Meal kit assembly
A meal kit assembly includes an outer box defining an interior box cavity; a tray received within the interior box cavity and defining a bottom panel; and an insulating bag received within the interior box cavity and supported on the bottom panel of the tray, the insulating bag defining a paper base layer and a temperature-preserving liner applied to the paper base layer.
1 . A meal kit assembly comprising:
an outer box comprising a box bottom, a plurality of box side panels extending upwardly from the box bottom, and defining an interior box cavity;
a tray received within the interior box cavity and comprising a bottom panel, a first wing defining a first free end, and a second wing opposite the first wing; and
an insulating bag received within the interior box cavity and supported on the bottom panel of the tray, the insulating bag defining a paper base layer, a temperature-preserving liner comprising a metallized film layer applied to the paper base layer, and a protective layer positioned over the metallized film layer;
wherein the first free end of the first wing engages the box bottom and defines a first engagement tab extending below the bottom panel of the tray and engaging an inner surface of a first box side panel of the plurality of box side panels below the bottom panel of the tray.
2 . The meal kit assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom panel of the tray is supported at a height above the box bottom; and
air flow is prohibited through a space between the bottom panel and the box bottom.
3 . The meal kit assembly of claim 2 , wherein:
the first wing and the second wing support the bottom panel of the tray above the box bottom; and
the second wing defines a second free end engaging the box bottom and a second engagement tab engaging an inner surface of a second box side panel of the plurality of box side panels.
4 . The meal kit assembly of claim 3 , wherein:
the bottom panel of the tray defines a first panel side and a second panel side opposite the first panel side;
the first wing defines a first proximal end opposite the first free end;
the second wing defines a second proximal end opposite the second free end; and
the tray further comprises a first side panel extending between the first proximal end of the first wing and the first panel side of the bottom panel and a second side panel extending between the second proximal end of the second wing and the second panel side of the bottom panel.
5 . The meal kit assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the bottom panel of the tray defines a first panel end and a second panel end opposite the first panel end;
the tray further comprises a first end panel arranged laterally between the first side panel and the second side panel and extending from the first panel end of the bottom panel; and
the tray further comprises a second end panel arranged laterally between the first side panel and the second side panel and extending from the second panel end of the bottom panel.
6 . The meal kit assembly of claim 5 , wherein:
the tray further comprises a first reinforcement flap extending from and hingedly connected to the first end panel at a first fold line and a second reinforcement flap extending from and hingedly connected to the second end panel at a second fold line;
the first reinforcement flap is folded inward at the first fold line towards the bottom panel of the tray to confront the first end panel; and
the second reinforcement flap is folded inward at the second fold line towards the bottom panel of the tray to confront the second end panel.
7 . The meal kit assembly of claim 6 , wherein:
the first reinforcement flap defines a first locking tab distal to the first fold line and the second reinforcement flap defines a second locking tab distal to the second fold line;
the first locking tab engages a first bottom panel opening formed in the bottom panel proximate to the first panel end; and
the second locking tab engages a second bottom panel opening formed in the bottom panel proximate to the second panel end.
8 . The meal kit assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insulating bag defines a top bag end, a bottom bag end, an interior bag cavity, and a cavity opening formed at the top bag end, and wherein the insulating bag comprises:
a pair of opposing bag main panels and a pair of opposing bag side panels, each of the bag main panels and bag side panels extending from the top bag end to the bottom bag end;
a bag bottom panel disposed at the bottom bag end; and
an upper bag portion extending from the top bag end.
9 . The meal kit assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the insulating bag is configurable in an open orientation and a closed orientation;
in the open orientation, the cavity opening is uncovered to allow access to the interior bag cavity; and
in the closed orientation, the cavity opening is covered by the upper bag portion to prohibit access to the interior bag cavity.
10 . The meal kit assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the insulating bag further comprises a pair of opposing main top flaps, each main top flap hingedly connected to a corresponding one of the bag main panels at the top bag end;
the insulating bag further comprises a pair of opposing side top flaps, each side top flap hingedly connected to a corresponding one of the bag side panels at the top bag end;
in the open orientation, each of the side top flaps and the main tops flaps are folded away from the interior bag cavity; and
in the closed orientation, each of the side top flaps and the main top flaps are folded towards the interior bag cavity to cover the cavity opening.
11 . The meal kit assembly of claim 8 , wherein the insulating bag further comprises bag contents received within the interior bag cavity, the bag contents comprising a first cold pack.
12 . The meal kit assembly of claim 11 , wherein the bag contents further comprise a second cold pack, and the insulating bag is configured to receive a food item within the interior bag cavity between the first cold pack and the second cold pack.
13 . The meal kit assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the interior bag cavity defines a lower portion and an upper portion;
the bag contents further comprise an insulation panel received within the interior bag cavity and separating the upper portion from the lower portion; and
the first cold pack is received within the lower portion of the interior bag cavity.
14 . The meal kit assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the temperature-preserving liner defines the interior bag cavity.
15 . A method of assembling a meal kit assembly:
obtaining an outer box comprising a box bottom, a plurality of box side panels extending upwardly from the box bottom, and defining an interior box cavity;
obtaining a tray comprising a bottom panel, a first wing defining a first free end defining a first engagement tab extending outwardly therefrom and extending below the bottom panel of the tray, and a second wing opposite the first wing;
receiving the tray within the interior box cavity of the outer box so that the first free end engages the box bottom and the first engagement tab engages an inner surface of a first box side panel of the plurality of box side panels below the bottom panel of the tray;
receiving an insulating bag with the interior box cavity and supporting the insulating bag on the bottom panel of the tray, the insulating bag defining a paper base layer, a temperature-preserving liner comprising a metallized film layer applied to the paper base layer, and a protective layer positioned over the metallized film layer; and
arranging a food item within an interior bag cavity of the insulating bag.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the insulating bag is configurable in an open bag orientation and a closed bag orientation;
the insulating bag defines a cavity opening allowing access to the interior bag cavity in the open bag orientation; and
the method further comprises reconfiguring the insulating bag from the open bag orientation to the closed bag orientation to retain the food item within the interior bag cavity.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the outer box is configurable in an open box orientation and a closed box orientation;
the outer box defines an upper opening allowing access to the interior box cavity in the open box orientation; and
the method further comprises reconfiguring the outer box from the open box orientation to the closed box orientation to retain the insulating bag and the tray within the interior box cavity.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the bottom panel of the tray is supported at a height above the box bottom; and
air flow is prohibited through a space between the bottom panel and the box bottom.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising filling at least a portion of the interior box cavity surrounding the insulating bag with a void filler material to further insulate the insulating bag.
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising arranging a cold pack within the interior bag cavity of the insulating bag.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein:
the interior bag cavity defines a lower portion and an upper portion;
the cold pack and the food item are received within the lower portion; and
the method further comprises:
arranging an insulation panel within the interior bag cavity to separate the upper portion from the lower portion; and
arranging a second food item within the upper portion of the interior bag cavity.