Take an average box of mac & cheese and make it into a satisfying meal. Lots of veggies and chicken add fiber and protein to it.
Dry ingredients.
Sealed and ready to take.
Hiker’s Primavera Pasta
- 1 box white cheddar mac & cheese
- ¼ cup freeze-dried chicken
- ¼ cup freeze-dried peas
- ¼ cup freeze-dried corn
- 2 Tbsp dried diced carrots
- 2 Tbsp dried tomatoes
- ¼ cup shelf-stable Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp dry milk
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried garlic
Also take:
- 1 packet or 1 Tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Pack the dry pasta and dried meat/vegetables together in a sandwich or quart freezer bag.
Pack the cheese sauce mix, Parmesan cheese, dry milk, and herbs in a snack bag.
Pack the oil packet with it.
One Pot Method:
Add 4 cups water to a 2-liter pot. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and vegetables. Cook for the time indicated on the mac and cheese box (ours was 7 minutes; read the various brands to find the lowest time).
Stir often, adjust flame on stove as needed to avoid boil over.
Reserve ¼ cup of the water, and drain the rest carefully.
Add the water back, along with oil and the cheese sauce mix. Stir until creamy.
Serves 2 to 3.
*Notes:
When prepping recipes using freeze-dried ingredients (versus dehydrated) you want to ensure the bag is well sealed, particularly with freeze-dried meat. If you are making the meal to use that weekend, a plastic bag will work great. If longer, I highly suggest using a FoodVac sealer and precut quart size bags.
~Sarah