It’s been a while since I’ve written a ‘Cool Product’ blog post–not because there aren’t any cool organizing products in the stores. In fact, there are so many ‘cool products’ I’ve seen, used, and read about lately, I could write a blog post a week for the next year and not cover them all!
Last year, while compiling the list of stocking stuffers for my annual I ‘Heart’ Container Store Stocking Stuffers blog post, I came across one stocking stuffer that was not only creative, colorful, and fun–I thought it would function well for my family. And it does!
I’ve been meaning to write about this product for most of this year. Every time I would use it, I’d say to myself, “I should make this the focus of a ‘Cool Product’ blog post. More people need to know about this!”
No need to hold you in suspense any longer (unless you’ve already guessed what it is by the photo above…)
Today’s ‘Cool Product’ is: Sombrero Taco Holders
You may be asking yourself (and me)–what does this product have to do with organizing?
I know it’s a bit of a stretch. It may not revolutionize your life like other organizing products do (I’m lookin’ at you, my lovely label maker…) but yes, plastic sombreros can be an organizing tool. Stick with me and I’ll show you how…
Does your family go gaga for tacos? Mine does.
The excitement of a taco dinner is even more palpable if I make them on a Tuesday: #tacotuesday. And bonus points for me if I can time the ripening of an avocado to go with this meal. Now THAT’s organized meal planning! #mealplanningwin
Let me set the scene of my dining room on a #tacotuesday BEFORE we owned the Sombrero Taco Holders:
-hard taco shells broke easily from being handled
-broken taco shells were then rendered unusable except for dipping in salsa
-children got upset that their taco shells got broken
-children got upset when they put their tacos down to eat some rice or guacamole and the filling would spill out all over their plates
-Mom and Dad got upset because children were upset and #tacotuesday was really messy and not as fun as it was supposed to be.
Yet, everyone still begged for taco night and I still made tacos…
Enter the Sombrero Taco Holders. Four of them to the package, so there’s one for each of us. They come in red, blue, green, and pink. In a house full of boys, guess who gets the pink one?
Here it is holding up the filled taco:
With the taco slid all the way through:
And, with a full plate of Mexican side dishes, too:
Here’s what makes them a ‘cool’ organizing product:
-They utilize vertical space on a plate making room for side dishes.
-They hold up a soft or hard taco shell so you don’t have to. ‘Hands-free’ dining!
-They stack one on top of another to save space in a drawer or cabinet
Now, let me set the scene of my dining room on a #tacotuesday after we started using the Sombrero Taco Holders:
-hard taco shells no longer break easily from being handled
-since there are no more broken taco shells, we now dip Tostitos Scoops in our salsa
-children no longer have broken taco shells
-filling no longer spills out all over children’s plates
-there’s more room on our plates for side dishes
-Less mess and more fun–Mom, Dad, and kids enjoy #tacotuesday
Three cheers for the Sombrero Taco Holder! Chip chip, olé! Chip chip, olé! Chip chip, olé!
If you think these organizing sombreros would be a fun addition to your kitchen but you don’t have a recipe for tacos, I’m more than happy to share mine…
Taco Seasoning Recipe
In the past, I’d use a taco seasoning packet for #tacotuesday. They can be very high in sodium so I set out to test the tastiness of some taco spice blends. I found this recipe over a decade ago on the web and have been using it successfully ever since. I do not recall where I found it so unfortunately, I cannot give credit where credit is due but, whoever that talented taco chef is–thank you!
Give it a try–I think you’ll agree it’s the perfect blend of spices to turn ground beef, ground turkey, or beans into a delicious taco!
TACO SEASONING
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. oregano
Mix spices together in a small bowl. Add to 1 lb. of cooked meat (or beans or meat/beans mixture) and add 1/2 cup of water to make a light sauce. Mix to coat. Cook for 10-15 minutes covered on medium to medium-low heat. Serve in a taco shell and enjoy!
Are you hungry yet? Pin this post for your next #tacotuesday dinner and share with someone you know who is loco for tacos!
