The classic Frito Pie gets a fun update with this Easy Walking Frito Pie idea! In a nutshell, it’s a delicious Frito Chili Pie that’s portable. Ground beef and Ranch style beans get heated up together and poured right into a Frito snack size bag. Add all your favorite toppings and off you go! Perfect for the family on-the-go.

Making Frito Pies is so easy and convenient. In terms of “snacking on the go” you really can’t do much better than essentially hot nachos in a convenient bag. Easy to eat and simple to dispose of, the walking Frito pie is perfect for all kinds of situations.

The walking Frito pie work great for a fill your own station for a tailgate party at the game. It delivers the goods when you want to serve a snack that is a bit more filling and offers some protein. If you don’t want to wash dishes, then nothing beats the meal in bag.

What Is A Walking Frito Pie?

There are still some folks that don’t have a clue what walking Frito pies are. You can always tell by the expression on their faces when you mention them. They look like they expect you to pull a rabbit out of your hat for your next and final trick.

The history of using Fritos in recipes goes back to 1949 but walking Frito pies are a much more recent adaptation and innovation. Most sources agree that walking Frito pies came from the State Fair in Iowa.

The Iowa State Fair is a huge affair and known far and wide. Well, some enterprising food stands there got the simple yet brilliant idea to serve food in bags of Fritos. I have to hand it to them. They probably saved a fortune on paper plates. They also saved countless fair goers the hassle of dealing with flimsy plates that always spill all over.

Nothing worse than dropping your food that was over-priced to begin with because it wasn’t easy to hold. Well, I guess stepping in someone else’s spilled chili dog could be worse, especially if you are wearing sandals, lol!

A walking frito pie, which is also known as a walking taco, a Frito boat, and a taco in a bag, solved the problem.

Walking Frito Pies In Foil Wrapping

The walking Frito pie is a marvel of hot fast food engineering. The ingredients are poured directly into a bag of Fritos. The Fritos on the bottom make sure that you don’t burn your hands holding it.

The foil wrapper helps keep the heat in but also prevents the moist ingredients from seeping out… or breaking and spilling everything.

You can walk along and enjoy it at your leisure. When you are done, then clean up is as easy as finding a convenient garbage can to dispose of it properly.

What Goes Into A Walking Frito Pie?

The basic ingredients of a walking Frito pie are some cooked ground meat like hamburger or turkey and ranch style beans.

Season up the ground meat and beans and cook until the meat is done. For easy Frito pies pour the meat and bean mixture directly into the bag. That is when the creativity can really take over. There are so many ingredients you can add and everyone has their own favorites.

Of course some grated cheese like cheddar or a Mexican grated cheese blend work great. Sprinkle that on the hot meat and beans, and hold the bag close for a few seconds to melt it quickly.

Don’t keep the bag closed too long or you risk making the Fritos too soggy too quickly. Don’t get me wrong, the Fritos at the bottom that soak up the seasoning are one of the best parts. But you want that to come at the end, not the beginning.

You may offer some nacho staple ingredients. Chopped onions, jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and black olives all work great. Let folks add their own combinations for maximum enjoyment.

You know how it is. The person who loves jalapenos hates olives. The one who can’t get enough guacamole thumbs his or her nose at sour cream. You can’t please them all! Just let them build in their own custom toppings.

What Size Bags Of Fritos Are Best For Walking Tacos?

The little single portion sized bags work best. The medium sized bags work too but save those for the folks with big appetites. It is amazing how filling a bag of Fritos with meat and beans can be.

In terms of snack foods, count walking frito pies in the “may spoil your appetite for dinner” category.

Do You Have Any Other Great Snack Suggestions?

If you like walking Frito pies, but also want some other snack suggestions, then I am happy to share a few ideas!

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