MrTakeOutBags.com Foodservice Jesse Harster Blog

If you’re hosting a holiday dinner this year, the look and feel of the table sets the tone for the entire evening. And for many American families, the feast is the center of the holidays. Who said that setting a picture-perfect table needed to be pricey? There are many attractive, high quality table pieces that happen to be disposable – like glassware, cutlery, and plates. Opting to use disposable items not only saves you money (hello, extra holiday gifts), but it also reduces clean up time, which in turn increases family time.

Disposable Wine and Martini Glasses

Disposable plastic wine and martini glasses bring all of the class and sophistication you want for a holiday cocktail hour or catering event, only without the possibility of dangerous broken glass. Plus you spend no time at the sink scrubbing dishes later. Concerned about the amount of waste produced? Not to worry, our plastic martini glasses, as well as our disposable wine glasses, are recyclable. Keep a few colorful, metallic markers on hand and encourage guests to personalize their glasses. It’s unique and helps avoid drink mix-ups.

Tip: Step up your presentation by serving up dessert in the martini glasses. Mousse, parfaits, sundaes, and pudding all work perfectly.

Serving Plates

Disposable plates can be just as durable as their formal cousins, but minus all the time it’ll take you to wash the fine china this holiday season. Corrugated, disposable plates give the same feel as reusable plates, provide the same sturdy hold, but can be tossed in the recycle bin after using. We bet your guests may not even notice that they are eating off of recyclable dinnerware. Some of the more elegant options, like these square black plates, provide an elevated look comparable to fine dining establishments.

Tip: Complement your plates with thick, linen-like napkins, or these rustic burlap printed napkins to enhance the overall look of your table’s setting.

Cutlery

You really can have it all. Disposable flatware is chic, it’s convenient, and it won’t break the bank. In addition, there is a multitude of options. For a traditional look there are the silver style utensils. For the environmentally conscious there is compostable flatware. And for those who want a modern look there is the Reflections cutlery line. No need to polish Grandma’s old silverware this year!

Tip: No table is fully set without serving ware. Ladle sauces and serve slices of pies with these fine utensils.

Be prepared for lots of “oohs” and “ahhs” this season when your guests see your table scape and then learn that it’s all disposable.

Get ahead on your holiday decor planning and order everything you need from MrTakeOutBags.com.

You would have thought my mom won the lottery.

It was a few months ago for my father’s birthday when my mom had a huge dinner with all the fixings and the whole family over. There were 27 of us.

Anyways… outside of supervising the TV remote, the other way I contributed to this event was by bringing a couple dozen take out containers with me.

And like I said, when I showed these containers to my mom… you would have thought I was Ed McMahon with a 6 foot oversized check. She absolutely L.O.V.E.D. them.

Since I know this (and very much condone it for personal reasons), I “borrowed” a couple dozen Twin Lock and Bio Pak containers from our Sample Room here at MrTakeOutBags. (Sorry boss – it was for research purposes.)

And here’s the thing: besides my mom, all my other relatives crowded around and were talking about how cool these take out containers are. I had to laugh. Who would have thought these containers would be the talk of the the party?

So, with Thanksgiving right around the corner, you bet I’m going to “borrow” , I mean buy, more of these to go boxes to take with me.

For you and your business, these take out boxes can work just as fantastically. We all understand that to go containers are the kings of take out and Leftover Land. That’s why choosing the right one for your establishment is key.

Yet oftentimes, clients ask me the difference between the Twin Lock and Bio Pak boxes. Or they’re curious which one to go with, because they do appear to be quite similar.

You see, BOTH of these boxes are:

  – leak resistant so you can put sauces right in it

  – hold any type of food – hot, cold, wet, dry, it doesn’t matter

  – microwaveable so your customers can toss them right in mic

  – made in the USA

  – pre-formed and nested so they’re quick and easy to grab and use

  – one piece that doesn’t require you to stock and keep track of lids

  – stackable giving you more surface area to work with

  – leave a great final impression with your customers as they take them home with them

  – limit wasted space because they fold down unlike clamshells or most containers with lids

So, with all those similarities, you too might be wondering…

“How are they different?”

Well, here’s how the two stack up:

Vents

This is probably the first noticeable difference between the two. The Twin Lock take out boxes have optional vent holes that make them especially perfect for fried foods like chicken or fish. That way heat can escape and your delicious meal isn’t transformed into a soggy mooshy mess.

