Freezer Bag Alfredo
Shell pasta, freeze-dried chicken, and spinach in a powdered alfredo. The one freezer bag meal that doesn't taste like a freezer bag meal.
- calories
- 415
- weight
- 3.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 119
- protein
- 26 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 17 min
- water
- 475 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Shell pasta | 1 cup | small shells work best |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated or freeze-dried chicken | 3 oz | chopped into small pieces |
| Dehydrated spinach | 2 tbsp | |
| Powdered milk | 1/4 cup | |
| Butter powder | 2 tbsp | |
| Parmesan cheese | 2 tbsp | powdered or finely grated |
| Garlic powder | 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Mix pasta, chicken, spinach, powdered milk, butter powder, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a freezer bag at home.
- At camp, carefully pour 475 ml of boiled water into the bag.
- Seal and shake hard for 30 seconds to combine and break up any clumps.
- Let sit for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Stir again and eat straight from the bag or spoon into a bowl.
Powdered milk and butter powder rehydrate into something genuinely creamy, which is surprising from a freezer bag. Freeze-dried chicken adds protein without weight, and dehydrated spinach dissolves into the sauce. The result eats like real pasta, not camping food.
The 15-minute sit time is where everything happens. No active cooking means no burned pot and no skill required beyond boiling water. The pasta softens, the sauce thickens, the flavors marry. Eat from the bag or a bowl—it is gone in five minutes either way.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients into a single freezer bag at home. The whole meal is one-bag carry. Tape the freezer bag to something bright so you do not lose it in your food pack.
Variations
- Add red pepper flakes or dried basil for extra depth.
- Swap the chicken for dehydrated mushrooms or peas for a vegetarian version.
- Stir in a tablespoon of powdered cream cheese for richness.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/04/20/commercial-meal-review-thrive-life-chicken-spinach-alfredo