Tammy’s Favorite Bag Meals

I like to store 30 bag meals to give me a one month supply meals ready to eat with only a few minutes of preparation.

In addition, I store a 3 month supply of foods in a “mini-grocery store” fashion on my shelf in the basement. I include all ingredients for my bag meals in this 3 month inventory. I also include ingredients for freezer meals and other meals like Pizza and spaghetti where I pull ingredients from both my freezer and my shelf.

I do my grocery shopping one a month to replenish my supply. The 30 bags meals give me the insurance that my stores will never fall below a 3 month supply.

My shelves are the perfect width to hold 3 bag meals. So I have created 10 categories of meals and I store 3 meals in each category. A sticker is placed on my shelf under each category to make it easy to find the bag meal I’m looking for:

Once you start making bag meals, you will see how to turn your favorite recipes into a bag meal for your family. Here are some common substitutions and ingredients:

Chicken or Beef Stock: Use a 12 oz can or a 1 quart box, depending on the recipe.

Canned Milk: If your recipe calls for 1 cup of milk, use a 5 oz can of milk with enough water to make one cup.

Heavy Cream: Use a 12 oz can of canned milk

Powdered Milk: 3 TB powder mixed with 1 cup water equals 1 cup milk – mix milk powder with flour or corn starch to make sauce packets

Milk based Sauces: Use chicken or vegetable broth for the liquid. To thicken a 12 oz can of broth – use ¼ cup flour, 3 TB powdered milk and ½ tsp salt.

Parmesan Cheese: Buy in bulk and put in 8 oz mason jars for bag meals.

Dehydrated Potatoes: You can dehydrate your own, or purchased dehydrated diced potatoes. Cover with twice as much water and soak for 15 minutes before cooking.

10 Bag Meal Categories

1. Chicken and Rice

Hawaiian Haystacks (3)

2. Meat and Potato Soup

Beef Stew (3)

3. Meat and Potato Dinner

Shepherd’s Pie (1)

Chicken Gravy over Potatoes (1)

Beef Gravy over Potatoes (1)

4. Poultry and Pasta

Chicken Alfredo (2)

Turkey Tetrazzini (1)

5. Beans and Rice

Santa Fe Rice Pilaf (2)

Coconut Rice (1)

6. Chili

Red Chili (2)

White Chicken Chili (1)

7. Mexican Soup

Enchilada Soup (1)

Taco Soup (2)

8. Mexican Meat Dishes

Sweet Pork or Beef (1)

Taco Salad (2)

9. Italian Soup

Zuppa Toscanna (2)

Minestrone (1)

10. Chinese/Asian

Sweet and Sour Chicken (3)

Chicken and Rice

Hawaiian Haystacks

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken
1 can chicken broth
1 ½ cup rice in baggie
1 small can pineapple tidbits
1 baggie chow mein noodles
1 baggie slivered almonds

Dry Ingredient Packet
1/4 cup flour
½ tsp salt
3 TB powdered milk

From the pantry
¼ cup butter
Grated cheese
Chopped celery and green onion
Chopped tomato

Add enough water to chicken broth to make 2 cups. Stir in dry ingredient packet. Stir well to remove lumps. Combine with ¼ cup butter (if available) over medium heat and stir until thickened. Add cream of chicken soup and drained chicken pieces.
Cook rice. Serve by putting sauce over rice and top with other ingredients as desired.

Meat and Potato Soups

Beef Stew

1 pint canned roast beef

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 quart beef soup stock

Vegetable packet

1 cup dehydrated potatoes

¼ cup dehydrated carrots

2 TB dehydrated onion

Pantry: grated cheese

Place vegetables in 4 cup container. Cover with water and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Drain water.

Pour beef soup stock in pan. Add rehydrated vegetables and simmer until vegetables are soft. Add roast beef with juice and tomato sauce. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated cheese.

Shepherd’s Pie

1 pint canned roast beef

1 can green beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can tomato soup

1 pkg instant mashed potatoes (serves 8)

1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

Pantry: 1 cup grated cheese

Combine first 4 ingredients, put in dutch oven or casserole dish. Make the mashed potatoes and spread over the other ingredients. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Top with grated cheese the last 5 minutes of baking.