What’s your favorite side dish to eat with tacos? Share one or two in the comments section below–who couldn’t use a few new dinner ideas?
Stacey is a Professional Organizer, Virtual Organizer, and Author in Bergen County, New Jersey specializing in home organizing, time, and paper management. She is the author of The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook: Let Systems and 101 Modern Sample Thank You Notes Take You From Overwhelmed to Organized.
Contact Stacey to Get Started!
Oh, Stacey, this makes me giggle. In the 80s, Mexican food had not *quite* come to Buffalo, NY, but my mom was always game for experimenting, and periodically she’d make tacos (using store-bought hard corn shells), and I remember my father being flummoxed by this hand-held food. Every time he’d put it down, all of the fixings would fall out. I suspect some people would consider this a unitasker, but I think they’re delightful.
The problem? Now I’m craving tacos.
I’m not always in favor of buying a ‘unitasker’ but since it stacked so well and I knew we would use them, I decided to take the plunge and make the purchase. So glad I did! Three cheers for mom for trying Mexican food in the 80’s–she was ahead of her time. I also sometimes wonder if the people of Mexico have some kind of secret for keeping all the filling in their taco and just enjoy laughing at us… 🙂
I love these Taco holders! They are so cute. We are a fan of Taco Tuesdays. These would really help us. I got the metal zigzag taco holder to heat the tacos, but we do not have an individual holder. I will need to check it out. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve seen that metal zigzag taco holder–looks like it would work well for prepping a bunch of tacos at a time. I, too could not resist the ‘cuteness’ of these sombrero taco holders. They have proven to be a cute, colorful, and functional part of our Taco Tuesdays!
I love Tacos and only once used a Taco holder, which was at a restaurant. I loved it! These fun sombrero holders look great too. I can see you and your family sitting around and adding such color to your meal.
Last New Year’s we had a few couples over. We served Tacos (but we didn’t have the holders.) We made many types of fillings, shells, and sides so that people could build their own Tacos. It was a lot of fun and a highly communal meal.
How things have changed this year! It will be dinner for two on New Year’s, and not Tacos. Perhaps at some point in the future, we’ll be able to gather again with our friends. Fingers crossed for 2021.
I like your idea of serving tacos as a communal meal. I could see using the sombrero taco holders to hold a place card, use them for tacos, and then wash them off and send each guest home with one. Yesterday, I watched a Food Network (Tricia Yearwood) show where she did a brunch taco bar with more meat and vegetarian fillings. Something to consider when we can have others gather in our kitchen again!
OK I just had to read your post after seeing the title. These holders are so cute and functional. We have a taco holder but it’s larger and holds 6 tacos so it sits in the center of the table and not on each individual plate. These would be great for kids.
When I saw these, I though the same–great for kids. When I bought them last year, my kids were 9 and 13. They love them. And they’re no longer sad when all the filing falls out when they put their taco down to take a drink or eat some chips and salsa. A parenting and Taco Tuesday win!
We are a soft taco family and we are OBSESSED! I feel like this product would be incredibly useful for floppy tacos, hahaha. My kids would be all over these. Thanks for sharing your seasoning recipe too!
My husband prefers the soft tacos and the sombreros hold them up, too. I have been using this seasoning recipe for years and it works well for us. As my kids have gotten bigger, I’ve had to use more taco meat. I also add some corn, a small sautéed onion, and a can of beans to the meat mixture. Since I now use 1.5-2 lbs. of meat, I double the recipe. Enjoy the seasoning recipe!
Best line? “…bonus points for me if I can time the ripening of an avocado to go with this meal.” And who doesn’t love tacos?
I don’t think I’ve met anyone who doesn’t like tacos! And just in case I am unable to time an avocado with the making of tacos for dinner, I buy a box of pre-portioned guacamole at Costco. My kids have larger appetites now and I have to buy two boxes every time I go. Where do you think I get all that chop meat for Taco Tuesday? With two growing boys in the house, (especially during a pandemic) thank goodness for Costco!