Meal-kit preparation and shipping system

Abstract

A meal-kit delivery package includes a meal-kit shipping container dimensioned to accommodate any number of meal-kit bags to be shipped to a customer. The meal-kit shipping container also accommodates at least one additional meal ingredient, and any number of shipping materials. For example, the shipping materials can include a liner, a cooling component such as, ice or a cold pack, a first cushioning layer such as, bubble wrap and/or chipboard, and a second cushioning layer. The shipping container may also include a lid or other sealing device to enclose the contents within the shipping container. Each of the meal-kit bags is constructed from a semi-rigid material to accommodate placement of the meal ingredients therein while maintaining a loading configuration where a first side surface and a second side surface of the meal-kit bag maintains a generally vertical orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A meal-kit bag, comprising:
 a plurality of surfaces, including:   (i) a lower surface;   (ii) a first side surface having first edge connected to a first portion of the lower surface; and   (iii) a second side surface having a first edge connected to a second portion of the lower surface,   wherein the first side surface and the second side surface are connected to form a volume by way of: (i) a first connection between an upper portion of the first side surface and an upper portion of the second side surface; (ii) a second connection between a first lateral portion of the first side surface and a first lateral portion of the second side surface; and (iii) a third connection between a second lateral portion of the first side surface and a second lateral portion of the second side surface;   wherein the first side surface includes an opening disposed below the upper portion of the first side surface to enable access to the volume;   wherein one or more of the plurality of surfaces includes a plurality of vents to maintain a level of carbon dioxide within the volume below a threshold associated with storing produce;   wherein each of the plurality of surfaces is constructed from a semi-rigid material to accommodate placement of a plurality of meal ingredients therein while maintaining a loading configuration where the first side surface and the second side surface of the meal-kit bag maintains a generally vertical orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The meal-kit bag of  claim 1 , wherein the lower surface, the first edge of the first side surface, and the first edge of the second side surface form a gusset to provide a resting base while the meal-kit bag is in the loading configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The meal-kit bag of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the first side surface and the upper portion of the second side surface form a top portion having at least two layers, the top portion defining a handle therethrough. 
     
     
         4 . The meal-kit bag of  claim 1 , wherein the meal-kit bag is formed from a single sheet of semi-rigid material having a thickness between approximately 0.5 mil and approximately 6 mil. 
     
     
         5 . The meal-kit bag of  claim 1 , wherein the meal-kit bag is constructed from at least one of an oriented polypropylene and a cast polypropylene. 
     
     
         6 . The meal-kit bag of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface forms a storage pocket. 
     
     
         7 . A meal-kit delivery package, comprising:
 a plurality of meal-kit bags, each adapted to store a plurality of meal ingredients therein, each of the plurality of meal-kit bags comprising a lower surface having a first portion and a second portion, a first side surface having a first edge connected to the first portion of the lower surface and an opening, and a second side surface having a first edge connected to the second portion of the lower surface, wherein one or more of the lower surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface includes a plurality of vents to maintain a level of carbon dioxide within the volume below a threshold associated with storing produce;   a meal-kit shipping container for accommodating the plurality of meal-kit bags, at least one additional meal ingredient, and a plurality of shipping materials;   wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags is constructed from a semi-rigid material to accommodate placement of the plurality of meal ingredients therein while maintaining a loading configuration where the first side surface and the second side surface of each of the plurality of meal-kit bags maintains a generally vertical orientation.   
     
     
         8 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags includes a gusset formed by the first side surface, the second side surface, and the lower surface to provide a resting base while each of the plurality of meal-kit bags is in the loading configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein the each of the plurality of meal-kit bags is constructed from a single sheet of semi-rigid material. 
     
     
         10 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags further comprises a sealing mechanism adapted to restrict the plurality of meal ingredients from being removed via the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags further comprises a plurality of vents to maintain a level of carbon dioxide within the meal-kit bag below a threshold associated with storing produce. 
     
     
         12 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags further comprises a handle defined by the second portion of the first side surface and the second portion of the second side surface. 
     
     
         13 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein the semi-rigid material has a thickness of approximately 2 mil. 
     
     
         14 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of meal-kit bags is constructed from at least one of an oriented polypropylene and a cast polypropylene. 
     
     
         15 . The meal-kit delivery package of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one instructional card disposed in the meal-kit shipping container, the at least one instructional card including information for the plurality of meal-kit bags. 
     
     
         16 . A method of preparing a meal-kit delivery package, comprising:
 providing a plurality of meal-kit bags, each adapted to store a plurality of meal ingredients therein, each of the plurality of meal-kit bags comprising a lower surface having a first portion and a second portion, a first side surface having a first edge connected to the first portion of the lower surface and an opening, and a second side surface having a first edge connected to the second portion of the lower surface, wherein one or more of the lower surface, the first side surface, and the second side surface includes a plurality of vents to maintain a level of carbon dioxide within the volume below a threshold associated with storing produce;   providing a meal-kit shipping container for accommodating the plurality of meal-kit bags, at least one additional meal ingredient, and a plurality of shipping materials;   placing each of the meal-kit bags in a vertical loading orientation, wherein the first side surface and the second side surface maintain a generally vertical configuration and a portion of the lower surface rests on a loading surface;   loading each of the meal-kit bags with a first ingredient used to prepare a meal;   transporting each of the meal-kit bags while maintaining the vertical loading orientation;   loading each of the meal-kit bags with at least a second ingredient used to prepare the meal;   transporting each of the meal-kit bags while maintaining the vertical loading orientation; and   placing each of the meal-kit bags in the meal-kit shipping container in the vertical loading orientation.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of sealing each of the plurality of meal-kit bags via a sealing mechanism to restrict the plurality of meal ingredients from being removed via the opening. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of unfolding each of the plurality of meal-kit bags to form a gusset at the lower surface, the first portion of the first side surface, and the first portion of the second side surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of placing a plurality of additional ingredients and a plurality of shipping components into the meal-kit shipping container. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of placing the plurality of shipping components into the meal-kit shipping container comprises placing at least one of a coolant, a cushioning device, and a structural element into the meal-kit shipping container. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of disposing at least one instructional card in the meal-kit shipping container while maintaining the vertical loading orientation, the at least one instructional card including information for the plurality of meal-kit bags.