Food Literacy Students
These burritos work great for students, busy moms, school lunches, and honestly just about anything!
I don’t know about you guys, but I often find that I just don’t have time to cook! I always have good intentions to eat well during the week, but then I get busy and end up eating a granola bar for breakfast, going out for lunch, and having a bowl of cereal for dinner. I know, these are not the best food choices I could be making…but I’m sure we can relate on some level.
What I need in my life is something freezable and easy to warm up in my microwaves at school. Make-ahead freezer burritos are seriously life savers on those busy days when you just don’t have time to make food.
It’s also SUPER AFFORABLE. Here is a breakdown of all the ingredients, their costs, and the final cost per burrito:
| Ingredient | Amount | AP Unit Cost | Recipe Ingredient Cost |
| Cooked Black Beans | 1 1/2 cups (170g) | $0.72/15.25 oz can (15.25 oz = 2 cups) | $0.54 |
| Mexican-inspired Spice Mix (I used: Badia Andrew Zimmern Mexican Fiesta All-Purpose Seasoning) | 2 Tbsp (18 g) | $2.97/4.5 oz (4.5 oz = 9 Tbsp) | $0.66 |
| Tortilla wraps | 6 Large | $2.48/10 ct pkg | $1.49 |
| Refried Beans (Dehydrated Refried Beans) | 2⅓ cups (555 g) | $2.24/30 oz can (16 oz = 3.75 cups) | $1.40 |
| Red Bell Peppers (diced) | 2 whole peppers | $1.38 each | $2.76 |
| Green Onion (thinly sliced) | 2 stalks | $0.88/ bunch | $0.25 |
| Canned Corn (drained) | 1¼ cups (176 g) | $0.54/ 14.5 oz can (14.5 oz = 1.8 cups) | $0.38 |
| Fresh Cilantro | ½ cup (8 g) | $0.88/ bunch | $0.44 |
| Sliced Black Olives | ½ cup (68 g) | $1.52/ 3.8 oz (3.8 oz = ½ cup) | $1.52 |
| Pickled Jalapeno Slices (opt.) | ½ cup (75 g) | $1.43/ 15.5 oz jar (15.5 oz = 2 cups) | $0.35 |
| Total Recipe Cost | $15.04 | $9.79 | |
| Cost per serving (6 servings) | $1.63 |
Here are some other ideas on how to make your meal more budget friendly:
- Buy generic brands
- Choose veggies that are in season
- Buy in bulk
- You don’t have to put everything in your burrito either, pick and choose your favorite/the cheapest options for the inside of your burritos
Aside from being cheap, these burritos are also super easy and quick to make. It probably took me a total of 40 min, including making the video.
Ready for the the best part? This recipe requires just 5 simple steps!
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
Step 2: Mix the beans and the Mexican seasoning.
Step 3: Rinse, dice, slice, drain and veggies and cilantro
Step 4: Add all your chosen ingredients to your tortilla.
Step 5: Bake for 7-10 minutes (Be careful not to overcook!)
Viola! Your burritos are ready to be frozen or eaten right away for a delicious and nutritious meal.
PRO TIP: Substitute beans when a recipe calls for meat. Meat is expensive and eating it in moderation is alright, but the average American eats too much meat. Cutting down on meat consumption is also good for our environment. Beans are a great substitute, especially in something like burritos.
If you like your burritos a little crispier, like I do, then just put them on broil for a couple minutes after cooking. Here are some before and after broiling pictures:
Make-Ahead Freezer Burritos
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
- Mix the beans and the Mexican seasoning
- Rinse, dice, slice, drain and veggies and cilantro
- Add all your chosen ingredients to your tortilla
- Bake for 7-10 minutes (Be careful not to overcook!)
- Let burritos cool (5 minutes if you want to eat right away. Cool completely if you want to freeze them)
- IF FREEZING: put in an air tight container or resealable freezer bag. Put in freezer. Good for up to 6 months!
Video
Notes
- *Recipe adapted from https://www.pickuplimes.com/recipe/make-ahead-freezer-burritos-330
- Can be made gluten-free by using corn or other gluten free tortillas.
Enjoy your burritos! And don’t forget that eating healthy can be easy, sometimes we just make it too complicated. Eat healthy, enjoy your food, and try new things!