Mashed Potatoes with Chicken Gravy (from Tammy Hulse)

1 pkg instant potatoes (serves 8)

1 box Stove Top Stuffing
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken breast
1 can green beans or corn
1 can chicken broth
3 TB powdered milk in zip-loc baggie

Dry Ingredient Packet
¼ cup flour
½ tsp salt
3 TB powdered milk

From the pantry
1/2 cup butter

Add enough water to chicken broth to make 2 cups. Stir in dry ingredient packet. Stir well to remove lumps. Combine with ¼ cup butter over medium heat and stir until thickened. Add cream of chicken soup and drained chicken breasts. Use remaining butter with 1 cup milk (reconstitute powdered milk) to make instant potatoes. Heat beans or corn for a complete meal.

Mashed Potatoes with Beef Chunks and Gravy (from Tammy Hulse)

1 pkg instant potatoes (serves 8)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pint canned roast
1 can green beans or corn
1 can beef broth
3 TB powdered milk in zip-loc baggie

Dry Ingredient Packet
¼ cup flour
½ tsp salt
3 TB powdered milk

From the pantry
1/2 cup butter

Drain roast, reserving juice. Add beef broth to juice from canned roast. Stir in dry ingredient packet. Stir well to remove lumps. Combine with ¼ cup butter over medium heat and stir until thickened. Add cream of mushroom soup and drained roast pieces. Use remaining butter with 1 cup milk (reconstitute powdered milk) to make instant potatoes. Heat beans or corn for a complete meal.

Poultry and pasta

Turkey Tetrazzini (from Belinda Craft)

2 (10 oz.) cans Turkey or Chicken
14 oz. Spaghetti, broken into thirds
1 (6 oz.) can sliced Mushrooms
1 (16 oz.) can Chicken Broth
1 (16 oz.) can Evaporated Milk

Dry Ingredient Packet:
½ cup flour
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper

From the Pantry:
½ cup butter or oil
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Make a white sauce by mixing flour, butter, chicken broth, milk over medium heat

Stir in mushrooms, turkey. Cook & Drain pasta. Stir sauce & pasta together & place in a baking dish. Bake 350 for 30 minutes

Chicken Alfredo

1 pint bottled chicken (drained)

1 pkg fettucini noodles or penne pasta

5 oz can evaporated milk

Small (3 oz) container Parmesan cheese

Spice Packet

1 -2 TB parsley

½ - 1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Alfredo Sauce Packet

1/3 cup powdered milk

1 TB cornstarch

1/8 tsp white or black pepper

pinch of nutmeg

From the pantry

2 cups water

¼ cup butter

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Make the alfredo sauce by mixing sauce packet, evaporated milk and 2 cups water. Heat slowly over medium heat until sauce thickens. Add Parmesan cheese and cook until cheese melts.

Cut chicken and mix with spice packet. Add noodles and sauce. Stir together gently and bake for 20 minutes.

Rice and Beans

Coconut Rice

2 cups rice

1 quart chicken soup stock

1 can coconut milk

1 can corn

2 cans black beans

Vegetable Packet

¼ cup dried carrots

2 TB dried onion

Pantry: 1-3 tsp maple syrup to taste

Cook rice in chicken soup stock. Rehydrate vegetables for 15 minutes. Saute vegetables in coconut milk than add other ingredients including cooked rice.

Santa Fe Chicken Pilaf (from Belinda Craft)

1 package rice pilaf mix
1 can Chicken Broth
1cup canned, Mexi-Season diced tomatoes
1 can Chicken
1 can Whole Kernel Corn - drained
1 can Black Beans - drained & rinsed

Prepare rice pilaf according to package directions, using chicken broth instead of water. Add contents of rice pilaf spice pack. Stir remaining 4 ingredients into rice mixture. Top with cheese if desired.

This makes a great burrito filling if you have Tortillas on hand.

Chili

White Chicken Chili (from Tammy Hulse)

2 cans chicken breasts
1 quart chicken broth
2 cans (15 ½ oz) great northern beans
2 cans (4 oz) chopped green chilies
1 (5 oz)can evaporated milk

Seasoning Packet
1/3 cup dehydrated onion
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

From the pantry: 1 cup sour cream
½ cup whipping cream

Combine chicken broth, chicken, beans, green chilies, and seasoning packet in pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in evaporated milk. If available, use sour cream and whipping cream instead or canned milk. Serve immediately.

