Microwave Meal Boxes Ireland: 12–34oz Black Sizes, Compartments & Wholesale Buying Guide

Meal-prep kitchens, health-food counters and delivery operators across Ireland need trays customers can reheat at home — not just counter packaging that looks good at hand-over. Plain microwave meal boxes give you rigid black (or clear) stock by the case, with size and compartment choices that match the menu instead of forcing every dish into one footprint.

This guide covers the Microwave Meal Boxes wholesale range PrintNPack holds in Ireland — black 12oz to 34oz bases, when to pick 1-, 2- or 3-compartment trays, how lids and combos line up, clear 500–650ml options, and delivery from Ashbourne to Dublin, Cork, Galway and nationwide.

Why Irish kitchens buy plain microwave meal boxes

Plain microwave trays are warehouse stock: order by the case, no artwork proof, no print lead time. That matters when a Dublin meal-prep brand or a Cork multi-site group needs trays for next week's batch cook, not a branded campaign. Black bases also hide sauce stains better than clear trays once the lid comes off at home.

Many operators mix formats: microwave boxes for reheated delivery and subscription meals, bagasse meal boxes for compostable counter trays, kraft biobox for lighter dry portions, and foil containers for oven work. Buy microwave stock where reheating is part of the customer journey.

Black microwave sizes and compartments at a glance

The core black CTC lines run from 12oz to 34oz. Use the table to match fill volume and compartment layout to your menu, then confirm live case tiers on each product page.

Choosing 12oz–24oz single wells vs 34oz compartments

Start with fill volume. The 12oz black 1-compartment and 16oz black 1-compartment both pack 8 × 80 per case — high unit counts for busy lunch lines. Move to the 24oz black 1-compartment (8 × 40) when portions run larger but you still want a single well.

At 34oz the footprint splits by plating style. The 34oz 1-compartment suits mixed bowls. The 34oz 2-compartment keeps a main and a side apart. The 34oz 3-compartment is the set-meal tray — protein, starch and veg without stacking cups inside one box. All three 34oz bases pack 8 × 40 per case.

A shallow 12oz black base and an 8oz Fusion food-and-sauce pot with lids sit beside the main CTC range for sides and sauces — useful when the meal box is the main and the pot rides alongside in the bag.

Meal-prep buyers in Dublin often standardise on one 16oz well for weekday lunches and one 34oz compartmented tray for evening set meals. Cork and Galway takeaways that also sell reheated evening specials usually keep 24oz single wells on the shelf so staff are not guessing which tray fits which scoop. Pick two sizes you will burn weekly, then add a third only when the menu truly needs it — spare cases of unused footprints tie up cash and cold-room space.

Lids, combos and clear packs

Most black CTC bases are sold as containers only — order the matching lid case. The lids for 12/16oz 1-comp pack 32 × 20 and cover both CTC12 and CTC16. Separate lid cases cover 24oz 1-compartment and each 34oz compartment layout (1-, 2- and 3-compartment lids).

If you prefer one SKU for tray and lid, the 34oz 1-compartment container & lid combo and the matching 2-compartment combo both pack 4 × 40. Combos simplify restock for Galway night prep when you do not want lids and bases on different burn rates.

Clear microwavable packs are listed in 500ml and 650ml with lids — standard or heavy duty — at 250 per case. Use clear when the customer needs to see the food before reheating; stick with black CTC when presentation after the lid comes off matters more than visibility through the pack.

Plain wholesale vs branded packaging

These microwave meal boxes are plain wholesale — unprinted black or clear trays with no logo. That keeps MOQ at a case and restocking fast for Ashbourne collection or nationwide dispatch. Branding usually sits on the bag, napkin, sticker or sleeve rather than on every microwave tray.

For everyday reheated meals, plain CTC cases plus a branded SOS grab bag or kraft carrier is the usual Irish mix. Save custom print budget for high-visibility outer packaging, not every compartment tray in the fridge.

Case packs, MOQ and how pricing works

Microwave meal boxes are sold by the case with four-tier volume pricing — more cases lower the price per case. There is no custom-print MOQ on these plain lines. Black 12oz/16oz bases pack 8 × 80; 24oz and 34oz bases pack 8 × 40; 34oz combos pack 4 × 40; clear 500/650ml packs are 250; the 8oz Fusion pot with lids packs 225.

Always check the live tier table on each product in Microwave Meal Boxes. We do not reprint one-off unit rates here because case tiering is how wholesale pricing works. A single-site meal-prep kitchen often starts on 1–3 cases of 16oz or 34oz; multi-site groups consolidate bases and lids into higher tiers on one Ashbourne order.

What to order alongside microwave meal boxes

• Bagasse meal boxes for compostable counter trays beside reheated lines
• Foil containers when the dish goes through an oven or grill first
• Soup containers for broths and wet sides that suit a cup format
• Wooden cutlery — knives and forks packed with meal-prep deliveries
• SOS grab bags for sealed carry-out of filled microwave trays

Pairing microwave trays, lids, cutlery and carriers on one dispatch keeps Dublin and nationwide kitchens stocked before weekend batch cooks.

Delivery across Ireland from Ashbourne

PrintNPack is based in Ashbourne, Co. Meath — convenient for Dublin and Meath collections, with nationwide dispatch for Cork, Galway, Limerick and every other county. Plain microwave meal box orders move quickly because they are warehouse stock, not made-to-print jobs.

UK or Europe shipping is only confirmed case-by-case on request; this guide focuses on Irish wholesale delivery, which is the core service for these meal box lines.

How to order microwave meal boxes in Ireland

1. List your busiest fills — 12oz/16oz lunch, 24oz larger mains, or 34oz set meals
2. Decide 1-compartment vs 2- or 3-compartment plating on the 34oz footprint
3. Match lid cases (or 34oz combos) so bases and lids restock together
4. Add clear 500/650ml packs or Fusion sauce pots if the menu needs them
5. Order by the case on Microwave Meal Boxes — watch the volume tiers
6. Take nationwide delivery or collect from Ashbourne, Co. Meath

Frequently Asked Questions