Pre-packaged food tray kit and method of use

Abstract

A party tray kit comprises a variety of ready-to-eat foods of sufficient quantity for a plurality of individuals that are sealed within a serving tray and ready to serve. The party tray kit also includes a carrier. The carrier includes a compartment for the serving tray and a compartment for a variety of condiments and relishes in ready-to-use packets. The party tray kit can be kept under refrigeration for a considerable period of time. In use, the party try kit is removed from refrigerated storage, the serving tray is removed from the kit and a releasable lidding film is removed from the serving tray. In one exemplary embodiment, the party tray kit may include a selection of cold-cuts and cheeses. When this embodiment is used, the serving tray may be presented to a gathering of individuals who can consume the various food items and condiments as desired.

1 . A ready-to-serve party tray kit, comprising: 
 a carrier, the carrier including at least a first compartment, and a top;    a serving tray placed within the first compartment of the carrier, the serving tray containing at least a first compartment and a second compartment, the first and second compartments of the serving tray containing a plurality of food items, wherein the plurality of food items is of sufficient quantity to feed multiple individuals; and    a releasable lidding film adhered to the serving tray so as to hermetically seal the plurality of food items from the outside environment.    
   
   
       2 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier further includes a second compartment, wherein the second compartment contains at least one condiment, garnish and/or other food item placed within the second compartment of the carrier.  
   
   
       3 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the kit is loaded and packaged under sanitary conditions at a food processing facility.  
   
   
       4 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the top of the carrier has a first section and a second section.  
   
   
       5 . The party tray kit of  claim 4 , wherein the first section at least partially defines the first compartment, and the second section at least partially defines the second compartment.  
   
   
       6 . The party tray kit of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 the first section has a window, and    the window provides a view of the contents of at least a portion of the serving tray.    
   
   
       7 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one type of food item is placed within the first compartment, and at least one other type of food item is placed in the second compartment.  
   
   
       8 . The party tray kit of  claim 7 , wherein at least one food item-comprises cold-cuts.  
   
   
       9 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the first compartment includes at least one or more auxiliary receptacles.  
   
   
       10 . The party tray kit of  claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more auxiliary receptacles are available to contain at least one of a garnish, a condiment or another food item.  
   
   
       11 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the serving tray is back flushed with at least one gas before application of the releasable lidding film.  
   
   
       12 . The party tray kit of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of at least nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or other preservative gas is back-flushed into the serving tray before application of the releasable sealing film.  
   
   
       13 . The party tray kit of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the at least one condiment, garnish and/or other food item placed within the second compartment is provided in a ready-to-use package.  
   
   
       14 . The party tray kit of  claim 1 , wherein the serving tray is made of at least a semi-rigid material.  
   
   
       15 . The party tray kit of  claim 14 , wherein the serving tray is formed of an oxygen-barrier polymer.  
   
   
       16 . A party tray kit, comprising: 
 an outer carrier, the outer carrier having a bottom, four sides and a top piece, wherein the carrier is divided into a first compartment and a second compartment;    a serving tray placed in the first compartment of the carrier, the serving tray having a bottom, outer walls and at least one inner wall, the walls defining at least a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein a plurality of at least one ready-to-eat food item is placed within the first compartment of the serving tray and a plurality of at least one other ready-to-eat food item is placed within the second compartment of the serving tray and wherein the plurality of food items in the first and second compartments is of sufficient quantity to feed multiple individuals;    at least one condiment, garnish and/or other food item is contained in the second compartment of the carrier, wherein at least one of the at least condiments garnish and/or other food item is contained within a sealed package.    
   
   
       17 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the kit is loaded and packaged under sanitary conditions at a food processing facility.  
   
   
       18 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the top piece comprises a first section and a second section, the first section at least partially defining the first compartment of the carrier and the second section at least partially defining the second compartment of the carrier.  
   
   
       19 . The party tray kit of  claim 18 , wherein a window is defined in the first section of the top piece, the window providing a view of at least a portion of the contents of the serving tray.  
   
   
       20 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the at least one inner wall of the serving tray is co-extensive with the outer walls of the serving tray.  
   
   
       21 . The party tray kit of  claim 20 , wherein a lidding film is releasably sealed to the outer walls and the at least one inner wall of the serving tray.  
   
   
       22 . The party tray kit of  claim 20 , wherein the bottom of the serving tray is differentially raised.  
   
   
       23 . The party tray kit of  claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom of the serving tray is differentially raised, the raised portions of the bottom defining a sloped bottom of at least one of the first and/or second compartments of the serving tray.  
   
   
       24 . The party tray kit of  claim 23 , further comprising at least one auxiliary receptacle located in at least one compartment of the serving tray.  
   
   
       25 . The party tray kit of  claim 23 , wherein the bottom of the first compartment is differentially raised to form a sloping annular surface having a receptacle.  
   
   
       26 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the first compartment of the serving tray includes at least one receptacle.  
   
   
       27 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the first compartment contains at least one type of ready-to-eat meat product.  
   
   
       28 . The party tray kit of  claim 27 , wherein at least one type of ready-to-eat meat product comprises cold-cuts.  
   
   
       29 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the second compartment contains cheese.  
   
   
       30 . The party tray kit of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom of the second compartment of the serving tray is differentially raised.  
   
   
       31 . A method of assembling a party tray kit comprising: 
 providing a serving tray, the serving tray having a first compartment and a second compartment;    placing in the serving tray a quantity of at least one type of ready-to-eat food item that is of sufficient quantity for multiple individuals;    sealing the serving tray with a releasable lidding film so as to hermetically seal the food items from the outside environment;    providing a carrier, the carrier having, at least a first compartment and a second compartment;    placing the serving tray in the first compartment of the carrier; and    placing at least one condiment, garnish or other food item in the second compartment.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein placing the quantity of at least one type of food item in the serving tray comprises placing the food items in the serving tray under sanitary conditions in a food processing facility.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the second compartment of the serving tray contains at least one type of food item.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein at least one food item contained in the second compartment of the serving tray is at least one variety of cheese.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the party tray kit is kept refrigerated.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the serving tray is fabricated of at least semi-rigid material.  
   
   
       37 . A method of using a party tray kit comprising: 
 obtaining a refrigerated, pre-packaged serving tray contained within a carrier, the serving tray containing at least one food item in a first compartment and at least one food item in a second compartment, wherein the food items in the first and second compartments are preserved by the application of a lidding film and are of sufficient quantity for multiple individuals;    removing the serving tray from the carrier;    removing the lidding film from the serving tray;    serving the serving tray to multiple individuals.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein 
 the carrier has a first compartment and a second compartment; and    removing the serving tray comprises removing the serving tray from the first compartment.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising removing at least one condiment from the second compartment.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising placing at least one condiment into an auxiliary receptacle associated with a first compartment of the serving tray.