Unboxed Scalloped Potato Kit

As the years go by, I try more and more to make nutritious versions of some of our “boxed” food. Today, scalloped potatoes are on the list.

I love the boxed scalloped potatoes and could probably eat them once a week without getting tired of them. But looking at the ingredients makes me cringe, so I wanted to find a way to make them from scratch. The convenience of the boxed variety is hard to beat, especially on a busy weeknight.

After some research, trial and error and a lot of time, I’ve come up with a way to make weeknight scalloped potatoes from scratch just as easy as the ones from the box.

Dehydrated Potatoes

The first thing you’ll need is potatoes. To make these kits, or boxes, you need dehydrated potatoes. I’ve seen some commercially available dehydrated potatoes, but I find it really easy to dehydrate my own. I have a post all about that!

Each batch serves 4 people and uses 3 cups of dehydrated potatoes.

Gather dry ingredients for the sauce mix

Powdered Milk
Flour
Corn Starch
Salt and Pepper
Onion Powder
Mustard Powder
Garlic Powder

Assemble Jars

I like to add all the dry ingredients to a jar and vacuum seal it separately. This reduces my plastic use without compromising convenience. You can also add the mix to a plastic bag, putting it in the jar with the potatoes.

Just do what works best for you. Either way works just as well.

Vacuum Seal

To extend the shelf life of your scalloped potato mix, you need to vacuum seal it. I recently purchased a mason jar vacuum sealer and it’s probably one of the best things I’ve ever purchased for my kitchen.

You literally just put the sealer over the jar with a lid and press the button. 40 seconds later, your jar is vacuum sealed! It really couldn’t be easier!

four jars with sauce mix next to a mason jar sealer

Labeling and Storage

Once the scalloped potato kit jars are sealed, I add a label with instructions for preparation. Even the labels help save me time because I don’t have to search through my cookbook to find the recipe. It’s all right there on the jar, ready to go.

The powdered milk will be the determining factor when deciding on shelf life for this mix. Typically, dehydrated milk will be good for about 3 years. I am a little limited on space, so I make 4-6 jars at a time, which will last me 6-12 months, depending on my family’s tastes. Most sources recommend a 12 month rotation for home canned goods, so I like to use that as my guideline whenever possible.

Scalloped Potato Mix Recipe