How to Create a Plate from a Takeout Chinese Food to Go Box

Last Updated: July 28, 2015

Are you finding it awkward to eat your meal directly from a Chinese takeout box? Sure you can drop your Kung Pao Chicken dish onto a waiting plate but what do you do if you are on the road or don’t have access to a dinner plate? Rather than digging your food from the box, create a ready-to-use plate directly from the takeout container.

Steps

1
Assess the container contents. You will be unfolding the box while the food is inside, so consider how packed the box is and what is inside. Messy sauces or over-packed food containers may end up being a bigger mess when the box is converted into a plate. So size up your meal first.
2
Remove the first box handle. Open top of the box and hold open container in one hand. Gently pull one side of the handle from the box until it is dislodged. This may take a little twisting and turning but it will free itself with a little coaxing.

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3
Repeat this step on the other side of the handle. (Or just leave the other side of the handle in place. You need to be able to collapse the box and the handle helps to hold it in place.)
4
Turn box to the first folded side. You should see either a staple or flaps holding the box together.
5
Pull one side of the fold (or staple) apart, carefully opening that side of the box.
6
Spin the box around. Open the second side in the same way you opened the other folded side of the box. You now have a flat surface or makeshift plate.

Community Q&A

Question

What if it was dumplings?

Otterly Badgerific

Top Answerer

You can use the same method outlined in this article for dumplings too. Essentially, you are making a plate from the takeout box, and it can hold many food types as long as they don't involve liquid or runny contents.