I was lucky enough to participate in the Somewhat Simple ABC Create with Me! series in September. I shared this awesome shelf-stable meal in a bag. 
The idea behind this Meal in a Bag is that you have everything for your meal ready to go all in one bag (which, of course, must be made up of shelf-stable ingredients). Then you can just grab it off the shelf and whip it up in a few minutes! It really is that simple, and since all the spices are pre-measured and the cans and packages are all together, it goes together super fast. The instructions are attached to the bag, so even (older) kids can make dinner! One of our favorite Meals-In-A-Bag is this Chicken & Tomato Pasta. It’s full of flavor and ready to go in about 20 minutes.
As great as a Meal Bag is for busy days, it’s also great for other occasions:
- camping
- cooking on vacation
- emergency situations (power outages, home evacuation, etc)
- unexpected dinner guests
- taking to a friend who is especially busy, just had a baby, recovering from surgery, sick, etc.
I like to buy enough ingredients to make several at a time, so even if I use one, I still have more in my arsenalpantry. If I can find what I need on sale, then I can put my bags together for around $5-$6 per meal. Our family will usually get about 10 servings out of this recipe, so that makes it about 50-60 cents per serving! Not only is that a lot cheaper than a fast food dollar menu, but it’s faster and healthier. Win!
Chicken & Tomato Pasta
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 1 lb bowtie pasta
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Italian Style Diced Tomatoes
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
- 1 (12.5 oz) can chicken breast, including broth
In a zip-top sandwich bag:
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 Tbsp dried basil
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Directions:
- In a stock pot, bring water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is cooked to desired tenderness, drain and return to stock pot.
- While pasta is cooking, Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Toss chicken & tomato sauce with pasta until thoroughly coated.
- Serve warm. This pasta is great with crusty bread and a simple green salad.
- If you have shredded Parmesan cheese on hand, sprinkle some on top just prior to serving.
For a handy printable recipe for your meal bags, click this link: Chicken & Tomato Pasta.
I hope you love this Meal Bag as much as we do!
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For more delightful bites, try some of these recipes:
One Pot Pasta // Oreo Truffles // English Toffee // No Dairy/ No Sugar Orange Julius // Lemon Chicken Linguine