These Tortilla Roll Ups are made PIZZA style, with Arla Creamy Havarti Cheese Slices, a tomato sauce and cream cheese spread and sliced pepperoni! An easy make ahead lunch idea. Includes step by step recipe video.

Does anyone else feel like we just accidentally skipped right over summer and are back to late night lunch packing and early morning bus rides?

We are lucky in that our kids are the last on the bus, which means a pick up of 8:30 instead of potentially much earlier, but with the husband working long hours these days it is still sometimes a struggle to get out of the house on time!

tortilla roll ups dipped in small glass bowl of pizza sauce

Last year, when our oldest was in Kindergarten, I tried everything for her lunches.

I sent oatmeal cups.

I sent mac and cheese cups.

I sent pasta in a thermos (it was often too hot or too cold).

I sent pasta salad.

I made mini pizzas.

I even sent pizza pops (turns out, she hates them).

And then, we often resorted back to a ham or PB&J sandwich, or good ol’ cheese and crackers. Because that’s what she wanted (you can see a list of our go-to’s over on this post Back to School Lunch Ideas!).

You guys. I feel like I gave it a really good shot and still struggle to find creative things to put in her lunch. But these Tortilla Roll Ups are a hit — especially when there’s extra sauce for dunking!

They’re filled with a bunch of the girls’ favorite things: cream cheese, pizza sauce (we need some glue!), pepperoni and, of course, Arla Havarti Cheese Slices! For these roll ups, I like to keep things super simple so the girls can prep these pretty much all by themselves.

tortilla roll ups overhead on grey plate with arla havarti slices and package on the side

Arla’s Havarti Slices and pre-sliced pepperoni make these incredibly easy, and the kids have no problem stirring together the two ingredient “sauce”. I love to get the girls involved in making their own lunches because they are usually more inclined to eat what they have prepared — you should see the look of pride on their faces!

And plus, if there are a few slices leftover I can stash some away for my own lunch the next day for those times when the baby is fussy and I’ve only got one hand to eat 😉

Tips for Making Tortilla Roll Ups: Pizza Style!

Make sure your tortillas are room temperature. We often store our tortillas in the fridge or freezer, but make sure they are not cold when you go to roll them or they may crack and it will be a mess!
Use very thinly sliced pepperoni, and taste it to be sure it’s not too spicy for your children. If the pepperoni is sliced thick, it may be difficult to roll and you will want to chop it instead.
Be sure to roll up tightly, so that they hold together, and chill before slicing for the best results.

plate of tortilla roll ups up close up bowl of pizza sauce in the background

Variations of Tortilla Roll Ups:

There are so many different ways to make these roll ups to incorporate your family’s favourite flavours! Here are a few ideas:

Try using different flavours of tortillas: whole grain, spinach, and sun-dried tomato would make great swaps!
Add extra veggies if your kids will have them: chopped mushrooms, peppers, roasted red peppers, shredded zucchini or carrots — anything goes as long as you enjoy it! Just don’t add anything with too much moisture as we don’t want them to get soggy when sitting.
Try swapping the pizza sauce for some basil pesto for a fun, flavourful twist!
Too lazy to roll and slice? Try spreading and folding quesadilla style!

How to freeze Tortilla Roll Ups:

One more thing to love about these pizza style Tortilla Roll Ups is how easy they are to prep ahead and save for a few days.

You can make, roll, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days before slicing (but first be sure to check the expiration date on all of your products).
You can make, roll, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, slice and place a few slices in a lunch container on a piece of paper towel so they do not get soggy.
You can make, roll, chill, slice and freeze in slices, ready for lunch. To thaw, you will use the same directions as above.

*This post is generously sponsored by Arla Canada — thank you for supporting the brands that make The Recipe Rebel possible!

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