In accordance with the principals of the present invention, a method of and container for temperature-controlled
meal transport are provided. A
front panel provides access to an interior of the
meal transport container. A food tray
accommodation area is defined in the interior of the
meal transport container. A plurality of ledges are defined in the food tray
accommodation area, the ledges designed to act together in pairs to receive and support an outer
flange of a food tray, the plurality of ledges positioned to accommodate a plurality of different sized food trays. An insulator is provided to insulate the interior of the meal transport container. A pair of integral upper carrying handles are provided at the upper front periphery and rear periphery, the integral upper carrying handles having a width recessed from the outer periphery of the meal transportation container and extending above the upper panel. The meal transportation container is sized such that by utilizing the integral upper carrying handles a single user can carry the meal transportation container. A pair of integral lower handles are provided at the lower front and rear peripheries having a width greater than outer periphery of the meal transportation container and extending in front of the
front panel. Thus, the upper integral carrying handles are designed to
nest with the integral lower handles when a plurality of meal transport containers are stacked. The pair of integral lower handles have sufficient width greater than the outer periphery of the meal transportation container such that they are still accessible when nested above or below another meal transportation unit. A
thermometer monitors temperature within the food tray
accommodation area. A control panel contained on an exterior of the meal transport adapted to be accessible when a plurality of meal transport containers are stacked. In embodiments, a
heating element heats
cooked food from a cooled temperature to an appropriate hot-serving temperature from wall outlet
alternating current power, a
heating element maintains heated food at temperature from
direct current power from a rechargeable battery, and raw food can be cooked utilizing a single
heating element at a lower range of cooking temperatures while at a higher range of cooking temperatures by utilizing the pair of heating element.