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Switch up the usual sandwich for these easy turkey pinwheels!
If you’ve had pinwheels before, you know how popular they can be with kids and adults, and I’ve spruced up the classic recipe with fresh ingredients and creamy hummus for a healthy lunch option that fits perfectly in a lunchbox.
Healthy Turkey Pinwheels Recipe
Healthy turkey pinwheels are made with fresh veggies, sliced turkey, and creamy hummus rolled into a soft flour tortilla.
To make this recipe more nutritious than the original version, I swapped out the cream cheese for hummus, which is lower in fat and more flavorful. The addition of carrots and spinach brings volume and fiber to every bite.
Even with the extra greenery, these turkey pinwheels still disappear quickly from the lunchbox. And if this recipe is a hit with your family, give the Avocado Bacon Pinwheels a try!
What are Pinwheels
Classic pinwheels consist of a cream cheese base, deli meat, and more cheese rolled up tightly in a tortilla, then sliced into rounds.
Pinwheels have a small, round shape, making them easy to pick up and eat with your fingers, which makes them a great option for party appetizers and, in this case, packed lunches.
If this recipe is a breath of fresh air, you’ll love what’s inside the 101 Packed Lunches eBook. You’ll find much more than sandwiches and wraps; it includes hot lunch ideas, soups, epic salads, and incredible power bowls- all of which anyone can enjoy from school or the office.
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All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
Turkey Pinwheel Ingredients
The ingredients for these healthy turkey pinwheels are simple; you’ll need the following items:
- large tortillas: whole grain, white, spinach, whatever you keep on hand.
- hummus: acts as a “glue” and holds the pinwheels together.
- spinach: for extra fiber and vitamins.
- deli turkey: provides these pinwheels with satiating protein. Swap it out for deli ham or chicken.
- shredded carrots: for extra crunch and veg.
How to Make Turkey Pinwheels
Pinwheels are just as easy to make as the usual wrap and burrito. The only extra step is slicing them into the rounds or “wheels” let me show you how it’s done.
- Make a base
Spread the hummus over the tortilla. - Add the fillings
Top the tortilla with spinach, sliced turkey, and shredded carrots. - Roll and slice
Beginning on one end, tightly roll the tortilla. Slice in half, and then in 1-inch pieces.
You can also watch this quick video to see the entire process from start to finish:
Can You Make Turkey Hummus Pinwheels Ahead?
Pinwheels are a great lunch to make the night before, and I find they taste even better the next day. Over time, the tortilla absorbs the hummus flavors while the ingredients ‘meld’ together.
If you want to make this recipe ahead, don’t slice the wrap until you are ready to pack it into a lunch container. The sliced pinwheels will dry out overnight. Instead, cover the wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next morning.
How to Pack Pinwheels for Lunch
To keep pinwheels fresh and intact, pack them into a small compartment of a lunch container. Otherwise, it’s easy for them to get smashed or jostled when packed in plastic bags or large containers.
Easy Lunchboxes or bento boxes come with compartments and are what I typically use to pack this recipe and all sorts of lunches.
Easy Turkey Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 large whole grain tortilla
- 1 tablespoon hummus
- 1 handful Handful spinach or mixed greens
- 2-3 slices deli turkey
- Shredded or matchstick carrots
Instructions
- Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Spread hummus, top with field greens, place turkey slices on top and sprinkle carrots over the turkey.
- Beginning on one end, roll the tortilla tightly. Slice in half, and then in one-inch pieces.
Melissa Olson says
My kiddos love apple sandwiches w/ nut butters raisin’s or cranberries, bananas with any type of muffins and fruit salad. They really aren’t that picky and eat anything!!
Jessica F says
I have to very picky eaters so I “hide” veggies is their muffins 🙂
A_Shoemaker says
Hi Laura! I am on your site so often I feel like we are best friends lol…I just made this crunchy turkey wrap for the kids first day of school. My girls don’t like carrots but I am able to sneak them in this wrap because they don’t really taste the small shreds. My daughter asked me why I put them in there and I told her because it looks pretty. That is enough I guess. 🙂 My 11 year old just told me yesterday she doesn’t like the tortilla, ugh. I am going to try rolling bread slices really thin first and if that doesn’t work I think I will try your grain-free wraps. I will find an alternative for her so these easy delicious wraps can stay in our rotation along with the many others I use on your site.
My favorite go to for the lunch box is cucumbers. The girls love them and I can pair them with ranch, hummus, cream cheese for “sandwiches” and in a rice vinegar and sesame salad with tomatoes. Yum!
Laura Fuentes says
I love that you made this lunch already! Yes, you can use a slice of whole grain bread for these too! Take the bread slice, roll it with a rolling pin a few times to flatten it into a bread tortilla, and make the wrap, then roll. Maybe you can haver her roll it out and let her see that it’s bread 😉 You definitely sound like me by answering the question “because it looks pretty” lol. and the rice vinegar + sesame salad combo? definitely YUM!
Jill says
My daughter likes snack type foods like hummus and pita chips; tortilla chips with a cream cheese, salsa and black bean dip, apples and peanut butter. Variety is key.
Dawn Walbeck says
My 11 year old loves to pack a lunch. He is kind of a picky eater, so it is hard to find things that he will actually eat. We many times resort back to prepackaged things, which does not make me happy. 😉 He does like when I put homemade granola bars, mini cheesecakes, ham/cheese and pickle roll ups, frozen go-gurt, and ranch dip for just about anything in there. I try to vary it as much as possible-to encourage him to eat it all. I always top the lunch off with a joke-which he shares with his friends. LOL