Colors and Designs

Both product lines come in numerous sizes usually denoted by a simple number. For example #1, #3 or #8. Similarly, both offer their boxes in colors white, black and kraft brown.

However, Bio Pak takes it a step further by offering:

  – a windowed version called the Bio Pak View

  – two separate lines that feature designs – Inspired by Nature and Sonoma

  – and a fully compostable option with the Bio-Plus Terra

Closure

The Twin Lock container features a twin locking closing style that makes it super easy and quick to close – even with just one hand. You merely fold one side down on top of the opposite side and push down. Done. (I shot this video with one hand holding my phone.)

Eco Friendly

Let’s talk about Mother Earth.

This is probably where the Bio Pak take out boxes shine the most. Now because Bio Pak has several different lines, some are more eco friendly than others. But all of them are, at bare minimum, recyclable. Some lines, like the Bio Pak Terra are even compostable.

The Twin Lock containers, however, are not recyclable.

Price

When it comes to price, these two guys are just about neck and neck with the Twin Lock being perhaps a few pennies less expensive per box on most sizes.

So, there you have it.

Each to go box has it’s own pros and cons. But depending on what’s most important to you or the major problem you’re having with your current container, hopefully this article has helped you figure out what’s your best solution.

And, by the way, if you need containers right now or soon, here’s where to get them…

>>> Bio Pak

>>> Twin Lock

Of course, if you have any further questions, give us a holler at 888-321-2248.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2013, Americans generated approximately 254 million tons of trash, and recycled and composted about 87 millions tons of materials. Americans are throwing out more than they are reusing, and many businesses are trying to swap those numbers around and provide consumers with more options and products that are actually good for the environment.

One such product that is used in the millions in the U.S. is the take out container. So many of these products are made from environmentally toxic plastics and styrofoam, and they aren’t healthy for us either. But these products can actually be beneficial to the environment, and many manufacturers are following this eco-friendly path with solutions like these:

Biodegradable take out containers equal less pollution in the environment, and cleaner, less toxic air to breathe.

The creation of biodegradable plastics, paper and other materials do not inflict any harm to the Earth when recovering fossil fuels. In addition to much less aggravation done to the environment, this process also emits much less greenhouse gas and carbon emissions into the air. Non-biodegradable products require oil to manufacture, and according to the EPA, 42% of greenhouse gas emissions are from the harvesting of materials and food, production, and transportation of goods. To support the eco-friendly movement, look into using only biodegradable products for your business, such as biopak take out boxes, bags, coffee cups, and more.

Compostable take out containers actually nourish the soil and provide cleaner, natural methods for fertilizing and growing our plants.

Composting is the natural breakdown of organic materials into high quality soil that provides a bounty of benefits. Composting, whether it is from recyclable material or old food scraps, increases the nutrient content in soil, increases the soil’s moisture retention, eliminates the need for chemical and man-made fertilizers, and also prevents methane emissions from landfills, giving us and our environments cleaner air. A good example of compostable take out containers can be found in sugar cane fiber take out boxes which are fully recyclable, biodegradable and, of course, compostable. There are many plant-based sources that provide high performance without petro-chemicals so make the switch to compostable food containers and support a healthier environment.

Reusable and recyclable take out containers mean less waste entering the landfills, and more room for agricultural growth and cleaner air.

Recycling is the most effective way to reduce waste, because it eliminates the new production of materials in the first place. Making a new product requires a lot of energy and raw materials taken from the Earth. It must then be fabricated and transported to wherever it will be sold, furthering the amount of pollution entering the atmosphere. If you own a business in the food service industry, consider using only reusable and recyclable take out containers for your day-to-day needs and for customers. Choose to invest in eco friendly food packaging methods and encourage others to do the same.

There are simple switches and decisions everyone can make every day that all lead to a healthier Earth and cleaner air, starting with the types of products we use in our businesses. For more products and ways you can create a completely environmentally-conscious business, check out MrTakeOutBags.com, a company making eco-friendly the “newest” thing.

Whether you specialize in custom wedding cakes, French desserts, or simple baked goods like donuts, cookies, and cupcakes, you undoubtedly are constantly buying bakery supplies. One crucial product to your bakery business that comes at an inexpensive cost through a wholesaler, is food service tissue. It can make cleanup so much easier and faster, and relieve the customer of any mess as well.

If it is important to choose a high quality product that is environmentally friendly as well as practical for your everyday business needs, then this bakery supplies item is for you.

Bakery Tissue is Eco-Friendly And Healthy to The Environment.

