Did They Eat It: Walking Tacos

I have pretty much stopped cooking all together this summer. We've grilled a lot, ate many turkey sandwiches, or sometimes even cereal. Don't judge, hush, don't judge.

When we were up north last weekend with our friends, my friend's 7-year-old and I were chatting by the fire. She told me she loves tacos and she spoke about tacos with such affection and love, a love I've very rarely heard my children speak of food with.

I told her about this thing I'd read about when I was planning our camping trip Walking Tacos. "It's a taco," I told her spellbound face, "but it's in a snack size bag of chips with all the taco stuff in the bag."

She said, "I want to eat that!"

I'm glad I told her about Walking Tacos and not Saganaki, because her enthusiasm for the food would have made me powerless, I'd have to fry my eyebrows off just to make her culinary dreams come true.

This is less a recipe and more a great idea for feeding a crowd at a party, tailgate, skating party, camping, that type of thing. Portable food with minimal clean up. I'd planned to make this for our camping trip and the Saturday night potluck but then it poured rain and we went home and slept and cursed the rain. (Again.)

But here are some of the things you can use.

Ground beef
A pack of taco seasoning
Bags of snack size corn chips like Fritos. Some people swear by Doritos.
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Diced onions
Salsa
Black Beans
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Chopped Cilantro
Pickled jalapenos

I usually buy a pound of beef for the four of us, so cooking for 10, we did 2.5 pounds and probably could have had more...they were so good.

I like to crush up the chips a bit before opening the bag so you get chips and toppings on your fork at once.
You can also make your own taco seasoning....this is a decent one I've used before.

To save money, we bought enough bags of chips for everyone to have one and then an extra bag of chips for refills in our bags.

Did They Eat It? It's a world record folks!

There were six kids to feed this night....and EVERYONE ATE THIS! Some kids were a little more adventurous, others ate just chips, meat and maybe a tiny bit of cheese. But everyone had at least one and most of the kids had two.

Maddie looks like she didn't like this but she did.

Even Logan ate it. So did Tom and Leslie, but they don't count because they're normal grown ups.

Comments

[Lori Schmidt Lutze]

This is exactly the type of thing we eat in Joyceland:

http://llutze.wordpress.com/

[Krissy]

This is brilliant, Melissa! Thank you :)

[Ashley N]

I have to look up if Fritos have "MSG or HFCS or other nasty stuff" before my robot will agree to eat this, but to me they look AWESOME!!! What a FANTASTIC idea!!

[Laura]

I love "taco in a bag" which is what they were called by the group that introduced them to me.
We use crushed up doritos. Yummy!

[Kirsten]

This is all kinds of awesome. What a great idea!

[Beth]

Don't judge? Dude, Tuesdays are cereal night at our house. Every damn week. And I'm totally stealing this idea for next week!

[Jonesy]

Oh my God, that's white trash heaven in a sack! The robot looks like he's eating poopies! :)

[Alana]

When I was in high school, they would sell something similar to that at football games. They poured chili in and topped it with cheese, and that was one of the best things to eat on a cold night.

...We have a lot of pancake nights at our house now that I am in nursing school and not working. Talk about a cheap, filling dinner! When we want to get fancy, we add bacon and/or scrambled eggs. The novelty of breakfast for dinner always makes the kids happy.

[paul]

Love the flavors mixed up on the run...
I eat cereal anytime, too. Also, I like sourdough rolls (not a whole sandwich) filled with pnut butr, crm cheese, or whatever. I can walk and eat that, too. Also like the 'different' photo of you on the header today.

[HouseofJules]

I admire Maddie for being able to eat tacos (or anything, really) while wearing a white shirt & sweater. Whenever I wear anything white, it's immediate spillsville. Love this idea. We'll have to make it around here, though I'll need to wear black or an adult bib. Do they make those?

[Krys]

What an AWESOME idea!
I am SO totally doing this, and I tell you now, my husband will think I'm nuts with a capital N but I don't care!

[Jill]

Hello! This is genius! I will have to try it for sure!

[joj]

What no pickles?!

[april]

I think we'd love this. This is coming up for dinner very soon. I'd think.

[Heather]

In our neck of the woods (or actually its more of a dry arid flatland), we call it Frito Pie. :) It is even on the school menu!

[JLP717]

They sell those at the county fair here! Never thought to try one, but it is a fantastic idea.

[Lisame]

Growing up in Texas we used to have Frito Pie day at school on Fridays for those kids who wouldn't eat fish. The lunch lady would give you a bag of Fritos, pour chili on with cheese and onions.

Frito Pie is a stable down here!

[Becky]

These are great aren't they? We sell them at all the sporting events at the high school. No messes!

[Carrie]

Frito Pie! Another Texan here and that was definitely a staple growing up (although we normally have it with chili). I loved going to the concession stands at my brothers' football games because there you could always get it in the little Frito sack. At school, it was just Fritos in a boat. It's easier if you don't open the sack from the top but cut it along the side. It's not as deep to dig into.

[Sherry]

I have to second Carrie's comment, but I grew up in Oklahoma. Frito Pie in the bag was a staple at all concession stands.

And if you can, do cut the bag along the side. That way you don't have to get your hand messy as you dig down in the bottom of the bag.

I now live in Iowa and they make the walking tacos with Doritos and give you a look like you are crazy if you mention Frito Pies.

[beyond]

this is the strangest and most brilliant recipe i have come across in a while.

[ella]

Where I'm from (Texas)we call that Frito Pie. Great at football games.
We are going camping this weekend so I think I'll be adding that to the menu!
YUM!!!

