Catering & Meal Boxes in Australia: A Complete Guide

An overview of catering & meal boxes for Australian businesses: the main box types, materials, food safety, printing and ordering.

Browse the full Catering & Meal Boxes range alongside this guide.

An overview of catering & meal boxes

Large and compartment boxes for platters, lunches, grazing boxes and prepared meals delivered in bulk. They are used by caterers, corporate kitchens, meal prep brands and event planners, and the right choice depends on what you're packing, how far it travels and how you want it to look.

The biggest practical challenge with this category is dressing leaks, weight of full platters and long carry distances. Getting the board, coating and structure right for those conditions matters more than any finish or print effect.

You can browse every product in our Catering & Meal Boxes range, each made to order from 100 units.

Our catering & meal boxes range

Here are the products in this range and what each one is designed to do:

• Catering Boxes: Large stackable catering boxes carry platters flat and presentable into boardrooms.
• Lunch Boxes: Handle lunch boxes are easy to hand out at events and carry one-handed.
• Meal Prep Boxes: Printed sleeves over meal trays show macros and heating instructions clearly.
• Grazing Boxes: Window lids let the arrangement do the selling before the box is even opened.
• Platter Boxes: Rigid corrugated bases keep heavy platters flat when carried with one hand.
• Bento Boxes: Compartment trays keep rice, protein and sides apart until it's time to eat.
• Salad Boxes: Coated window boxes show fresh colour while resisting dressing leaks.
• Breakfast Boxes: Compartment inserts separate pastries, fruit and juice for delivered breakfasts.
• Sushi Boxes: Slim sleeves over trays let customers pick their roll at a glance.
• Picnic Boxes: Handle picnic boxes suit wineries and parks, where people carry food a fair way.

What should catering & meal boxes be made from?

The right board depends on the weight of the food, how far it travels and the look you want. For catering & meal boxes the usual options are:

• SBS paperboard: Solid bleached sulphate board gives a bright white surface for sharp, full-colour print. It is the usual choice for retail cartons and bakery boxes, and is commonly specified between 300 and 400 gsm depending on the weight of the food.
• Kraft paperboard: Unbleached kraft has a natural brown finish that suits rustic, organic and eco-minded brands. It prints best with bold one- or two-colour artwork, because the brown base shifts lighter colours.
• E-flute corrugated board: A thin corrugated board around 1.5 mm thick that adds crush strength and a little insulation while still printing cleanly. It is the standard for pizza boxes, mailers and heavier food orders.

The main risk to plan for with this type of packaging is dressing leaks, weight of full platters and long carry distances. Choose the board and any inside coating with that in mind, not just the print.

Food safety and catering & meal boxes

Food businesses in Australia are expected to use packaging that is fit for purpose and unlikely to contaminate food, a requirement set out in the Food Standards Code administered by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). For catering & meal boxes, that means food-grade board, inks and coatings that suit direct or indirect contact with the food you pack.

Where the food touches the board directly, especially with dressing leaks, weight of full platters and long carry distances, a barrier coating or liner is the safest choice. Printing is normally kept to the outside of the box, and any inside print should use low-migration inks.

Read our guide to food-safe packaging in Australia for a plain-English overview, and check with your local council or state food authority if you are unsure what applies to your business.

Printing options for catering & meal boxes

Most catering & meal boxes are printed in one of three ways, and the right one depends on your quantity and artwork.

• Offset CMYK: sharp full-colour print for photos, gradients and detailed designs. Best value on larger runs.
• Spot colours (Pantone): exact brand colours that stay consistent between orders. Worth it if colour matching matters to you.
• Digital print: no plates, so it suits short runs, test designs and seasonal versions.

On kraft board, bold one- or two-colour designs usually look better than full photos, because the brown base changes how colours appear. Our CMYK vs Pantone guide explains the difference in more detail.

Making catering & meal boxes more sustainable

Paperboard catering & meal boxes are one of the easier food packaging items to make sustainable, because the main material is widely recycled in Australia when it is clean.

• Choose kraft or recycled-content board where the look suits your brand.
• Use a film-free window or no window at all, so the box stays a single material.
• Ask for water-based barrier coatings rather than plastic laminates where grease resistance is needed.
• If you want compostable packaging, ask for certification to AS 4736 (industrial) or AS 5810 (home composting).
• Add clear disposal instructions, such as the Australasian Recycling Label, so customers know what to do with the box.

Most states have also phased out many single-use plastic food items, so paper-based boxes help keep you ahead of the rules. Check your state's current list, as it changes.

How to order custom catering & meal boxes

Ordering catering & meal boxes is simple, and you see a proof before anything is printed.

1. Request a quote with your size, quantity and any style ideas using our quote form.
2. Get a dieline: a flat template of your box showing folds, cuts and print areas.
3. Add artwork: send your own, or ask our team to lay out your logo and details.
4. Approve the proof: check spelling, colours and positions carefully.
5. Production: printing, finishing, cutting and gluing, typically 10–15 business days.
6. Delivery: boxes arrive flat-packed, ready to fold.

Not sure how a dieline works? Read how to read a packaging dieline.

Local considerations

Australian food businesses face some specific conditions that affect packaging choices. Long distances between cities mean boxes may travel a long way on delivery, and summer heat and tropical humidity test board, coatings and glue in ways a cooler climate never would.

We deliver flat-packed catering & meal boxes to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart and regional areas. Order early ahead of busy periods like Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and the end of the financial year, when many businesses reorder at once.

If you sell at farmers markets, festivals or through delivery apps, factor in how the box will be handled there: stacked in a warm van, carried by a rider or passed across a stall in the rain.

Frequently asked questions about catering & meal boxes

The bottom line

The best catering & meal boxes are the ones that fit the food, suit the way your team works and look like they belong to your brand. Measure carefully, choose board for the conditions the box will face, and keep the design clear and consistent.

When you're ready, see the full specification on our Catering & Meal Boxes page or request a free quote. We'll send a dieline and price for your exact size.