Packaging for a food product

Abstract

A package for containing a food product. The package has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package including a top panel, a bottom panel and a first side panel and a second side panel. At least one feature separates the package into a first portion and a second portion. The at least one feature extends at least in part through the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. At least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.

1 . A package for containing a food product, the package comprising: 
 panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the package, the panels comprise a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel and a second side panel;    at least one feature for separating the package into a first portion and a second portion, the at least one feature being positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel,    at least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.    
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  where the at least one feature comprises a tear line having at least one arcuate portion in the top panel and at least one arcuate portion in the bottom panel.  
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2  wherein the at least one feature further comprises an arcuate opening in the top panel, and the at least one arcuate portion in the top panel comprises a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, each of the first and second arcuate portions extending from a respective side of the arcuate opening.  
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 2  wherein the tear line comprises a first longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion, the first longitudinal portion extending in a longitudinal direction in the first side panel, and the second longitudinal portion extending in the longitudinal direction in the second side panel.  
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the second portion of the package is a holder for holding the food product after removal of the first portion.  
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 5  wherein the second portion is divisible into at least two holders for holding at least a portion of the food product.  
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 6  wherein the package comprises a lateral tear line in the top panel and a lateral tear line in the bottom panel for at least partially forming the two holders.  
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps at least partially form a closed end of the package.  
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  further comprising a ventilation flap in at least one of the panels for ventilating the package during heating of the food product.  
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 9  wherein the ventilation flap is defined between an opening in the at least one of the panels and two spaced apart tear lines for selectively opening the ventilation flap.  
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10  wherein the opening is an arcuate opening and the tear lines are respectively adjacent the opening, the flap being moveable by grasping the package at the opening and tearing the at least one of the panels along the two tear lines.  
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the ventilation flap is in the top panel and the two spaced apart tear lines extend generally in a lateral direction.  
     
     
         13 . A blank for forming a package for containing a food product, the blank comprising: 
 a plurality of panels comprising a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel;    at least one feature for separating the package formed from the blank into a first portion and a second portion, the at lest one feature positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel,    at least one of the first portion and the second portion being shaped for holding at least a portion of the food product.    
     
     
         14 . The blank of  claim 13  wherein at least one feature comprises a tear line having at least one arcuate portion in the top panel and at least one arcuate portion in the bottom panel.  
     
     
         15 . The blank of  claim 14  wherein the at least one feature further comprises an arcuate opening in the panel, and the at least one arcuate portion in the top panel comprises a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion, each of the first and second arcuate portions extending from a respective side of the opening.  
     
     
         16 . The blank of  claim 15  wherein the tear line comprises a first longitudinal portion and a second longitudinal portion, the first longitudinal portion extending in a longitudinal direction in the first side panel and the second longitudinal portion extending in the longitudinal direction in the second side panel.  
     
     
         17 . The blank of  claim 13  further comprising at least two end flaps respectively foldably attached to respective panels of the plurality of panels, wherein the end flaps are for at least partially forming a closed end of the package formed from the blank.  
     
     
         18 . The blank of  claim 13  further comprising a ventilation flap in at least one of the panels, the ventilation flap being defined between an opening in the at least one of the panels and two spaced apart tear lines for selectively opening the ventilation flap.  
     
     
         19 . The blank of  claim 18  wherein the ventilation flap is in the top panel, the opening is an arcuate opening and the tear lines are respectively adjacent the opening extending generally in the lateral direction.  
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing a food product comprising: 
 providing a package containing the food product, the package having a plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, and at least one feature positioned at least in part in the top panel, the bottom panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel,    cooking the food product in the package;    separating the package along the at least one feature to remove a first portion of the package from a second portion of the package to access the cooked food product.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising at least partially opening a ventilation panel in at least one of the plurality of panels to provide ventilation of the food product during cooking.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the at least partially opening of the ventilation panel comprises tearing the top panel along a tear line to separate a portion of the top panel from the package.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein at least one feature comprises a tear line, and separating the first portion from the second portion comprises tearing the package along the tear line.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the first portion is a top portion of the package and the second portion is a bottom portion of the package, and the method further comprises serving the food product in the bottom portion.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising forming a third portion of the package by dividing the second portion of the package into at least two parts, the second and third portions being capable of at least partially holding the food product.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising dividing the food product into pieces and holding at least one of the pieces in the second portion and the third portion.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising serving at least a portion of the food product in the second portion of the package after the first portion of the package has been removed from the second portion of the package.