Systems for organizing and carrying food preparation items

Abstract

Food preparation kits and organizing systems include a case for containing combinations of spices and/or utensils and cooking accessories. A case may take the form of a book including front and back covers connected by a spine portion. Spices may be organized and retained inside the case along with utensils such as knives, tongs and measuring spoons.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A portable kitchen kit comprising 
 a book-shaped case having first and second panel portions hinged together along a spine portion so that the panel portions can be folded together to close the case, and alternately opened apart to access the interior of the case,    spice container retention devices provided on an inner side of the first panel portion, wherein the retention devices are configured to apply force in a direction normal to the first panel.    
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising 
 one or more holders on the inner side of the second panel portion for retaining at least one other food preparation item.  
 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 2  wherein the other food preparation item is a knife.  
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the other food preparation item includes one or more recipe cards.  
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 2 , wherein the other food preparation item includes measuring spoons.  
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein one or more holders are provided on the inner side of the first panel for retaining at least one other food preparation item.  
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein each spice container retention device includes an elastic band.  
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein a zipper is provided for holding the panel portions together when the case is closed.  
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 3 , wherein the holder includes a pocket and a sheath insert for safely securing the knife inside the case.  
     
     
         10 . A portable kitchen kit comprising 
 a book-shaped case having first and second panel portions hinged together along a spine portion so that the panel portions can be folded together to close the case, and alternately opened apart to access the interior of the case, and    one or more channels formed on an inside of the first panel portion for holding one or more cylindrically-shaped food containers wherein at least a portion of the channel encompasses more than half and less than all of the circumference of the food container.    
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the food containers hold selected spices.  
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the food containers are standard dimensional spice containers.  
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein at least three channels are formed on the inside of the first panel portion.  
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein each channel holds at least three spice containers.  
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 10  further comprising 
 a compartment formed on the inside of the second panel portion for holding recipe cards.  
 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the panel portions are compressible.  
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the panels are reinforced sufficiently to stand up on an end of the case.  
     
     
         18 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein one of the panel portions is provided with hook-or-loop material for flexibly fastening accessory holders.  
     
     
         19 . A portable kitchen kit comprising 
 a book-shaped case having first and second panel portions hinged together along a spine portion so that the panel portions can be folded together to close the case and alternately opened apart to access the interior of the case,    hook-or-loop material fastened to an interior side of one of the panel portions, and    retention members configured to hold a food preparation item, wherein each retention member has hook-or-loop material configured for removable attachment to the hoop-or-loop material on the interior of the panel portion.    
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 19 , wherein the food preparation item is a knife.  
     
     
         21 . The kit of  claim 19 , wherein the food preparation item is a spice container.  
     
     
         22 . The kit of  claim 19  further comprising 
 one or more spice container retaining devices attached to an inside of one or both of the panel portions.  
 
     
     
         23 . A portable kitchen kit comprising 
 a flexible substantially flat case having an outside and an inside, the inside of the case having a plurality of compartments configured for holding spice pouches, and    a fastening mechanism that can be used to hold the case in a rolled up configuration for transport.    
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein each compartment has a transparent inner wall to allow viewing of the contents of the compartment.  
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 23  further comprising 
 a plurality of spice pouches dimensioned to fit into the compartments, each spice pouch having a zip-lock fastening mechanism.  
 
     
     
         26 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein each compartment is openable along a side facing an internal portion of the case.  
     
     
         27 . The kit of  claim 23  further comprising 
 at least one knife compartment formed on the inside of the case.