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Pre-packaged food tray kit and method of use

a food tray and pre-packaged technology, applied in the field of pre-packaged food tray, can solve the problems of not being able to easily dry or freeze deli-style foods, adversely affecting their taste, texture and/or appearance, and not being able to achieve the same explosive growth of ready-to-eat foods that require only refrigeration, etc., to achieve safe and convenient storage of food trays, easy visual inspection, and easy shipping and display

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-06-08
IOWA TURKEY GROWERS COOP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] This invention separately provides a pre-packaged food tray that easily and attractively presents the foodstuffs for consumption.
[0024] In various exemplary embodiments, a method of assembling a food tray kit according to this invention provides a quantity of at least one of a food item, appropriate for use by a number of individuals, loaded in a first compartment and at least one of an accompanying food item loaded in a second compartment of a serving tray. The serving tray is hermetically sealed with a lidding film to maintain freshness. The serving tray is packaged within a carrier, the carrier providing protection during shipment and storage for at least one condiment and / or relish to accompany the at least one food item in the serving tray. The food tray kit according to this invention can be stored for a substantial period of time under refrigeration.

Problems solved by technology

While there has been an exponential increase in packaged foods that are frozen or not refrigerated, such as crackers, chips and frozen foods packaged as single entrees or complete meals, there has not been an equally explosive growth in ready-to-eat foods that require only refrigeration.
While prepared frozen foods come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, foods that are more appetizing when refrigerated are neither available in such large varieties, nor are most refrigerated foods amenable to long-term storage.
For example, deli-style foods are not readily amenable to drying or freezing for long-term storage because such processes adversely affect their taste, texture and / or appearance.
Large ready-to-serve platters that serve parties of multiple users need to be ordered on a short-term basis and have a short shelf-life.
As a consequence, the consumer is limited to attractively arranged party trays that must be prepared shortly before customer pick-up or delivery.
Such trays must normally be used shortly after pick-up or delivery due to the risk of spoilage and / or the rapidly deteriorating appearance of the food items on the large, difficult to refrigerate trays.
Further, the retailer is limited in its ability to prepare and store large pre-made food trays for the same reasons.
However, unlike the kits described above, the shrimp tray must be shipped frozen and has a short shelf-life once placed in a refrigerated display case for sale.

Method used

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  • Pre-packaged food tray kit and method of use
  • Pre-packaged food tray kit and method of use

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0007] While these known, refrigerated, pre-packaged food products provide meals or appetizers, none provides a pre-packaged food assortment which provides a ready-to-serve party tray comprising various attractively arranged meats or other foods or consumables, including toppings, garnishes and / or condiments. Further, none of the refrigerated food products comes in a sealed, clear package that also has sufficient shelf-life that it can be assembled and shipped by a manufacturer, displayed by a retailer and purchased and stored by the consumer over a reasonably long period without compromising the quality, taste and / or appearance of the food items contained within the package.

[0008] This invention provides a pre-packaged food tray having a variety of consumables that are ready-to-eat.

[0009] This invention separately provides a pre-packaged food tray that easily and attractively presents the foodstuffs for consumption.

[0010] This invention separately provides a pre-packaged food tr...

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PUM

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Abstract

A party tray kit comprises a variety of ready-to-eat foods of sufficient quantity for a plurality of individuals that are sealed within a serving tray and ready to serve. The party tray kit also includes a carrier. The carrier includes a compartment for the serving tray and a compartment for a variety of condiments and relishes in ready-to-use packets. The party tray kit can be kept under refrigeration for a considerable period of time. In use, the party try kit is removed from refrigerated storage, the serving tray is removed from the kit and a releasable lidding film is removed from the serving tray. In one exemplary embodiment, the party tray kit may include a selection of cold-cuts and cheeses. When this embodiment is used, the serving tray may be presented to a gathering of individuals who can consume the various food items and condiments as desired.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] This invention is directed to a packaged food tray. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] As food quality, sanitation, refrigeration and packaging practices have improved, the ability and opportunity to provide prepared and ready-to-eat food products has increased. While there has been an exponential increase in packaged foods that are frozen or not refrigerated, such as crackers, chips and frozen foods packaged as single entrees or complete meals, there has not been an equally explosive growth in ready-to-eat foods that require only refrigeration. [0005] While prepared frozen foods come in a wide variety of styles and sizes, foods that are more appetizing when refrigerated are neither available in such large varieties, nor are most refrigerated foods amenable to long-term storage. For example, deli-style foods are not readily amenable to drying or freezing for long-term storage because such processes adversely affect their ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): B65D81/32
CPCB65D77/0433B65D81/2069
Inventor GARRETT, EDWARD S.
Owner IOWA TURKEY GROWERS COOP
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