Meal Component System

Abstract

A food preparation method and system comprising: a tray (100) having at least two distinctly shaped cavities (10,20) for storing and reheating meal components, wherein the cavities contain meal components and define a space such that the meal components are reheated at an approximately even rate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Food trays that hold frozen foods are typically of a suitable size (½ pan size) to fit in a food service operator's equipment device and hold one complete meal all together. In this format there is no possibility for modifying the meal according to consumer preferences. Thus, a variety of different meals must be purchased and stored as inventory in order to accommodate consumer preferences. In some instances meal components can be purchased in bulk packages which can be prepared and portioned into individual meals. However with this format, meal components can be wasted or must be stored when only part of a bulk package is needed. In addition, the process of portioning out individual servings is not as efficient as with prepackaged meals.[0002]WO 98 / 12937 discloses a process for the preparation of a frozen meal. The process involves putting the components of the meal into rectangular brick-shaped molds, subjecting the filled moulds to a freezing step...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]In an embodiment the food preparation system includes a tray having at least two distinctly shaped cavities for storing and reheating meal components, wherein the cavities contain meal components and define a space such that the meal components are reheated at an approximately even rate. The cavities in the packaging hold food portions and are designed to be of such a shape and dimension to allow the foods to be reconstituted under the same conditions, regardless of the food composition. Under these circumstances different food portions can all be reconstituted together using the same conditions and will be fully reconstituted at nearly the same, or preferably at the same point in time. The geometry and size of the cavities are therefore dependent on the foods contained within them such that all meal components. For example, faster cooking foods may be of a geometric shape that has less surface area per unit of volume. Slower cooking foods may be held in containers having a higher surface area to volume ratio. Protein rich components, such as meats can be contained in a more shallow half moon shaped container that has greater surface area. This improves reconstitution of protein rich foods compared to when they are contained in cylindrical shapes.

[0015]There are a number of advantages achieved by the present invention. This system provides greater flexibility in meal compositions by providing a food service operator the ability to vary the components in a meal. To this end a variety of foods can be prepared and dosed into the cavities of the packaging for storage. Then individual components can be selected and placed together on a plate and reconstituted. This system allows a food service provider to better meet the needs of variable consumer diets in a convenient manner. For example, low salt or low carbohydrate components could be chosen for a meal as needed for health reasons or based on consumer preferences. In addition, the meal component packaging can be easily manufactured by directly dosing prepared food meal components into the segregated compartments or cavities of the packaging material. The food storage packaging also allows freezing and can be self-enclosed packaging to facilitate shipping. Using this system each component can be reconstituted to its optimal desired quality and be of a comparable quality to homemade meals or meals that would be expected in a high quality restaurt.

Problems solved by technology

In this format there is no possibility for modifying the meal according to consumer preferences.

However with this format, meal components can be wasted or must be stored when only part of a bulk package is needed.

In addition, the process of portioning out individual servings is not as efficient as with prepackaged meals.

The trays are inconvenient in that the units are not proportioned to provide an appropriate size for single serving.

However, the food product is not portionable in that one disc provides one meal which cannot be easily split into its component parts.

The manufacturing of such products is complex.

Images