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Packaging 101: The Complete Guide

Britt Martin, Arka's Partnerships lead, blends e-commerce expertise with sustainability advocacy, nurturing startups as a Founder in Residence at NYU.

Creative Frozen Food Packaging Ideas

Look at our packaging ideas for frozen food and make your selection.

Eco-Friendly Frozen Food Packaging Ideas

There are plenty of frozen food packaging ideas that are environmentally friendly for the planet, made from natural materials that don’t harm the earth and/or can be reused, and provide safe protection for your food.

Some of the best eco-friendly frozen food packaging options include recycled cardboard box packaging, kraft paper containers, plant-based packages, compostable packaging and biodegradable packaging.

eco friendly frozen food packaging ideas

Thermoforming Films

Thermoforming films are commonly used across the food industry to help pack foods in a way that allows the products to be stored without taking up too much space.

Also, the cost of producing thermoforming films is low, and they help to extend the shelf-life of food items, meaning that the quality and texture stay the same. Plus, they generate low amounts of waste and are really versatile to use.

thermoforming films for frozen food packaging

Custom Pouches

Make use of custom pouches for your frozen food packaging and help your brand to stand out. Custom pouches are sealable and airtight, so they keep oxygen out. They are adaptable and can fit into plenty of spaces, especially in the freezer.

With custom pouches, you can add your own branding with colors, fonts, logos, icons, patterns, and imagery that represent your business and appeal to consumers.

custom pouches for frozen food

Transparent Frozen Food Packaging

Transparent packaging allows customers to take a look at frozen food before purchasing. This gives discerning customers plenty of visibility and the ability to see the colors, textures, quality, shape and size of the product before buying. 

transparent frozen food packaging ideas

Custom Stickers

Custom stickers are useful for labeling packages so that your customers can identify your brand and product easily. Stickers can be customized with your own logos, packaging fonts and text, and you can add essential details, such as nutritional information, ingredients and allergens.

custom stickers for frozen food

Mini Serving Trays and Cups

For specific foods such as ice cream and frozen fruit, mini serving trays and cups are ideal. These are perfect for customers who want to purchase food for special occasions, such as parties and want to be able to serve guests easily.

mini serving trays cups for frozen food

Resealable Bags

Frozen foods must be kept airtight and protected at all times, so resealable bags are useful for this purpose. They are also handy for reuse for sustainable shoppers conscious of reducing waste.

resealable bags for frozen food packaging

resealable bags for frozen food packagings

Custom Inserts

Enhance brand appeal and increase customer loyalty by adding custom inserts into your frozen food packaging. You can add custom inserts like a thank you note, exclusive promo codes, exclusive content access via QR codes or product usage guides that provide helpful information.

custom inserts packaging for frozen food

Frozen Food Boxes

Frozen food boxes are commonly used as packaging by many companies. This is because frozen food boxes help food stay fresher for longer, cost little to produce, are easy to customize and are recyclable.

At Arka, we create premium custom packaging for any niche; whether you need custom food boxes or shipping boxes, we have got you covered. Let’s create your brand’s unique packaging today.

custom frozen food boxes

Interactive Packaging

Utilize interactive packaging to keep your customers engaged with your brand. You can incorporate interactive elements within your frozen food packaging designs with QR codes, stickers, writing, or drawing space.

interactive packaging for frozen food

Vibrant Frozen Food Packaging Ideas

To really help your brand stand out, design vibrant frozen food packaging that will help catch the attention of shoppers. Use bold packaging colors and tones, implement contrasting hues, add elaborate patterns and icons, use fancy symbols and packaging typography and finish off with your logo.

vibrant frozen food packaging ideas

Temperature-Indicating Labels

Temperature-indicating labels tell the accumulated time-temperature history of a product. This type of label is helpful because it gives the consumer an idea of the average temperature required for the frozen food product.

temperature labels for frozen food packaging

Frozen Food Packaging Ideas by Food Types

Packaging concepts for frozen food blend visual attractiveness with practicality, ensuring that meals are eye-catching and user-friendly. Vacuum sealing for seafood and vibrant, engaging dessert graphics help maintain freshness while enticing the senses, making frozen options highly appealing. 

