Multi-item packaged food product

Abstract

Packages for food products and food products packaged in such packages are described. A multi-item packaged food product may include food items, a bottom portion defining containers, and a top portion releasably sealed to the bottom portion such that food items are received in the containers. The top portion defines removeably coupled cover portions, each cover portion sealing at least one food item within a corresponding one of the containers. The top portion is peelable in a first direction to remove at least two cover portions from the corresponding containers, and the top portion is peelable in a second direction to remove a single cover portion from a single container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaged food product comprising:
 a bottom defining a plurality of containers, each container comprising a bottom wall defining at least one raised portion configured to maintain a space between a food product and a remainder of the bottom wall; and   a top removeably coupled to the bottom, the top defining a plurality of peel starter portions usable to remove at least a portion of the top from the bottom;   wherein the top and bottom collectively define a plurality of individual packages that are removeable relative to one another while the top is removeably coupled to the bottom.   
     
     
         2 . The packaged food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom and top are configured to be in a folded position such that portions of the top corresponding to at least two of the individual packages face each other. 
     
     
         3 . The packaged food product of  claim 2 , further comprising an outer sleeve extending about at least a portion of the individual packages and configured to maintain the individual packages in the folded position. 
     
     
         4 . The packaged food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom comprises an upper lip removeably coupled to the top, and at least one debossed tab portion extending downward from the upper lip that is spaced apart from the top when the top is coupled to the upper lip of the bottom. 
     
     
         5 . The packaged food product of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one raised portion is wavy-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The packaged food product of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom is made of a polymer material using a molding process. 
     
     
         7 . The packaged food product of  claim 6 , wherein the molding process comprises injection molding, blow-injection molding, thermoforming, vacuum forming, blow molding, or sheet molding. 
     
     
         8 . A packaged food product comprising:
 a package assembly comprising a bottom portion coupled to a top portion, the bottom and top portions being configured to be folded about a line between containers and maintained in a folded position;   wherein the bottom portion defines a plurality of containers, each container comprising an integrated drip tray formed by at least one embossed portion configured to support a food product above a remainder of a bottom of the container.   
     
     
         9 . The packaged food product of  claim 8 , wherein the top portion defines a plurality of peel starter portions usable to remove at least a portion of the top from the bottom; 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 8 , further comprising an outer sleeve extending about at least a portion of the package assembly and configured to maintain the package assembly in the folded position. 
     
     
         11 . The packaged food product of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom portion comprises an upper lip coupled to the top portion, and at least one debossed tab portion extending downward from the upper lip that is spaced apart from the top portion when the top portion is coupled to the upper lip of the bottom portion. 
     
     
         12 . The packaged food product of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one embossed portion is wavy-shaped. 
     
     
         13 . The packaged food product of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom portion is made of a polymer material using a molding process. 
     
     
         14 . The packaged food product of  claim 13 , wherein the molding process comprises injection molding, blow-injection molding, thermoforming, vacuum forming, blow molding, or sheet molding. 
     
     
         15 . The packaged food product of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom portions is transparent.