Sandwiches are boring, but these 21 pinwheel sandwiches for school lunch will keeping things interesting! Kids love the pinwheel shape and they’ll never get bored with these delicious ideas!

The variety of pinwheel sandwiches you can make is fantastic! They make school lunches fun and interesting each day. Our kids love them, and Mom loves how easy they are!

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School Lunches

School lunch ideas can be tricky. It’s easy to fall into a rut and slap a PB&J together.

Sandwiches happen a lot for school lunches around here as the school year gets busy. However, there is a much more fun way to present what is essentially a sandwich. That is why we’ve gathered 21 Pinwheel School Lunch Ideas for you! Kids love the pinwheel shape and they make school lunch a lot more fun!

Also Read: Healthy Snack List for Back to School

Bento Boxes

First, let’s talk containers.

I love the idea of a kiddo opening up their lunch box and pulling out one neat box that contains their entire lunch. First, everything stays tidy and doesn’t get smashed or leak. Next, we save money and the environment by using less plastic bags. Last, the kids get to see their entire meal at once. This helps them make better choices and eat everything packed because they see it all at once.

A bento box with a leak-proof click-top lid is the best. We also find that having three simple compartments is the perfect size. Any more compartments and you could spend more time looking for something that is the perfect fit or worrying about adding more variety than needed. These bento boxes from Sunsella help get school lunches made quickly. You can even get them on Amazon!

Lunchbox Notes!

What’s a school lunch without a cute note from mom?

Along with labeling your kiddos lunch and school supplies with our absolute favorite, Mabel’s Labels, you can also leave them adorable lunchbox notes.

One of the main reasons we love our Mabel’s Labels so much is because they can go through the wash and never come off. Well, these Washaway Lunchbox Notes are the opposite – they’re made to come right off when you wash! How cute is that!?

Don’t forget the Allergy Stickers!

Pinwheel Sandwich Tips

Pinwheel sandwiches are so easy to make! There are a couple pointers to make it even easier.

1. Leave one end empty. Leave a little space near one end of your wrap. About the last quarter of it. As you roll from the other side, toppings will spread. They will make a big mess if you don’t leave a little space at your outside edge.

2. Don’t over-fill. If you want a nice, tight roll that will stay together, the key is to not over-fill your wrap. Spread everything out evenly, and less is more.

3. Add toppings in layers. If you want to get a little bit of everything in each bite of your pinwheel sandwich, add your topping in layers. Starting from the end you plan to start rolling, make layers of flavors across the wrap. As mentioned above, leave some space at the end for the roll to seal up.

21 Pinwheel School Lunch Ideas

These 21 pinwheel sandwiches will keep your school lunches different each day! Check out the 6 we love and another 15 from friends of ours!

Ham and Turkey Club Pinwheels

This is how we do most of our wraps and pinwheels. Just grab some mayo, whatever sandwich meat we have, lettuce, and tomato if we have it. This time around, we have ham and turkey. Perfect! It’s so easy to take your favorite sandwich makings and roll them up. It’s also very easy party food.

1. Spread a thin, even layer of mayo over the entire flat wrap.
2. Sprinkle cheese on all but the farthest quarter of the wrap. This will be the side you roll toward.
3. Spread ham and turkey slices (3 of each) across the middle to the side that will be rolled first.
4. Space your tomato and lettuce across the middle of the wrap.
5. Roll tightly toward the side without toppings.Slice into 8 pieces.

Also Read: Apple Slice Donuts

Chicken Salad Pinwheels

This is my favorite one! Yum! Whip up a simple chicken salad with cooked and shredded chicken, a little mayo, a dash of mustard, and a little salt and pepper. Dice up a little bit of tomato and a couple grapes and shred a little lettuce to easily add more flavor for a delicious chicken salad pinwheel.

1. Make chicken salad by combining 1/2 cup cooked chicken with mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste
2. Spread chicken salad across all but the last 1/4 of the flower tortilla
3. Sprinkle diced tomato and grapes over the mixture
4. Add shredded lettuce
5. Roll tightly toward the end of the wrap without the toppings. If needed, spread a little bit of mayo on the dry end to seal the end of the wrap
6. Cut into 8 equal slices

Also Read: Campfire Slinky Dogs Toy Story Lunch

Veggie Pinwheels

If the chicken salad pinwheels are my favorite, the veggie pinwheels are my second favorite! This is a simple lunch that can be made with any veggies you have. With a thin spread of cream cheese across your tortilla, a sprinkle of the ever-amazing everything bagel seasoning, and finely diced or sliced veggies any veggie and dip lover will be thrilled.

Find the full recipe here.

1. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese across the tortilla
2. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning
3. In layers, add tomato, carrot, and broccoli while leaving 1/4 topping-free
4. Roll tightly toward the end of the wrap that is topping-free
5. Cut into 8 slices

Also Read: Labeling School Supplies for Back-to-School

Peanut Butter and Honey Pinwheels

We have done peanut butter and jelly “quesadillas” since the kiddos were little. I love the peanut butter and honey combo for something a little different. I also find it a little easier to construct because you can spread the peanut butter and drizzle the honey over the top.

1. Spread peanut butter in a thin, even layer across the tortilla
2. Drizzle honey on half of the tortilla
3. Roll tightly starting at the side with the honey toward the side without
4. Cut into 8 even slices.

Also Read: Sweet Chili Sauce Pizza

Pizza Pinwheels

You can do these hot or cold. The topping possibilities are pretty endless. However, the most important is the pizza sauce and cheese. We also typically have some pepperoni in the fridge or freezer, so we have a pepperoni pizza pinwheel. Our kids love making their own pizza, so this is also a fun one to get them involved.

1. Spread sauce evenly across the tortilla
2. Sprinkle cheese across all but the last 1/4 of the tortilla
3. Add pepperoni slices evenly toward the inside end of the tortilla
4. Roll tightly from the side with the pepperoni to the side without toppings
5. Cut into 8 equal slices.

Also Read: Spaghetti Squash Pizza Hotdish

Ham, Pickle, and Cream Cheese Pinwheels

I remember this being our after-school snack of choice for all our friends. We always went to the same friend’s house and immediately busted out the pickle, cream cheese, and ham. We love these! It’s also a great alternative to always having your pinwheel in a tortilla or another wrap.

Find the full recipes and tips here.

1. Spread ham slices out in a line the width of your pickle
2. Spread cream cheese on ham slices, leaving the end of the roll empty
3. Place pickle across ham slices
4. Roll tightly toward the edge without cream cheese
5. Slice into 1 – 1 1/2 inch slices
6. The exact number will depend on the size of the pickle used.

Get these easy, leak-proof bento boxes on Amazon

15 More Pinwheel Sandwiches

Be sure to check out our free printable healthy snack list to keep you prepared with snack ideas all school year!

Are pinwheel sandwiches a hit in your school lunches?