Such innovative packaging designs seek to draw in consumers by highlighting the freshness, simplicity of preparation, and aesthetic allure of different food types.

Frozen Meat and Poultry Packaging Ideas

Packaging frozen meat and poultry requires attention to freshness, convenience, and sustainability. Vacuum-sealed pouches or trays with secure seals are ideal. Secure, labeled packaging ensures freshness and informs consumers, while convenient portion sizes simplify meal preparation. 

Highlight cooking tips to help consumers make informed decisions. For instance, a frozen lamb package could showcase bold red and white imagery of a roasted leg of lamb, with cooking instructions and details about the farm of origin provided on the back.

frozen meat packaging idea

Frozen Seafood Packaging Ideas

Frozen seafood needs packaging that guards against freezer burn and secures freshness. Present the ocean's bounty with light, watery colors and imagery. 

For conscious consumers, emphasize responsible fishing practices. For example, a frozen salmon package could feature a light blue and white color scheme with a photo of a swimming salmon.  

frozen seafood packaging idea

Frozen Fruits Packaging Ideas

Enhance the appeal of frozen fruit with clear packaging that shows off its freshness and vibrant colors. Imagine a package for frozen mixed berries that resembles a colorful mosaic, enticing customers with its visual delight.

frozen fruit packaging idea

Frozen Vegetables Packaging Ideas

Frozen vegetable packaging should focus on ease of use and maintaining nutritional value. Choose containers or bags that can be sealed again, along with straightforward labels for easy recognition and organization.

Incorporate natural colors and pictures of the veggies to emphasize their wholesome quality. For instance, packaging for frozen broccoli florets might use a palette of green and white decorated with an image of broccoli florets after cooking.

frozen vegetables packaging

Frozen Breakfast Items Packaging Ideas

Consider packaging solutions that enhance convenience and appeal. Clear labeling ensures easy identification of items like pancakes, waffles, or breakfast sandwiches, while individual or portion-controlled servings facilitate quick meal preparation. 

For example, breakfast burritos in microwave-safe packaging with clear instructions provide a quick, hearty morning meal solution.

frozen breakfast burrito packaging

Frozen Pizza Packaging Ideas

Durable packaging is essential for preserving the quality of frozen pizza's crust and toppings. Choose strong cardboard boxes complemented by protective trays to maintain the pizza's form and structure during shipping. 

For instance, packaging a deep-dish pizza in a robust cardboard box and a safeguarding plastic insert guarantees it remains whole and oven-ready. Employ the traditional red and white colors or add visuals that reflect distinct tastes. Accentuate the premium ingredients used and the simplicity of getting it ready to eat.

frozen pizza packaging idea

Frozen Entrees Packaging Ideas

Frozen entrees should be packaged in microwave-safe containers with clear cooking instructions. For example, a frozen pasta Primavera package could feature bright green and yellow colors, with a photo showcasing penne pasta loaded with colorful vegetables and creamy sauce.

frozen entree packaging ideas 

Frozen Snacks and  Appetizers Packaging Ideas

To ensure ease of use, consider resealable bags or portioned containers. For example, a frozen chicken wing package could feature vibrant red and blue colors and a photo of crispy wings dipped in sauce.

frozen chicken wings box

Frozen Soups and Stews Packaging Ideas

Use containers that are specifically designed to be freezer-safe and leak-proof. On the packaging, incorporate captivating visuals like a steaming bowl of soup or stew brimming with vegetables and bread.

