Container for food items

Abstract

A method of providing packaged food items on display in a retail store includes preparing a plurality of food body portions of respective food items and loading each of the food items into respective cavities of a container. The container has a lid with at least one protrusion extending downward from a planar upper surface of the lid. After decorating each of the food body portions of the food items with a decoration portion on an upper surface of the food body portion, the lid is closed thereby moving a first retainer of the protrusion to overlie a first marginal portion adjacent the decoration portion of a first upper surface of a first food item and moving a second retainer of the protrusion to overlie a second marginal portion adjacent the decoration portion of a second upper surface of a second food item.

1 . A method of providing packaged food items on display in a retail store, comprising:
 a) preparing a plurality of food body portions of respective food items in a preparation facility;   b) after step (a), loading each of the food items into respective cavities of a container, the container having a lid with a substantially planar upper lid surface covering the cavities when the lid is closed and at least one protrusion extending downward from the upper lid surface, the protrusion having at least a first retainer and a second retainer extending laterally outwardly from a distal end of the protrusion;   c) after step (a), decorating each of the food body portions of the food items with a decoration portion on an upper surface of the food body portion;   d) after step (c), closing the lid, wherein closing the lid moves the first retainer to overlie a first marginal portion adjacent the decoration portion of a first upper surface of a first food item in the container and moves the second retainer to overlie a second marginal portion adjacent the decoration portion of a second upper surface of a second food item in the container; and   e) after step (d), placing the container for display on a sales shelf in the retail store.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising after steps (a) and (b), and before step (d), freezing the food items. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, before said placing step and after said freezing step, thawing the food items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preparing step (a) comprises dispensing batter into a plurality of wrappers disposed on a baking pan, and baking the batter to form the body portions of baked batter, wherein the upper surface of the body portion is formed by a top surface of the baked batter extending across an upper end of the body portion, and wherein each body portion has a side surface of baked batter extending downward from the upper surface, at least a portion of the side surface of each body portion having a respective wrapper removably bonded thereto. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the loading step (a) comprises removing the body portions from the baking pan. 
     
     
         6 . A method of packaging decorated food items in a visually appealing manner, comprising:
 a) nesting first, second, third, and fourth food items in respective first, second, third, and fourth cavities in a base of a container, the cavities arranged in a two-by-two pattern, each food item including an upper surface directed away from the base,   b) prior to at least step c), providing a decorated section on the upper surface of the food item, the decorated section at least partially bounded by an undecorated peripheral section; and   c) closing a lid onto the base, the lid having a lid peripheral edge and a substantially planar upper lid surface connected about a perimeter thereof to the lid peripheral edge by a lid sidewall, and the lid having a retaining protrusion extending downwardly from the upper lid surface when the lid is in the closed position, the retaining protrusion including first, second, third, and fourth protrusion retainers for abutting respective portions of the undecorated sections of the first, second, third, and fourth food items, respectively, to limit displacement of the food items out of the cavities.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the upper lid surface, the lid sidewall, and the retaining protrusion are integrally formed of a transparent plastic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth protrusion retainers abut the respective portions of the undecorated sections of the first, second, third, and fourth food items generally constantly when the food items are in the cavities and the lid is closed, to inhibit the decorated section from contacting an inner surface of the lid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth protrusion retainers abut the respective portions of the undecorated sections of the first, second, third, and fourth food items only when the food items are urged upwards towards the closed lid during handling of the container, to inhibit the decorated section from contacting an inner surface of the lid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the closing step moves the first, second, third, and fourth retainers to respective positions protruding laterally inwardly of respective first, second, third, and fourth cavity rims at upper ends of the first, second, third, and fourth cavities. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the lid, including the upper lid surface, the lid sidewall, and the retaining protrusion, and the base, including the cavities and the cavity rims, are integrally formed of a transparent plastic material, the lid and base connected to each other by a living hinge, and wherein closing the lid onto the base comprises pivoting the lid about the living hinge. 
     
     
         12 . A method of packaging decorated food items, comprising:
 a) nesting first, second, third, and fourth food items in respective first, second, third, and fourth cavities in a base of a container, the cavities arranged in a two-by-two pattern, each food item including an upper surface having a decorated section at least partially bounded by an undecorated peripheral section; and   b) closing a lid onto the base, the lid having a lid peripheral edge and a substantially planar upper lid surface connected about a perimeter thereof to the lid peripheral edge by a lid sidewall, and the lid having a retaining protrusion extending downwardly from the upper lid surface when the lid is in the closed position, the retaining protrusion including first, second, third, and fourth protrusion retainers for overlying a portion of the undecorated section of the first, second, third, and fourth food items, respectively, to limit displacement of the food items out of the cavities.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when nested in the respective cavities, and with the lid closed, a gap of limited vertical extent is provided between the respective protrusion retainers and the portions of the undecorated sections of the respective food items so that the displacement of the food items out of the cavities is limited to about the vertical extent of the gap. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein an outer side surface of each food item is wrapped by a wrapper, and the portion of the undecorated section of each respective food item comprises an upper edge of the wrapper. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising prior to step a), preparing the first, second, third, and fourth food items by dispensing batter in first, second, third, and fourth removable wrappers disposed on a baking pan, and then baking the batter to form baked body portions, wherein the upper surface of each food item is formed by a top surface of the baked batter of a respective body portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each the respective body portion of each food item has a side surface of baked batter extending downward from the top surface, and wherein each wrapper is removably bonded to a portion of the side surface of each respective body portion.