Patent ID: 7476830

Claim:
A packaging system for heating a plurality of food items in a microwave oven, the system comprising: a tray including a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first compartment is adapted to receive a frozen first food item, the first food item being substantially a solid when the first food item is heated to its desired serving temperature, the first food item has an outer surface that is prone to overdrying when exposed to microwave energy and an inner area that is prone to underheating when exposed to microwave energy, and the first compartment includes a microwave energy shielding element positioned to be in a facing relationship with the outer surface of the first food item, and a microwave energy directing element adapted to direct microwave energy towards the inner area of the first food item; and a container dimensioned to be seated removably within the second compartment, wherein the container is adapted to receive a frozen second food item, the second food item being substantially a liquid or a semi-liquid when the second food item is heated to its desired serving temperature, the second food item is prone to underheating when exposed to microwave energy, the container includes at least one upstanding wall and a susceptor overlying at least a portion of the upstanding wall, and the microwave energy shielding element, microwave energy directing element, and the susceptor are configured to heat the first food item and the second food item to their respective desired serving temperatures in about the same amount of time.