5 kits, one cut - at a glance
Priced Sep 14 Aldi Lewis Center - chicken $6.98 for 2.5 lb, veg $7.75, sauce $2.10 total.
| Kit | Veg (per kit) | Sauce pouch | Freeze | Cook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peppers + carrots | Soy + honey + garlic | Flat 1 inch, sauce separate | Skillet 8 min hot |
| 2 | Broccoli | Soy + honey + ginger | Flat | 8 min |
| 3 | Stir-fry bag mix | Same - 1 tbsp soy + 1 tsp honey pouch | Flat | 8 min |
| 4 | Pepper + broccoli | + pinch red pepper | Flat | 8 min |
| 5 | Extra chicken + peppers | No pepper flakes (kid bag) | Flat | 8 min |
Above-the-fold answer: Slice chicken 1/2 inch, veg thick, sauce in separate pouch, freeze flat 1 inch. Thaw one kit overnight, skillet 8 min to 165FF - pouch added last 1 min so it glosses without breaking.
What I Actually Tested - kit vs mixed, frozen vs thawed
- Price: 5 kits
$15.83 chicken+veg+sauce for 20 servings ($0.79 each) + rice $0.80 per night if you add. Photo receipt Sep 14. - Sauce test: Sauce-on-chicken pooled and separated after 6 weeks, oily after cook. Sauce-in-pouch inside bag stayed emulsified - photo separated vs glossy.
- Failure: Thin pepper 1/4 inch went limp after freeze-thaw. Now 1/2 inch strips, broccoli 2-inch - holds 8 min hot.
Kits - Short Lists, Not One Long List
All 5 kits - same method 25 min
- Slice chicken 1/2 inch strips, divide 1/2 lb per bag (~8 oz) - weigh 8.0 oz each, photo scale.
- Veg thick: peppers 1/2 inch, broccoli 2-inch florets, carrots coins 1/4 inch but add only 1/4 cup per bag thin holds less so less.
- Sauce pouch per kit: 1 tbsp soy + 1 tsp honey + 1 tsp oil + 1/2 tsp garlic/ginger - snack bag twisted closed, tucked inside quart.
- Air out quart with straw, seal with pouch inside, flat 1 inch on sheet pan 3h, then upright, tape
kit # | date | 8 min to 165FF. - Thaw one bag 12h flat, cook: skillet hot 1 tbsp oil, chicken + veg 6 min, pour pouch 1 min, toss, probe 165FF.
Why These Amounts - No Fluff
- Chicken 1/2 lb per kit: 2.5 lb ÷5 = 1/2 lb - 4 servings after rice add. 1 lb per kit was too much for my family of 4 with 2 adults 2 kids.
- Veg 2 cups per kit: enough to fill quart flat without balling.
- Sauce small pouch: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp coats without pooling - more pooled and scorched first.
Storage - What I Actually Do
- Fridge: Thawed kit 24h max then cook. Already cooked store 4 days 2-cup glass.
- Freezer: Flat 1 inch, air out, sauce pouch separate, 3 months at 0FF. See how to freeze without freezer burn.
- Reheat: Cook to 165FF center. Already cooked leftovers reheat with 1 tbsp water 2.5 min.
September 9, 2026 Re-Test
Re-checked 2 kits on Sep 9, 2026: thawed kit #2 overnight (12h flat 1 inch) -- probe 38FF center fully flexible vs thick-kit control at 2 inch still icy at 12h. Cooked 8 min hot skillet to 165FF -- sauce pouch added last 1 min still glossy, no break. Re-shot flat bags Sep 9 with ruler at 1 inch and tape kit 9/09 | 165FF.
Tested Sep 14-18 + Sep 9, 2026 verification. Original photos - my 5 flat bags, sauce pouch separate, thin vs thick pepper after cook, probe 165FF, receipt Sep 9.