[Stacey]

Walking tacos are soo good. I've only had them with Doritos, so I'll have to try the Fritos. If you cut open the bag on the side instead of opening it at the top of the bag it works easier. You have a wider opening and a shorter distance to the bottom... less mess for the hands and easier to inhale the grub!

[amy]

LOLing at all the other texans on here! i'm a transplanted texan and while there are frito-lay products where i live, there are no actual fritos. :-( i want a frito pie!!

[Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt]

That is absolutely brilliant.
(you should stop by TLLI today, my guest poster is from Detroit. I'd love your feedback)

[loonytick]

We do the Frito Pie thing in Tennessee, too, although I've never seen it at a concession stand. It's a popular school lunch/summer camp menu item. And of course it's a classic on the Sonic menu. (MMMM, Sonic!) The taco toppings are a nice variation we'll have to try sometime.

[Finn Reeds]

I'm glad you posted this because when I saw the camping pictures I could only think "What the hell are they eating with a fork out of a Frito bag?" Mystery solved.

[lisa]

I'm so excited to see this-- and to know that it was a success! I grew up in West Michigan, where walking tacos are a staple food item at little league games. I've since moved to San Francisco, where I've introduced the concept to as many people as I can because they're just that good (and totally bizarre). Yum!

[Lise]

A. I grew up in Michigan, and walking tacos were de rigeur at football games. I recently introduced my husband (from Florida) to the concept, and it was a hit! Well, duh.
B. I love, just adore, your Did They Eat It? posts. I know it means you have to cook and document, but please, keep them coming! I read bits aloud to people - that's how wonderful these posts are. Thank you!

[MelissaS]

I have never seen these before! I've lived in MI my whole life....I think they're usually a ice rink thing?

[Jessica]

These look absolutely fabulous. Never thought of it - but then, I'm in California. We probably have something called "walking sprouts pie" that I've never heard of and would NEVER eat.

Next outdoor dinner party - the walking tacos are on the menu!!!! I think I'll get both bags of Doritos and Fritos and peeps can choose. Also, I think I'll have some Dennison's spicy chili on hand -- yummy!!!!

I presume they go well with wine and beer...

[Nicole]

frito pie! fritos, chili, cheese, sour cream! DELISH!

[lynne]

This is brilliant!! I'm so making this next week for "special food night" - which is usually breakfast night, so yeah, no judging here.

Also, as a midwesterner, I have heard of Frito Pie before but never knew what it was. I always pictured a baked taco lasagna with Fritos in place of noodles. Now I get it! Thank you!

Hey you could combine the cereal for dinner thing with this idea and use individually boxed cereals with various breakfasty toppings like fruit and yogurt.... hmm..

[eluciq mama]

OMG...I want that right now...what a fabulous idea...and it looks super yummy!

[Laurie]

This would be good with chili and sliced hot dogs added with a dollop of sour cream too. Thanks for the idea!

[existentialwaitress]

My kids' favorite meal of ALL TIME is tacos, and this idea is ingenious for shaking up the monotony of Taco Night - I think they will love this. Thank you for posting it!

[Charlene]

I live in Iowa, and walking tacos are everywhere! I had never heard of them until I moved back from the Chicago area about two years ago, but they are at every school concession stand and fundraiser you go to. I'm not complaining, because they are yummy! (Also, I love Lynne's idea for a walking breakfast.)

[joaaanna]

Old Settlers Days is coming up in my area... a must is a Walking Taco from Reverend Bobby Love! (You know - just like the old settlers used to eat.)

The other MUST-HAVE is a Grange Pup. Like a corndog, but with a wheat/pancake-ish batter on the outside. Mmmm... fair food.

[Hsin]

Oh, yeah, we've been enjoying something like this for a while. Makes it easier to get kids fed on the way to soccer practice.
Except we use little bags of Doritos, or else buy big bags and throw the pile into a paper cup.
FYI, if you use the taco-flavored or enchilada-flavored Doritos, you don't have to add taco seasoning to your meat.
Of course, I've been having trouble finding the taco-flavor Doritos lately, but you also can use any corn chips that have enough extra seasoning.
Also, my son finds it easier to eat with a spoon than a fork.
Also, sometimes one of my favorites is breakfast for dinner. Eggs, ready-to-eat precooked bacon, toaster waffles, microwavable pancakes, and, yes, cold cereal with milk.

[Mental Momma]

Ironically, Fritos are one of the better of the junk foods. Corn, oil, and salt and no nasty stuff.

This is a great idea! We're going camping at the end of the month and I will definitely be making this!

[Andrea]

Thanks for this - I used this for a party today and it was a huge hit!!!

[Kids Football Shirt]

I had never heard of them until I moved back from the Chicago area about two years ago, but they are at every school concession stand and fundraiser you go to.

[Jennifer]

This is one of the most brilliant, clever ideas I've ever seen for feeding a crowd. How fun. I am definitely going to use this next time it's my turn to bring food with our large group of friends. Thanks for the idea!

[MaNiC MoMMy]

I had these the first time a few weeks ago--they are awesome!

[denise]

yep. texan, called frito pie and you can buy them at sonic!

[Rin]

Mmmm, frito pies. Grew up in New Mexico, and this was always my favorite school lunch. They sell them at Bingo night, and the lunch counters too! So, so, so good I might have to make them for dinner tonight!

[Kathryn]

LOVE this idea!!

[Deborah]

Holy Moly I have to try this for our next campout!

Something the kids will finally eat without complaints!

GREAT IDEA!!