Introduction: BTTF Dehydrated Pizza With Bag

WARNING: DO NOT CONSUME UNLESS FULLY RE-HYDRATED

Great Scott! The Dehydrated Pizza in Back to the Future 2 is a funny look into the 2015 that never came to be. Fans of the movie can tell you that this prop is a half-pepperoni and half-green pepper pizza from Pizza Hut. I was having a Back to the Future themed Halloween Party, and couldn't find this prop anywhere. So, I decided to make one myself.

This was the last prop we made before the party, so my version is a bit rough around the edges. If I could go back in time, I'd make a few improvements on the look of the pizza and the bag itself. I'll be sure to note my suggestions in each of the steps, and hopefully you'll be able to make one even better than mine. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.

Step 1: Research

The bag is a 5.5 inch square foil bag with "Pizza Hut" printed on the front with cooking directions and some minor wrinkles.

Step 2: Buying Supplies

Supplies Needed:

  • Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Chips or Zapp's Potato Chips
  • Crayola Model Magic Craft Pack
  • Clear Shipping Labels Avery 18665 Inkjet or 15664 Laser

Tools Needed:

  • Sealtite Sealer (or other chip bag sealer)
  • Scissors
  • Paper Towels
  • Pen cap (optional)
  • Ruler (optional)

Approximate cost (Assuming you have all of the tools other than a Sealer): Clay $7, Shipping Labels $8, Chips $1. Aprox. Total: $16.00

I've seen sealers as low as $5 on amazon. I was fortunate enough to already own one which is how I came up with the idea. You might also be able to use hot glue.

Step 3: Starting Your Pizza!

For this step I used Crayola Model Magic Clay, but any modeling clay should work fine.

Start off by taking your white clay and rolling out a disc. With the bag from the movie being a 5.5 inch square, you probably want to make this between 3.5 and 4 inches. Make sure to leave a little lip around the edge for the crust of your pizza. You may want to mix your white clay with another color to get a crust that looks closer to the actual movie prop.

For the sauce, roll out a red disc a little smaller than the crust. Again, you may want to mix in another color to get a better looking sauce. However, I wouldn't worry too much as much of this will get covered with your toppings.

Step 4: Adding the Toppings

Now for the toppings!

Again I used the Crayola Clay for each of these, but you may want to use a substitute. You may also want to mix in other colors to get the toppings to your desired color.

For the cheese, I used white and yellow clay. I began by rolling out the clay into strips. Then I used a pull and snap to get the desired size of each piece. The cheese will be the first topping to go on, just like a real pizza. Unlike a real pizza, you may want to flatten it a bit once you put it on. This will give a slightly melted look.

Once you have added the cheese, it is time for the other toppings. I'll start with the green peppers. Just like the cheese, roll out some strips. Then pull and snap off pieces once again at the desired size. Before placing on the pizza, be sure to curl the edges of each pepper to make it more realistic.

Next we have the pepperoni. I used a screw off pen tip to make this part easier. Rolling out another small red disc, I cut out pepperoni circles with the pen tip. Remove the excess, and eject the pepperoni from the pen tip. It may come right out, or you may need to blow through the tip to get it loose.

Of course you can make and place any toppings you like, but the movie has it as half pepperoni and half green pepper. If you decide to customize your pizza, make sure to edit the Pizza Hut graphic on the bag so the toppings are listed correctly.

Step 5: Prepping the Bag

For my bag, I ended up using a Veggie Chips Halloween .5 oz bag. I also found that Zapp's Chips could be a workable substitute. Basically, you want to find any small chip bag that will have foil on the inside. It would be a good idea to get several chip bags so that you have room to try again if you aren't pleased with your first result.

First, cut the chip bag open very carefully. You want to get a nice straight edge if possible, but you can do some clean up cutting later. Then eat or dump out the chips.

Next, you'll need cut the bottom of the bag. You are going for a 5 inch square. My bag is slightly more rectangular. You may want to do clean up cutting after you flip the bag inside out. Or you may want to do your clean up cutting after you've sealed.

Next, you should flip the bag inside out. I found that flipping the bag inside out was difficult for me. I was trying to keep the bag as pristine as possible, but ended up getting a number of wrinkles. I do not suggest cutting the bag all the way open and trying to do a seam down the middle. I attempted this, and the results were disappointing.

Then, you'll want to wipe down the outside to get the snack residue off of the bag. I just used a paper towel, and it turned out fine.

Finally, you'll want to seal one end of the bag with your sealer. This part can also be difficult, and you may want to practice beforehand. It is ok if your seal isn't perfect, you can do a little bit more clean up cutting at this point.

Step 6: Printing the Label

You can use the included Pizza Hut image for printing on your label. Remember, if you did different toppings on your pizza you'll want to edit your label to match. I used Clear Shipping Labels Avery # 18665 for an Inkjet.

The labels did not come out as clear as I would like. You may want to use a different label brand that prints out clearer. I would suggest cutting around the red brick circle to get a better look before applying to the bag.

You may also want to try printing directly on the foil. I have no experience in this, and I cannot vouch for the safety of your printer. It may also be possible for you to print on clear plastic, and then cut and apply with adhesive. Based on your experience, plan on doing what works best for you.

Step 7: Putting It All Together

With your pizza complete, simply slip it inside the bag you've just made. You may want to seal the other end of the bag once it is inside. That way, you can reopen it for a nice reveal. I left mine open and placed it next to an ordered half pepperoni/half green pepper pizza i'd ordered from Pizza hut for the party.

Step 8: Enjoy Your New Prop

Sit back and enjoy your new prop, possibly with a slice of real pizza and maybe a Pepsi Perfect.

Please do send me pictures if you make your own or your suggestions for improvements.

And I would appreciate it if you vote for me in the Back to the Future contest.

Thanks!