Meal Prep Containers: Matching Sizes to Your Weekly Order

For a meal prep business, the right container is the one that fits each meal's portion: lunch boxes from Small to Extra Large for boxed meals, bamboo paper square containers in 1200ml and 1400ml for meals you portion by volume, and lids made for 500-1000ml rectangular containers. Work out the order from your own weekly meal count per container size, then divide by the carton quantity and round up to whole cartons.

Key takeaways

• Sort your menu by portion and texture first, then assign one container size to each group of meals.
• The PLA-coated lunch boxes come in Small, Large and Extra Large, and the window lunch boxes in Small, Medium and Large, all sold by the carton of 200.
• The bamboo paper square containers come in 1200ml and 1400ml, both in cartons of 300.
• Rectangular lids for 500-1000ml containers come in PP, CPLA, PLA-coated paper and PP-coated kraft paper, each in cartons of 300.
• Cartons needed per size = your weekly meals in that size ÷ carton quantity, rounded up.

How do I match each meal to a container size?

Start with the portion and how wet the meal is, not the catalogue. Meals you pack by shape (rice and protein, salads, baked dishes) suit a lunch box; meals you portion by volume suit a square container with a stated ml capacity. List your weekly menu, mark each meal as a side, standard main, large main or volume-portioned dish, and give each group one container so you only stock a handful of sizes.

For snacks and sides, the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Small (Carton of 200) measures 110x90x64mm. Standard mains have the PLA Takeaway Container – Lunch Box with Window Medium (Carton of 200) at 152x120x64mm. Larger mains move up to the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Large (Carton of 200) at 197x140x64mm, and the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) keeps the same 197x140mm footprint but is 90mm deep, which gives room for taller or bulkier meals.

When should I use the bamboo paper square containers?

Use them when you portion by volume, such as curries, stews, pasta and rice bowls; trial a carton with your wettest dish before switching your whole menu. The Bamboo Takeaway Container – PBS Coated Square 1200ml (Carton of 300) and the Bamboo Takeaway Container – PBS Coated Square 1400ml (Carton of 300) are made from bamboo fibre with a PBS coating, so they give you a stated volume to portion against.

Both share the same top and base dimensions (170x170/140x140mm). The difference is depth: the 1200ml is 65mm and the 1400ml is 75mm. That makes them a natural regular-and-large pair on one footprint.

Which lid do I need for rectangular containers?

Pick the lid by how customers will see the meal. The rectangular lids all measure 172x120mm, fit 500-1000ml rectangular containers and come in cartons of 300.

• For a clear top that shows the meal in a fridge, the Takeaway Container – CPLA Lid for Rectangular Fits 500-1000ml (Carton of 300) is CPLA, clear, at $0.26 each.
• The Takeaway Container – PP Lid for Rectangular Fits 500-1000ml (Carton of 300) is PP, white, at $0.10 each.
• For a paper look, there are white and brown PLA-coated paper lids and a brown PP-coated kraft paper lid.

Check your base is a 500-1000ml rectangular container before ordering lids.

How do I work out how many to order each week?

Count meals per container size, not total meals. Your weekly order is a set of separate sums, one for each container you use.

1. From sales or pre-orders, count the meals going into each container size in a typical week.

2. Add a buffer for packing mistakes and late orders, based on your own history.

3. Multiply by the number of weeks of stock you want on the shelf.

4. Divide by the carton quantity (200 for the lunch boxes, 300 for the bamboo squares and rectangular lids) and round up.

5. Order one lid per lidded container, using the lid's own carton quantity.

Each product page shows carton price and price per item, so costing a meal is the container's per-item price plus its lid's. For larger stock-up runs, see our guide to buying takeaway containers in bulk.

How do the meal prep containers compare?

Which one should I buy?

• Snack packs and sides: the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Small (Carton of 200), at $0.28 each.
• Standard weekday mains for a fridge display: the PLA Takeaway Container – Lunch Box with Window Medium (Carton of 200), so customers can see the meal without opening it.
• High-protein or bulking meals: the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Large (Carton of 200), stepping up to the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) when the meal needs extra depth.
• Curries, stews and pasta: the Bamboo Takeaway Container – PBS Coated Square 1200ml (Carton of 300) as the regular serve and the 1400ml as the large.
• Rectangular containers on a budget: the Takeaway Container – PP Lid for Rectangular Fits 500-1000ml (Carton of 300), or the CPLA lid if you want a clear top.

All the lunch boxes can be custom printed with your logo; see custom printing. For smaller side portions, our post on small takeaway containers goes into the sizes below a main meal. You can browse the full range on the takeaway containers page.

Ordering

There is no minimum order, so you can trial one carton of each size. Delivery is a flat fee set by your postcode, and free once an order passes a set amount; checkout shows the exact cost, and today's rates are on the shipping page. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities, 4–6 business days regional. All orders are prepaid online. Damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free; unopened stock cartons can be returned within 7 days of delivery (10% restocking fee, return delivery at your cost). When you have your weekly numbers, use quick order to add every size in one go.

Setting up or restocking your packaging?

Send us your list for a trade quote, or price it yourself in the cost calculator.

No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details