Food tray and tray insert

摘要

A food tray and tray insert are provided that are particularly adapted for use in a heated food holding compartment. Methods of storing cooked food are also provided using such devices. The devices and use thereof allows cooked food such as hamburger patties to be stored at elevated temperatures for extended periods of time without a significant deleterious effect on the organoleptic properties of the cooked food.

主权项

1. A food tray for storing individual portions of food comprising:
a tray body having a first end and a second end, a lower surface and a sidewall structure defining an open top of the tray body, a substantially uniform tray height and a tray volume within said tray body; and a tray insert removably positioned in the tray volume below the top of the sidewall structure and comprising an elongated, generally flat supporting surface and insert supports defining a tray insert height between said tray lower surface and said tray insert supporting surface; said supporting surface being above said lower surface, and wherein said tray insert height is at least about 0.2125 inches above the lower surface; said supporting surface having a plurality of series of spaced apart apertures extending therethrough, each series of spaced apart apertures arranged in a shape corresponding to the shape of a food item to be placed on the respective series of apertures, and at least one of said series of spaced apart apertures having a food item placed thereon to essentially cover the series of apertures, the apertures providing a void space in the supporting surface area of at least about 30%; said lower surface and said supporting surface defining a lower volume therebetween, and the supporting surface defining a food holding volume in conjunction with said sidewall structure for storing food items completely contained in the food holding volume, the lower volume being between about 10% and about 80% of the tray volume; said tray body being removably placeable in a heated compartment having an upper compartment surface and a heated lower compartment surface to maintain the temperature of the cooked food items in a desired elevated storage temperature range so that said supporting surface is elevated above said heated lower compartment surface and a top edge of the tray is between about 0 and 0.25 inches below the upper compartment surface to restrict water vapor from leaving the tray volume and water from evaporating from the cooked food in the tray when said tray is in the heated compartment.