Dual Chamber Salad Container

Abstract

A salad container having a container body with an open top, an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a cavity, the cavity divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier cooperatively configured to rest on the interior surface of the body to selectively exclude relatively large ingredients such as salad roughage from entry into the lower chamber and to provide passage therethrough of relatively small food ingredients, such as granular ingredients including, for example, ground pepper and/or such as liquids, including, for example, salad dressing, into and out of the lower chamber.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . A method comprising:
 selecting a salad container comprising:
 a removable lid; and 
 a container body comprising.
 an open top, 
 a closed bottom, and 
 a sidewall extending therebetween, the sidewall having an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a cavity between the open top and the closed bottom, and at least one protrusion projecting inwardly into the cavity; the protrusion being an inwardly extending shoulder extending from a larger diameter upper portion of the sidewall and a smaller diameter lower portion of the sidewall, 
 wherein the cavity is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier extending across the cavity, the upper chamber is defined by the upper portion of the sidewall, and the lower chamber is defined by the lower portion of the sidewall, 
 the selective barrier being sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage through the barrier of relatively small food ingredients both into and out of the lower chamber so that the relatively large food items are stored away from the small food ingredients until just before consumption, wherein the selective barrier is releaseably secured to the body; 
 
   placing the relatively small food ingredients into the lower chamber;   placing the relatively large food items into the upper chamber;   sealing the open top of the container body after placing relatively large food items in the upper chamber and the relatively small food ingredients in the lower chamber; and   providing instructions to an end user to flip over the sealed container body such that the relatively small food ingredients in the lower chamber flow into the upper chamber.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the selective barrier has an apertured planar central portion, a rim extending substantially vertically from the central portion and then forming an angled extension, and wherein the selective barrier is at least partially supported by the at least one protrusion, such that the substantially vertically extending portion of the rim is received by the sidewall, and the angled extension rests on an upper surface of the protrusion. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the relatively large food items is salad and the relatively small food ingredients is salad dressing. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the angled extension is upwardly angled and is cooperatively configured to wedge the selective barrier in frictional contact with the at least one protrusion. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the at least one protrusion is formed as a scat. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the seat has a front surface and the barrier is cooperatively configured to wedge the barrier to the front surface. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the upwardly angled extension is further extended by a lateral flange. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the lid has a seal selected from the group consisting of a liquid-tight seal and a leak-resistant seal. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein just before consumption the relatively small food ingredients at least partially coat the relatively large food items. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the relatively small food ingredients have a viscosity greater than water. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising providing further instructions to the end user to use the lid as the bottom of the container body when the container is flipped over into an inverted position and shaken. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the lid is further constructed to stably support the inverted container on a surface. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising providing further instructions to the end user to use the lid as the bottom of the container body when the container is flipped over into an inverted position and shaken. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the lid is further constructed to stably support the inverted container on a surface. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the selective barrier is positively engaged by the container body such that it remains substantially in place. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising providing further instructions to the end user to use the lid as the bottom of the container body when the container is flipped over into an inverted position and shaken. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the lid is further constructed to stably support the inverted container on a surface. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said at least one protrusion is formed as an annular barrier retainer. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 22 , said at least one protrusion is partially annular. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the removable lid is securable. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the lid has a seal selected from the group consisting of a liquid-tight seal and a leak-resistant seal. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the selective barrier is snapped into the at least one protrusion. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the container is disposable. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the container is reusable. 
   
   
       46 . A method comprising:
 manufacturing a salad container comprising:
 a removable lid; and 
 a container body comprising:
 an open top, 
 a closed bottom, and 
 a sidewall extending therebetween, the sidewall having an exterior surface, an interior surface defining a cavity between the open top and the closed bottom, and at least one protrusion projecting inwardly into the cavity; the protrusion being an inwardly extending shoulder extending from a larger diameter upper portion of the sidewall and a smaller diameter lower portion of the sidewall, 
 wherein the cavity is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a selective barrier extending across the cavity, the upper chamber is defined by the upper portion of the sidewall, and the lower chamber is defined by the lower portion of the sidewall, 
 the selective barrier being sufficiently configured to selectively exclude entry of relatively large food items into the lower chamber and to provide passage through the barrier of relatively small food ingredients both into and out of the lower chamber so that the relatively large food items are stored away from the small food ingredients until just before consumption, wherein the selective barrier is releaseably secured to the body; 
 
   providing instructions to a food service company to
 place the relatively small food ingredients into the lower chamber; 
 place the relatively large food items into the upper chamber; 
   sealing the open top of the container body after placing relatively large food items in the upper chamber and the relatively small food ingredients in the lower chamber; and
 to provide instructions to an end user to flip over the sealed container body such that the relatively small food ingredients in the lower chamber flow into the upper chamber. 
   
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the selective barrier has an apertured planar central portion, a rim extending substantially vertically from the central portion and then forming an angled extension, and wherein the selective barrier is at least partially supported by the at least one protrusion, such that the substantially vertically extending portion of the rim is received by the sidewall, and the angled extension rests on an upper surface of the protrusion.