A container for heating a food product with microwave energy having a wavelength. The container can include a generally circular centerline having an axis, and a receptacle including a sidewall extending at least partially around a cavity. At least a portion of the cavity can extend along at least a portion of the centerline. The sidewall can include an inner edge and an outer edge each being spaced apart from the axis of the centerline for at least partially retaining the food product in the cavity in proximity to the centerline.

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.

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 package for combined steam and microwave heating of food, wherein the package may include microwave energy interactive materials (MEIMs) configured for providing rapid, simultaneous microwave and steam cooking in a domestic microwave oven. The MEIMs may be configured for controlling the heating pattern within the package and to control volumetric heating of food in the package. The MEIMs may include one or more of a susceptor, shield, and/or resonating patch antenna. The package may be paper-based, or it may be manufactured of any other suitable material. One or more of the different sections of the package may comprise separate chambers respectively for the steam source and the food to be steamed, so that the steam source and the food to be steamed are separated from one another during manufacturing, storage, and cooking.

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.

A package for combined steam and microwave heating of food, wherein the package may include microwave energy interactive materials (MEIMs) configured for providing rapid, simultaneous microwave and steam cooking in a domestic microwave oven. The MEIMs may be configured for controlling the heating pattern within the package and to control volumetric heating of food in the package. The MEIMs may include one or more of a susceptor, shield, and/or resonating patch antenna. The package may be paper-based, or it may be manufactured of any other suitable material. One or more of the different sections of the package may comprise separate chambers respectively for the steam source and the food to be steamed, so that the steam source and the food to be steamed are separated from one another during manufacturing, storage, and cooking.

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.