Sideline dinner
The crunch-and-fork dinner kids will line up for at halftime.
Your kid pops open a bag of corn chips and spoons in beef, cheese, and lettuce right there on the bench.
It is loud and crunchy and a little messy, and it is the meal the whole team wishes their parent packed.
Ingredients
Use the list for sideline walking taco kits when you need makes 4 kits and a manageable about 20 minutes cook.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
- 4 single-serving bags (1 oz each) corn chips, such as Fritos
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup diced tomato
- 1/2 cup sour cream, optional
How to Make It
Let the method for sideline walking taco kits protect texture first, because soggy food rarely gets a second chance.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains, about 7 minutes. Drain the fat.
- Stir in the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Cool, then chill.
- Pack the cooled seasoned beef into a lidded container.
- Pack the cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream in separate small containers.
- Keep the chip bags whole; at the field, open a bag and spoon the toppings right in to eat with a fork.
Pack It Cold and Tidy
The beef, cheese, and sour cream are perishable, so the topping containers ride cold even though the chips do not.
- Set the beef and topping containers against two ice packs in an insulated bag
- Keep cold food at 40F or below, and do not leave it out longer than 2 hours
- Keep the chip bags out of the cooler so they stay dry and crisp
What Stays Crisp (and What Gets Soggy)
The whole point of a walking taco is crunch, so toppings stay separate until you build it.
- Pack each topping in its own container so nothing wilts before game time
- Open the chip bag only when you are ready to eat
- Keep the lettuce and tomato dry so they stay crisp, not slippery
- Serve with: a lime wedge, a clementine
Parent Tip
Cool the beef fully before packing so it chills fast and does not steam up the container.
Make It Fit Tonight
Small Tweaks That Help This Dinner Land
Swap in ground turkey
A leaner protein that still carries all the taco seasoning.
Use chili instead of beef
Leftover chili makes an even heartier walking taco.
Go vegetarian
Use seasoned black beans in place of the meat for a meatless kit.
Add corn and black beans
A scoop of each bulks up the toppings and adds color.
Try nacho cheese
A warm cheese cup in a small thermos makes it feel like a treat.
Plan The Next Step
Plan the sideline nights
Use the planner to mark the games where a build-your-own kit beats a sit-down dinner.