Food package and related process

Abstract

A food package and related method are directed toward providing a food package containing a food product and various ingredients and toppings in isolation with an option to choose one of a variety of flavors to create before consuming the food product. The food package may include a cup and a tray within the cup with a seal which air-tightly seals the cup. The methods and processes may include adding a first combination of ingredients and toppings to the food product in the food packaging to create a first flavor, adding a second combination of ingredients and toppings to the food product in the food packaging to create a second flavor, and so on.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A package for a food product or the like comprising:
 a cup having a rim located in a first reference plane, a base, and at least one sidewall, wherein the at least one sidewall extends from the rim to the base, wherein the rim defines a periphery of the cup and wherein the base and the at least one sidewall define a compartment;   a tray, wherein the tray is secured within an upper half of the compartment of the cup, wherein the tray is comprised of a rim, a base, at least one sidewall and a plurality of dividing walls, wherein the at least one sidewall of the tray extends from the rim of the tray to the base of the tray, wherein the rim of the tray defines a periphery of the tray, and wherein the plurality of dividing walls, the as least one sidewall of the tray, and the base of the tray define a plurality of compartments; and   a seal covering the cup within the first reference plane and attached to the rim of the cup to air-tightly seal the compartment of the cup.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the base of the cup is identical to a perimeter of the rim of the cup in shape, wherein the perimeter of the rim of the cup is greater than the perimeter of the base of the cup, wherein perimeters of cross-sections of the at least one sidewall of the cup taken parallel to the first reference plane are identical in shape to the perimeter of the rim of the cup and the perimeter of the base of the cup, and wherein the perimeters of the cross-sections of the at least one sidewall of the cup decrease from the rim of the cup to the base of the cup. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein a perimeter of the base of the tray is identical to a perimeter of the rim of the tray in shape, wherein the perimeter of the rim of the tray is greater than the perimeter of the base of the tray, wherein perimeters of cross-sections of the at least one sidewall of the tray taken parallel to the second reference plane are identical in shape to the rim of the tray and to the base of the tray, and wherein the perimeters of the cross-sections of the at least one sidewall of the tray decrease from the rim of the tray to the base of the tray. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 3 , wherein the perimeter of the base of the tray is greater than a perimeter of a cross-section of the at least one sidewall of the cup parallel to the first reference frame and at a position at least halfway up from the base of the cup to the rim of the cup such that when the tray is placed in the cup, the tray is blocked from entering at least a lower half of the cup. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the rim of the tray is located in a second reference plane and further comprising a second seal covering the tray within the second reference plane and attached to the rim of the tray and to the plurality of dividing walls to air-tightly seal the plurality of compartments of the tray. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein a plant-based food product is contained within the compartment of the cup below the tray. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein a broth product is contained within a packet within the compartment of the cup. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein a seasoning, a first dressing, a cheese product, salt, and a juice product, are contained within the tray. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein at least one fruit product is contained within the tray. 
     
     
         10 . A package for a food product or the like comprising:
 a cup having a rim located in a first reference plane, a base, and at least one sidewall, wherein the at least one sidewall extends from the rim to the base, wherein the rim defines a periphery of the cup and wherein the base and the at least one sidewall define a compartment;   a tray having a rim located in a second reference plane, a base, at least one sidewall, and a plurality of dividing walls, wherein the at least one sidewall of the tray extends from the rim of the tray to the base of the tray, wherein the rim of the tray defines a periphery of the tray, wherein the plurality of dividing walls, the at least one sidewall of the tray, and the base of the tray define a plurality of compartments, wherein the tray is secured within an upper half of the compartment of the cup; and   a seal covering the cup within the first reference plane and attached to the rim of the cup to air-tightly seal the compartment of the cup.   
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the perimeter of the base of the tray is greater than a perimeter of a cross-section of the at least one sidewall of the cup parallel to the first reference frame and at a position at least halfway up from the base of the cup to the rim of the cup such that when the tray is placed in the cup, the tray is blocked from entering at least a lower half of the compartment of the cup. 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein the tray further includes numbered indicia associated with the plurality of compartments of the tray, wherein the numbered indicia distinguishes between the plurality of compartments of the tray. 
     
     
         13 . A process for utilizing a packaging for a food product to provide a variety of flavor options of which a user may choose from to create, comprising the steps of:
 providing a package for a food product, wherein the package contains in isolation a plant-based food product, a first dressing, a cheese product, salt, and a juice product;   removing the first dressing, the cheese product, the salt, and the juice product from the package;   performing at least one of the following addition steps:
 a) adding the dressing, the cheese product, the salt, and the juice product to the plant-based food product in the package to create a first flavor, or 
 b) adding the cheese product, the salt, and the juice product to the plant-based food product in the package to create a second flavor; and 
   mixing the plant-based food product in the package with the additions from the addition step to form a mixture.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the package for a food product further contains in isolation a broth product, wherein the process further comprises a step of adding the broth product to the plant-based food product in the package. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprised of a step of warming the plant-based food product in the package. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the package for a food product further contains in isolation a seasoning, wherein the process further comprises a step of removing the seasoning from the package and an additional addition step of adding the dressing, the cheese product, the salt, the juice product, and the seasoning to the plant-based food product in the package to create yet another flavor. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , further comprising an additional addition step of adding the cheese product, the salt, the juice product, and the seasoning to the plant-based food product in the package to create yet another flavor. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the package for a food product further includes in isolation a second dressing, wherein the process further comprises an additional addition step of adding the second dressing and the cheese product to the plant-based food product in the package to create yet another flavor. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising an additional addition step of adding the second dressing, the cheese product, the salt, and the juice product to the plant-based food product to create yet another flavor. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the package for a food product further includes in isolation a fruit food product, wherein the process further comprises a step of removing the fruit food product from the package and an additional addition step of adding the fruit food product and the cheese product to the plant-based food product in the package to create yet another flavor.