A burger, a bowl of laksa and a serve of chips each need something different from their packaging. Putting all three in the same box is how burgers get squashed and chips go soft. This guide matches common hot meals to the container that suits them best.
Burgers, Wraps and Toasties
Burgers need a box tall enough to keep the bun from being crushed. Ecocare’s burger square box is an 800 ml clamshell that closes over the top without pressing down on the food. Choose PE-coated board for saucy burgers, or uncoated kraft for toasties and wraps.
Rice, Noodles, Pasta and Curry
Full meals with sauce need room and a barrier coating. Our lunch rectangular box holds 1,500 ml – enough for a standard rice or noodle meal – and comes in PE-coated or aqueous-coated board. For very saucy dishes on longer delivery trips, PE-coated is the safer choice.
Chips, Hot Dogs and Fried Snacks
Fried food stays crisper when steam can escape. Open rectangular trays work well for chips, nuggets and spring rolls served on site or carried a short distance. Ecocare’s trays come in 500 ml (hot dog), 700 ml and 1,400 ml sizes.
For delivery, place trays in a vented bag rather than closing them in a sealed container, and send them out as soon as they are packed.
Choosing the Right Finish
Each Ecocare container comes in a choice of brown kraft or white board, with a PE coating, an aqueous coating or no coating. As a rule:
- PE-coated: oily, saucy and very hot meals.
- Aqueous-coated: moist meals on shorter trips.
- Uncoated kraft: dry and lightly greasy food.
Our article on food delivery packaging that prevents leaks explains the finishes in more detail.
Keep Your Range Short
Most takeaway menus can be covered with two boxes and two trays. A short range is easier to order, store and train staff on. Start with the formats that cover your best-selling dishes, then add others only when a dish clearly needs them. Our guide to choosing takeaway food packaging walks through that process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What container keeps chips crispy?
An open tray that lets steam escape. Closed boxes trap moisture and soften chips.
Can paper containers hold hot food?
Yes. Coated paper boxes are made for hot meals. Choose PE-coated board for very oily or saucy dishes.
What size box do I need for a rice meal?
A 1,500 ml box suits a standard single rice or noodle meal.
Get Samples for Your Menu
Browse Ecocare containers and trays, then contact the team with your menu. We will suggest the sizes and finishes to test.
About Ecocare: Ecocare supplies paper straws, paper food containers and wooden cutlery to cafés, restaurants, caterers and distributors across Australia. Our paper straws and paper containers are made in our own factory and shipped to our Melbourne warehouse in Campbellfield.