Make a super-filled with Feelz Burrito!

Hi, I’m Lilia Campbell-Farias and I created this project for you!

First, I have a question:

How do you think a burrito is like a person?

Do you have some ideas? You can write them down or, if you’re in a group, you can share your ideas with each other.

Here’s a poster I made of some of the ways I think a burrito is like a person.

#1: Complex layers! Just like a burrito is made up of various layers and ingredients, a person is made up of various emotions, experiences, and characteristics.  Each layer or ingredient adds depth and complexity to the whole.  

#2: Personalization

Burritos are often customized with different ingredients and spice levels.  Similarly, every person has a unique personality, set of preferences, and ways of expressing themselves (or spice!). 

#3: Variety of flavors

The variety of ingredients in a burrito contribute to a variety of flavors, just like our different emotions contribute to the richness of our lives. 

#4: Wrapped in comfort

A burrito is wrapped in a tortilla that holds all the ingredients together, providing structure and support. People often seek support or comfort from outside sources such as family, friends, hobbies, or coping skills to hold together their internal emotions. 

Are you ready to make your own “super-filled with feelz burrito”? Here are the supplies you will need…

Something green to use as avocado, lettuce, guacamole, etc. (I used fake leaves and floral foam)

Dried beans (any kind is fine)

Brown yarn to use as meat

White styrofoam to use as cotija cheese

Glitter or glitter glue for salsa

Yellow or white fabric or paper to make your tortilla

Small pieces of paper or notecards (big enough to write on)

A pen or pencil

Tape or glue

Guacamole, avocado, and lettuce — fresh and sometimes surprising — represent the feeling of being scared.  These fresh ingredients add a crispness and burst of flavor, much like how fear can suddenly spike and bring intense reactions.  

So, take a moment to think about what makes you feel scared. Then, write it down on a small slip of paper (green if you have it). 

When you’re done, you can share what you wrote with others, but you don’t have to. 

When you’re ready, you can put your paper to the side.

Cheese, which melts or crumbles and mixes with other ingredients, symbolizes worry.  Worry, like melted or crumbled cheese, tends to spread and touch many aspects of our lives, subtly influencing our experiences. 

Take a moment to think about what makes you feel worried.  How is it similar to or different than what makes you feel scared?

Write your worries down on a small slip of paper (white if you have it).  Like before, you can share what you wrote with others, but you don’t have to. 

All done? Great! You can set this paper aside, too.

In the center of the burrito is the meat, representing hurt. Just like meat is the core of the burrito, hurt is an emotion that can reach deep inside our core.

So, take a moment to think about what makes you feel hurt. Then, write this down on a small slip of paper (brown or black if you have it).  As always, you can share it with others, but you don’t have to. 

When you’re done, add your paper to the others. 

Beans, hearty and filling, symbolize sadness. Much like how beans make us feel full, sadness fills us and can weigh heavy on our hearts.

What makes you feel sad? Is it similar to what makes you feel hurt? 

Write this down on a small slip of paper (brown or black if you have it). 

After you’ve shared it with others (if you want to), set it aside.

Salsa, with its spicy kick, represents anger. Salsa brings the heat and intensity to a burrito.  Similarly, anger can add a sharp and fiery edge to our emotional experience.  

Think about what makes you feel angry. Then grab one (or 2) small pieces of paper (I like both red and green salsa so I used both colors) and write down what makes you angry.

Share with others if you’d like to, then set your paper(s) aside. 

It’s now time to assemble your burrito!

First, lay out your cloth or paper tortilla and place your slips of paper on top.

Next, begin filling your tortilla with the ingredients you gathered.

Pro tip: Do the glitter salsa last!

Ready to learn how to fold a burrito?

First, fold the bottom upwards like this (see photo).

Next, fold one side in, then the other side.

This part’s a little trickier. Fold in the top corners like in the picture.

Got it?

Now just roll up your tortilla and tape or glue it shut.

You made a burrito!

Inside your tortilla, all of your feelz are wrapped up together. The tortilla provides comfort and connection, much like the coping skills, people, and sources of support we rely on to feel better.  

What makes you feel happy or comforted when you are experiencing the feelings you wrote down on your pieces of paper?

On another piece of paper (I colored mine yellow because I like corn tortillas!), write down your ideas.

If you share your ideas with others, you can all learn some new ways of feeling better when you’re scared, sad, angry, hurt, or worried.

Tape, glue, or tie the last slip of paper onto the outside of your burrito. 

Now you can decorate your burrito so it’s unique and super-filled with feelz, just like you!