Food plate with retaining strap

Abstract

A disposable food plate includes a food-supporting platform bounded by a plate perimeter and having a bottom surface and an opposed top surface configured for the deposit of food items thereon. The food-supporting platform further includes a central portion and a peripheral rim portion inclining radially outwardly from the central portion toward the plate perimeter. A retaining strap having a central strap portion extends between opposed first and second strap ends, which strap ends are secured to the bottom surface of the platform at, respectively, first and second securement regions of the bottom surface such that there exists slack in the central strap portion sufficient to accommodate the introduction of at least two of a user's fingers between the retaining strap and the bottom surface. The retaining strap is flexible and collapsible such that it can assume a relatively flat profile that enables nested stacking of plural similarly configured plates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A disposable food plate comprising:
 a food-supporting platform having a bottom surface and an opposed top surface configured for the deposit of food items thereon; and   a retaining strap having a central strap portion extending between opposed first and second strap ends, the first and second strap ends being secured to the bottom surface of the platform at, respectively, first and second securement regions of the bottom surface such that there exists a predetermined amount of slack in the central strap portion.   
     
     
         2 . The food plate of  claim 1  wherein the food-supporting platform is bounded by a plate perimeter and includes a substantially planar central portion and a peripheral rim portion inclining radially outwardly from the central portion toward the plate perimeter. 
     
     
         3 . The food plate of  claim 2  wherein the retaining strap is flexible and collapsible such that it can assume a relatively flat profile that enables nested stacking of plural similarly configured plates. 
     
     
         4 . The food plate of  claim 3  wherein the predetermined amount of slack in the central strap portion is sufficient to accommodate to introduction of at least two of a user's fingers in the single loop defined by and between the retaining strap and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         5 . The food plate of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined amount of slack in the central strap portion is sufficient to accommodate the introduction of at least two of a user's fingers in the single loop defined by and between the retaining strap and the bottom surface. 
     
     
         6 . A food plate comprising:
 a food-supporting platform bounded by a plate perimeter and having a bottom surface and an opposed top surface configured for the deposit of food items thereon, the food-supporting platform further including a central portion and a peripheral rim portion inclining radially outwardly from the central portion toward the plate perimeter; and   a retaining strap having a central strap portion extending between opposed first and second strap ends, the first and second strap ends being secured to the bottom surface of the platform at, respectively, first and second securement regions of the bottom surface such that there exists slack in the central strap portion sufficient to accommodate the introduction of at least two of a user's fingers between the retaining strap and the bottom surface, the retaining strap furthermore being flexible and collapsible such that it can assume a relatively flat profile that enables nested stacking of plural similarly configured plates.   
     
     
         7 . The food plate of  claim 6  wherein the central strap portion is configured with slack sufficient to accommodate to insertion of four of user's fingers in the single loop defined by and between the retaining strap and the bottom surface such that a portion of the retaining strap is situated behind the rearwardmost knuckles of the inserted hand. 
     
     
         8 . The food plate of  claim 7  wherein the food plate is disposable. 
     
     
         9 . The food plate of  claim 6  wherein the food plate is disposable.