese. And then, we took the naked frozen crust and piled on our own toppings. We enjoyed our meal greatly.
Disclosure: FFTC was contacted by Yough! They asked if we would want to receive a sample, so we gave it a taste.
