Cinnamon Sunbutter Banana “Sushi” Box

Ingredients

Banana rounds

• 4 whole-wheat tortillas, about 8 inches and 40 g each
• ¼ cup (64 g) smooth sunflower-seed butter
• ⅓ cup (80 g) cream cheese, softened
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 small bananas, peeled, about 400 g total edible weight

Sides

• 200 g carrots, peeled and cut into short thin sticks
• 4 small mandarins, peeled and separated into segments

Equipment

Saucepan, knife, mixing bowl

Allergens and ingredient notes: Wheat, milk, sunflower seeds; packaged spreads may contain other allergens. Cut rounds smaller if needed for the child; no whole nuts are included.

Step by step

1. Cover carrot sticks with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer 5–8 minutes until soft enough for the eater. Drain and refrigerate promptly in a shallow container.
2. Mix sunflower-seed butter, cream cheese, and cinnamon until smooth. Spread one quarter over each tortilla, leaving a ½-inch border.
3. Place one peeled banana near the lower edge of each tortilla. If curved, cut it into 2–3 pieces and line them up end to end. Roll snugly around the banana and place seam-side down.
4. Trim only loose tortilla edges if necessary, then cut each roll into 6 rounds. Pack 6 rounds per box, flat or on their cut sides, with one quarter of the chilled carrots and one mandarin’s segments in separate sections. Do not use skewers or toothpicks.
5. Cover and refrigerate until leaving home. Make the banana rounds on the morning they will be eaten for the best color and texture.

The Devotti twist: The cream-cheese and sunflower-butter swirl makes a banana roll taste like a cinnamon snack while keeping the box easy to assemble.

How to pack

Keep pinwheels cold in a snug compartment so they do not unroll; use separate cups for fruit and carrots. These contain perishable cream cheese and are not a shelf-stable lunch.

Swaps and preferences

Sunflower-seed butter is not automatically school-approved or allergen-free: follow the school’s rules and check labels. Use another permitted smooth spread in the same amount only if suitable for the eater. The listed cinnamon can be omitted.

For cold lunches, pack fully chilled perishable food in an insulated bag with at least two cold sources. Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below and refrigerate on arrival when possible. Discard perishables left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C).

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate immediately and eat the same day. Prepared carrots can be refrigerated up to 2 days. Banana texture deteriorates after packing, so do not freeze the assembled box.