FOOD CONTAINERS

A tray-type food container for food which is to be heated or re-heated in the container comprises both a flat outer lid (14) heat-sealed to a horizontal flange (12) on the tray (11) and a perforated inner lid (16) of substantially rigid and preferably transparent material which is supported on a step (18) in the wall (13) of the tray and is shaped so as to extend above the level of the step and to provide finger holes (21) whereby it may be grasped and removed after the outer lid has been removed. The inner lid (16) may support the outer lid (14) flush with the flange (12). The flange (12) may have a peripheral groove (23) to form a guide for a knife (24) for removal of the outer lid (14). The flange (12) may also carry heating instructions in a machine readable code. A vending machine comprising a microwave oven (31) may be provided with means for selecting a container from a number of stacks (34) and with means (51,52,53) for reading the coded heating instructions and regulating the energy supply to the microwave oven (31) accordingly.