Although it may seem like an artificial product, food service tissue can actually be good for the environment. Many bakery supplies get thrown into the trash after a single use, and then sent into a landfill where they don’t break down, and help further pollute our Earth. However, there are many high quality bakery tissues that are designed to be biodegradable and compostable, which means they won’t inflict any harm on the environment and won’t contribute to the waste in our world.

Tissues Make Cleanup Faster so You Can Get Back to What You Love–Baking!

Bakery supplies should make your life easier, especially when the demands of running a business, greeting customers, and making the products leaves you with little extra time. Food service tissue made for bakers helps cut down on your cleanup time, so you can spend it on what really matters–your business, your customers, and baking. This is also where the importance of choosing high quality, eco-friendly tissue comes in; since you and your customers throw this item away–to save time from washing–it is important that they don’t add to the waste entering our landfills.

Tissues Protect Yourself, Employees, And Customers From Passing Germs And Bacteria.

Cold and flu season means that there will be at least one or two people walking into your bakery on a daily basis with the cold. They may be sniffing, coughing, or stopping their runny nose, and you should be protecting yourself, employees, other customers, and baked goods from catching the illness as well. Use a product that can help minimize direct bodily contact–which is the best way to prevent the spread of germs. Especially when there are inexpensive and easy-to-use options, like bakery tissues. Tissues can be used to line boxes and containers, as well as to hand baked goods to customers.

If you wish to compliment your love for baking with bakery supplies that are practical, useful, time-saving, eco-friendly, and help to keep everyday food handling sanitary, check out the bakery tissues from MrTakeOutBags.com.

Food service businesses have a great many options available to them when packaging their foods for distribution to retailers or directly to consumers, and lacking any reason to act otherwise, they often choose the simplest and cheapest packaging solution. However, this is often not the best solution for the customer, and by extension not the best solution for the food service packaging. Better decision-making about packaging can have a huge impact on customer satisfaction and ultimately on the bottom line for the food service company. Here are some steps that are worth considering for better food packaging.

Microwaveable To-Go Containers

Prepared foods that are intended to be warmed up before consumption should be delivered to consumers in a microwave-safe container that promotes thorough heating of the product, but does not remain warm to the touch itself. The heating part is not so unusual, but a container that will not burn the user after being warmed is just as important.

It could deter the person from wanting to purchase similar foods in the future, not to mention the scramble for aloe vera to soothe burning flesh. A container that is secure and not too slippery in handling will also be appreciated, and even though these are characteristics not actively sought, they are appreciated when present.

Customize Your Food Service Packaging

This is an idea that can pay an awful lot of dividends after an initial investment. When a food service company uses high-quality containers for packaging their foods, these are often kept by the purchaser rather than thrown away, because they are very handy containers. When that handy container also has the company name brand or logo prominently customized into the lid or on the side, it is a reminder to the buyer, and an advertisement to anyone else who sees it. Customized to go containers can be a wonderful promotional aid for a company that provides a huge return on investment.

Gable Boxes

These are sometimes referred to as ‘barn boxes’ because of their shape, but they can look much more exciting than a barn. Combining the features of a bag and a box all in one container, these can be very sturdy and very colorful packaging for foods. For instance, even several pieces of fried chicken won’t leak through the solid structure of a gable box. Like the custom to go containers mentioned above, gable boxes can also be customized with company branding graphics or text for promotional use, and they can be available in practically any conceivable size.

Green Disposable Lunch Containers

Most to go lunch containers are disposable nowadays, so as to offer the buyer the convenience of being able to quickly dispose of it after the meal, and for many buyers that will always be a priority. However, there is also a tremendous emphasis on sustainable resources these days, and more and more people are joining the groundswell of support for being responsible caretakers of the planet.

A food service business that offers a ‘green’ disposable lunch container satisfies both groups of people and positions itself as a company that cares about the environment. Some disposables are even compostable, which is a quality that has the wonderful effect of returning the container to the earth for re-use. At least one segment of the consuming public will want these containers for that reason alone, and will support the company that offers them.

There are a virtually limitless number of options to help you define your business with innovative food service packaging materials. Give your brand a packaging makeover with help from the to-go container and packaging experts at MrTakeOutBags.com. For years, MrTakeOutBags.com has been providing innovative packaging solutions for all types of businesses. No matter if you run a bakery or a carry out cart, shop MrTakeOutBags.com for all your to-go container and packaging needs.