Tammy’s Chili (mild)
2 cans red beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup water

Spice Packet
1 TB all-purpose flour

2 TB minced dried onion

1 ½ tsp chili powder

1 tsp seasoned salt

½ tsp crushed dried red pepper

½ tsp minced garlic

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp ground cumin

From Pantry
2 tsp beef soup base (if available) Mix all ingredients in pot. Simmer for 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Mexican Soup

Enchilada Soup (from Belinda Craft)

1 can enchilada sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans – drained
1 can chicken chunks
2 cups water
1 pkg. enchilada seasoning

Dump in a pan & heat & serve
Serve with: chips, cheese, sour cream, lime & cilantro

Taco Soup

1 can green chilies
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can chicken

Spice Packet:
3 tsp chili powder

½ tsp oregano

½ teas. garlic powder
2 Tablespoon sugar

Place all in pot and heat. If you have cilantro, cheese, tortilla chips and avocado they add a nice finishing touch.

Baked tortilla chips work great. Cut tortillas in strips. Spray with olive oil spray and shake some salt on them. Bake at 375 F until brown.

Mexican Meat Dishes

Sweet Beef or Pork (from Michelle Snow)

1 Bottle roast beef or pork
1 container salsa
1 C. brown sugar

Rice packet

1 cup jasmine rice

1 tsp salt (if desired)

1 pint or can of pinto or black beans

From the pantry:

2 cups water

Fresh lettuce

Grated cheese

Fresh salsa

Guacamole
Tortillas

Drain beef and place meat, salsa, and brown sugar in Crock pot and heat thoroughly. Prepare rice by bringing 2 cups water to boil, add rice and simmer with lid on for 25 minutes until done. Heat beans.

Heat and serve in tortilla. Add other condiments if available.

Taco Salad (from Tammy Hulse)

1 pint ground beef

1 can refried beans

1 small can tomato sauce

Taco Seasoning Packet (or 2 TB Taco Seasoning Mix

¼ cup dried onion

¼ tsp instant minced garlic

1/8 tsp oregano leaves

¼ tsp cornstarch

¼ tsp dried red pepper

½ tsp salt

½ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp cumin

Put hamburger in skillet. Add refried beans and tomato sauce. Stir together and add seasoning packet. Simmer until flavors are well blended.

Serve with chips, lettuce, grated cheese, diced tomatoes, green onion, sour cream and guacamole. It also makes a great burrito filling when combined with cheese in a tortilla.

Enchilada Casserole

1 6 oz pkg corn chips

1 pint ground beef

1 can refried beans

1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

From the pantry

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter 2 quart casserole. Crush ½ cup corn chips and reserve for top. In medium bowl, combine remaining corn chips, hamburger, beans, enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Pour into prepared casserole. Bake about 20 minutes until heated through. Remove from oven. Spread sour cream on top. Sprinkle with cheese and reserved corn chips. Bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Italian Soups

Vegetable Ministrone (from Tammy Hulse)

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
4 cups beef broth
1 (15 oz) can garbonzo beans
1 (16 oz) can green beans
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 ¼ cups mostaccioli
1 small container Parmesan cheese

Spice Packet

1 TB dried parsley
½ tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

From pantry (if desired)
2 large carrots
2 cups water

Preparation: Puree tomatoes in blender. In large crock-pot, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, water and carrots. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add beans and continue cooking until heated. Add mostaccioli 10 minutes before serving. Cook until pasta is tender. Garnish with parmesan cheese.

Serves 8-10

Mock Zuppa Toscana

1 pint canned sausage (sliced into ½” slices)

1 quart – Chicken Broth

1 cup dehydrated potatoes

4 TB bacon pieces

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Spice Packet

¾ tsp crushed red peppers

¼ cup dehydrated onion

1 tsp dehydrated minced garlic

Pantry

5 cups water

¼ bunch of kale

Cover dehydrated potatoes with 4 cups water. Let stand for 15 minutes, drain water.

Pour chicken broth into pan. Add onions, garlic and bacon. Cook until boiling. Add potatoes and cook until soft (about half an hour). Add evaporated milk and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the sausage. Add kale just before serving.

Chinese/Asian

Sweet and Sour Chicken:

1 ½ cup rice in baggie

1 (8oz) can unsweetened pineapple tidbits

1 can chicken broth

1 pint canned chicken

2 TB cornstarch in baggie

Sauce Packet

3-4 Tbsp brown sugar (to taste)

Pinch of salt

¼ cup dried bell pepper

3 TB dried onion

From Pantry

¼ cup cold water

1-2 TB soy sauce

3 TB vinegar

3 cups water for rice

Cook rice. Mix chicken broth, pineapple tidbits with juice, sauce packet, vinegar and soy sauce in sauce pan. Stir in cornstarch into cold water.  Add to mixture.  Cook and stir gently until thickened.  Add chicken & heat through.  Serve over hot rice.