For instance, a frozen lentil soup package might incorporate comforting brown and orange tones and a captivating image portraying a steaming bowl of lentil soup adorned with vegetables and bread.

frozen soup packaging idea

Frozen Desserts Packaging Ideas

Focus on eye-catching designs and tempting imagery. Use individual servings for convenience and consider eco-friendly materials. For example, portions of chocolate mousse in reusable plastic cups with sealed lids provide a decadent treat without the mess.

frozen dessert packaging

Ice Cream Packaging Ideas

Packaging for ice cream must prevent freezer burn and support brand differentiation. The key is to utilize insulated materials that maintain temperature consistency. Bold, playful designs with clear flavor identification can attract consumers, making the product stand out in the freezer aisle.

frozen ice cream packaging ideas

Frozen Vegan and Vegetarian Packaging Ideas

Elevate the presentation of vegan frozen foods through visually appealing packaging solutions. Use the plant-based nature of the products with clear labeling and sustainable materials. Capture attention with colorful designs and appetizing visuals to attract consumers to the frozen vegan offerings.

frozen vegan food packaging idea

Frozen Sushi Packaging Ideas

Packaging that preserves freshness and presents the product attractively is essential for frozen sushi. Airtight containers with compartments for different sushi pieces and condiments ensure quality and convenience.

frozen sushi packaging idea

6 Factors to Consider for Frozen Food Packaging

When creating packaging design for frozen food, you’ll need to take some factors into account to ensure that you have the right packaging that will protect and preserve your food, as well as appealing to grocery shoppers.

1. Easy to store in packed spaces: Customers want to be able to put away frozen food without taking up too much space in the freezer. To allow for this, it’s best to design space-efficient and adaptable packaging.

2. Flexibility, convenience, and ease: A package that is difficult to open is frustrating for many and can ruin the customer experience of unveiling and devouring the product. Be sure to create packaging that is easy to open, use and close. This is particularly important for those with mobility issues.

3. Durability: Frozen food packaging needs to be strong enough to withstand temperature and protect food from damage, spoilage, and declining quality, flavor, and texture.

4. Reliable seal: The best frozen food packaging design is airtight and contains a long-lasting seal that’s easy to use. This helps block oxygen and moisture from entering and preserves food for longer.

5. Appetizing to the senses: Frozen food packaging needs to be appealing to customers. Frozen food packaging must be eye-catching, so use relevant fonts, logos, visuals, and copy to get customers’ attention. Also, frozen food must look good and taste delicious, so make sure you incorporate packaging that maintains the taste and texture.

6. Sustainability: Sustainability is a huge topic in all industries, including the food and beverages industry, and every business needs to do its part. Use sustainable packaging for frozen food: recyclable, reusable, repurposable, biodegradable, and compostable to reduce carbon emissions and environmental impact.

Final Thoughts

Choose from various frozen food packaging ideas to protect your products, tantalize tastebuds, and impress customers. Consider important factors for your frozen food packaging – such as storage space and preservation of flavors and textures – to ensure that your food appeals to the senses, looks good, and tastes delicious to hungry shoppers.

FAQs on Frozen Food Packaging Ideas

Here are some frequently asked questions about frozen food packaging design.

Are there any regulations for frozen food packaging?

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets standards and regulations to ensure food protection, safety, and compliance. In accordance with the FDA, frozen food packaging should be designed to ensure high hygiene levels, resistant to low and high temperatures, durable and resistant to degrading chemicals, acid and oil.

Also, food packaging must be created in a facility where strict sanitation practices apply, packaging is stored away from harmful chemicals, and the risk of cross-contamination is extremely low (zero.)

What are the most popular materials for frozen food packaging?

Some of the most popular materials for frozen food packaging are biofilm (algae-based and made from seaweed extract), wax-coated paper wrapping, cardboard, resealable bags and pouches and metal cans.

What labeling elements are essential for frozen food packaging?

The FDA and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) labeling requirements include the name of the product, net weight information, company details (name and address), handling instructions, ingredients, allergens and nutrition facts.

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