Microwave cooking packages suitable for use as microwave popcorn packages include at least one panel (e.g., first and second panels) formed of a vertically rigid material. A flexible portion is attached to the panels. The flexible portion may be formed of a polyester film material such as a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, which may be at least partially transparent. The flexible portion (and panels) defines a bag construction configured to contain a popcorn charge and to be expandable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration when the popcorn charge is subjected to a popping operation. The microwave cooking package may include a vent assembly configured to at least partially open when the bag configuration is in an expanded configuration to vent the bag construction. The vent assembly includes a first portion a second portion of the bag construction that is configured to be folded against the first portion.

A container for holding a food product. The container can comprise a base layer and a liner at least partially attached to an inner surface of the base layer, a flange comprising a central panel of the base layer, an opening extending in the central panel, and a sidewall comprising at least a panel foldably connected to the central panel along the opening.

A method for forming a laminate can comprise moving an initial laminate and a sacrificial web at least partially coated with an adhesive in a downstream direction. The initial laminate can comprise a base web and an interactive web comprising a retained section and a scrap section. The method also can comprise forming a compound laminate by nipping the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web between a raised feature of a nip roller and an opposing support surface so that the adhesive at least partially bonds the sacrificial web to the scrap section. In addition, the method can comprise separating the compound laminate into a resultant laminate, comprising the base web and at least the retained section of the interactive web, and a sacrificial laminate, comprising the sacrificial web and at least the scrap section of the interactive web.

A method of forming a container for holding a food product. The container can comprise a flange comprising a central panel. An opening can extend in the central panel. The container further can comprise a sidewall comprising at least a panel foldably connected to the central panel and a denesting feature extending outwardly from the sidewall. The denesting feature can be for engaging a nested container positioned below the container in a stacked arrangement and for forming a denesting gap between the flange and the nested container.

Portions of microwave energy interactive material may be cut and removed during intermediate steps in a lamination processes, so that remaining microwave energy interactive material in a resultant laminate is arranged in a pattern. Regarding the removal of the portions of the microwave energy interactive material, a compound laminate may be delaminated into parts, and one of the parts may be a sacrificial laminate that includes the removed portions of the microwave energy interactive material.

Various blanks are provided for forming sleeves, containers, and other constructs for heating, browning, and/or crisping of a food item in a microwave oven, and for holding and/or transporting the food item after heating. The various blanks, sleeves, containers, and other constructs may include a removable portion defined by one or more lines of disruption that enable the removable portion to be separated from the remainder of the blank, sleeve, container, or other construct.

A food packaging includes a food product and a microwave susceptor for emitting infrared energy. The microwave susceptor has a susceptor plate including a non-conductive material and an electrically conductive component imparting electrical conductivity. The susceptor element has a resistance of 10 to 1000 Ohm/square, preferably 30 to 300 Ohm/square, and the susceptor plate is capable of withstanding a temperature above 400 C.

A microwave heating construct may include a widened base. The construct may be erected by folding end panels of the construct towards one another and optionally securing the panels in the folded position. The construct may be formed from a blank. The construct and/or blank may include a removable portion at least partially defined by a line of disruption.