The Ultimate Guide to Takeaway Food Containers

The food containers your kitchen uses to package takeaway orders can influence your customers’ experience almost as much as the food itself. Customers want to experience your meals just as they would when dining in, making it essential to find effective food packaging solutions that ensure your products arrive fresh and hot.

With customer expectations shifting towards more sustainable takeaway packaging and Australian states and territories actively banning problematic single-use plastics under SUPPs legislation, it’s more important than ever for businesses to proactively embrace sustainable packaging solutions. As one of Australia’s most-loved food packaging suppliers, Detpak helps food operators navigate that decision with confidence, starting with our ultimate guide to takeaway food containers.

Material Matters: Cardboard vs. Sugarcane vs. Lined Paper Board

The material you choose for takeaway packaging plays a critical role in performance, sustainability, compliance, and overall brand perception. Cardboard, sugarcane (bagasse), and kraft paper are among the most widely used sustainable materials, each with unique benefits and uses, including:

Cardboard Food Containers

Corrugated cardboard is one of the best packaging materials for hot, greasy takeaways. Designed with a fluted board that traps air between layers, these containers insulate both hot and cold food while maintaining packaging shape during transportation. The built-in vent holes also release steam rather than trap it, ensuring hot food stays crispy and fresh. 

For food businesses looking for a premium, high-performance fluted cardboard food container, Detpak’s Endura corrugated range and simpler, kraft paperboard GO range are ideal for serving hot, greasy foods, salads, and cold items.

For especially greasy menu items, adding a waxed wrap liner inside cardboard food containers provides an extra layer of grease protection and helps prevent soak-through. 

Sugarcane Containers

Compostable food containers made from sugarcane bagasse are an excellent all-rounder packaging option. A natural byproduct of sugarcane production, sugarcane fibre is a renewable, certified compostable material under both home (AS 5810) and commercial (AS 4736) conditions. Not to mention, this versatile packaging material can handle hot, cold, and greasy food without compromising its durability or structure. Sugarcane containers are also microwave-safe and can withstand up to 220°C in the oven for up to 20 minutes.

Detpak’s sugarcane containers from the Eco-Products Vanguard range are also the first PFAS-free option in Australia.

Lined Paperboard Containers

Designed for performance as well as presentation, lined paperboard containers offer dependable protection for greasy, saucy, and hot takeaway meals. The added lining acts as a moisture and grease barrier, helping containers maintain their strength, shape, and appearance throughout service and delivery. With window options available, they also allow customers to see the food inside, supporting appetising presentation without compromising functionality.

Detpak’s lined paperboard range is well suited to busy takeaway and delivery operators serving saucy dishes, loaded meals, and fresh salads, where leak resistance, reliability, and visual appeal are equally important.  

Choosing Your Packaging By Cuisine and Menu Type

Different cuisines and food items have different packaging requirements to ensure they maintain ideal temperature and texture. When it comes to choosing the best food packaging solutions for your menu, it’s important to consider key factors, including heat retention, leak control, ventilation, and presentation. 

For The Lunch Rush

Lunch service windows are typically high volume and fast-paced. Depending on your menu, you may need to stock a range of containers to suit various food items, from salads and cold meals to hot or saucy dishes. 

For everyday lunch items, such as sandwiches, wraps our purpose-built On-the-Go range are convenient for both kitchen staff and customers. Detpak offers various options ranging in size and shape to suit a variety of dishes.

Hot meals call for more insulation and structural support to keep food crisp and fresh. The Endura range of corrugated takeaway boxes is specially designed to suit hot, greasy foods. Available in a variety of size options, these fluted board boxes are sturdy and crush-resistant, making them ideal for the daily lunchtime rush.

For Asian and Fusion Menus

For Asian and fusion-style cuisine, the choice between compostable and cardboard containers matters. Compostable containers, such as sugarcane bowls, are particularly well-suited to saucy dishes, curries, soups, and dressed salads. Designed to handle heat and moisture, they’re resistant to softening and are typically paired with secure domed or flat lids for takeaway.

For drier food items, such as sushi or rice paper rolls, cardboard food containers are more suitable. Sushi containers, for example, are made from non-stick board with click-lock designs to help keep sashimi, sushi, nigiri, rice paper rolls, and similar single-serve foods fresh. 

For Small Bites and Street Food

Without the right packaging, fried foods can quickly lose their crunch and freshness when trapped in their own steam. For this reason, ventilation is just as crucial as grease resistance to maintain crispiness in takeaway containers.

Detpak’s snack boxes are purpose-built for hot chips, wedges, and other fried sides. Made from single-sided coated board with built-in lids and air vents, this packaging keeps fried foods hot and crispy for longer, making it an ideal option for food trucks and street food vendors.

Functional Features: Performance Under Pressure

When choosing the right takeaway food containers for your operation, be sure to consider:

• Ventilation: The placement of vent holes is key to effectively releasing steam to keep fried food crispy, from the kitchen to the customer.
• Grease resistance: Certain materials, such as poly-lined and coated board options, are better suited to greasy and oily foods, ensuring your items stay fresher and hotter for longer.
• Heat retention and insulation: It’s important to ensure the packaging you choose is suitable for hot and cold foods, based on your menu offering.
• Appliance suitability: Depending on your menu, it can often be helpful to choose takeaway food packaging that is microwave- and/or refrigeration-safe. 

Takeaway Packaging That’s The Right Fit For Your Menu

Every kitchen has unique requirements and a diverse menu to match. The right takeaway containers should support both without compromise. Explore our full range of sustainable food packaging and takeaway containers, or request a sample pack to test their performance in your own kitchen.