Have you ever tried to open one of those ketchup sachets in fast food outlets or canteens and found it dam near impossible or tried so hard and applied so much force that it bursted open and made a mess, I'm sure you all know the feeling. It would be far more convenient if some sort of plastic valve were placed on the top of the packet for easy pourage.-- magic_ki, Feb 03 2004 Fancy Whataburger Ketchup http://ladeeleroy.d...es/fancyketchup.jpg[Whataburger] [Letsbuildafort, Oct 04 2004] lovely!-- po, Feb 03 2004 or carry a pocketsized (or handbag size) bottle of ketchup around with you....-- jonthegeologist, Feb 03 2004 how very un-hb, jtg..-- po, Feb 03 2004 Swing to get ketchup mostly to one end; tear down the center of the now vacated and flat end; fold one flap over and use the remaining flap as a sort of pour spout; squeeze.
This seems much simpler than trying to install some sort of valve.-- waugsqueke, Feb 03 2004 Nice. +-- hazel, Feb 03 2004 [po] ... just a practical solution for those with with bags/pockets and without internet access. There's got to be some out there?-- jonthegeologist, Feb 03 2004 I dunno, [po], travel size ketchup containers sound pretty halfbaked to me.
I guess I'm not quite visualizing what kind of valve this would be. Something like the lid of squeeze type mustard bottle? Maybe like the inflation valve in a beach ball?
From a practical perspective, cost would be a huge issue. I can't imagine being able to add a valve mechanism without at least doubling the cost of the ketchup packet. (<- a wild, uniformed guess)-- half, Feb 03 2004 practicality [half]? cost? What curious notions you have!-- hazel, Feb 03 2004 it could be like a toothpaste tube.-- kropotkin, Feb 03 2004 True it will double the costs but if it could be done i'm sure it would be less tricky then fiddling about with sachets that arnt perforated proberly or more convenient then carrying your very own travel ketchup i cant see people doing it.-- magic_ki, Feb 03 2004 How about a small filament "pull here" cord like whats found on cigarette packages, or chewing gum? Low profile, not easily snagged, and could pull the whole top off if so required. At any rate, excellent first idea. [+]-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 03 2004 The ketchup packets could be made similar to the ones that toothpaste samples come in. Same rectangular shape, but the packaging is a little thicker. At one end, the seal around the edges tapers in to give you a spout-like shape and there is a notch on either side of this. When you're ready to open, the notches make tearing straight across fool-proof and the spout makes squirting the contents very easy.-- tchaikovsky, Feb 03 2004 What? You mean you lot don't carry a tomato-shaped squeezy ketchup bottle with you at all times?-- squeak, Feb 03 2004 A popular national fast burger chain here in the states takes the slightly more expensive route of having ketchup dipping tubs ... I'll see if I can find a pic ...-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 03 2004 //ketchup dipping tubs//
That can't be sanitary...-- k_sra, Feb 03 2004 Depends what you're dipping...-- squeak, Feb 03 2004 Does [fort] mean dispensing ketchup like salad dressings on salad bars? Actually that approach could be cheaper. The ketchup in bulk pack (which, incidentally, comes in a big bag with a spout) is cheaper by the ounce. The big expense with that method is the pump and the maintenance and cleaning thereof. Not a big deal, but a ladel would be cheaper.
I'd like to see a ketchup packet with a tear off top and pleated bottom so that it would stand up and act as its own souffle cup (those typically 1/2 to 2 oz paper thingies that you pump the ketchup in to).-- half, Feb 03 2004 or NOT!-- po, Feb 03 2004 No, I mean indivijual ketchup dipping tubblets that you peel the top off of ... similar to McNugget BBQ sauce dip tubblet ...-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 03 2004 I have seen some ketchup sachets which are similar to waht [tchaikovsky] describes. The heat seal tapers in to form a spout shape. They are generally made in a more tearable papery material than the plasticky ones, which are Satan's own condiment.-- hazel, Feb 03 2004 deli tubblets-- po, Feb 03 2004 Oh. Duh. [Fort] might well be talking about Whataburger then, they having originated in TX and he being in that very general vicinity. I done clean forgot about them there ketchup tubs and I just et there yesterday.-- half, Feb 03 2004 I recon you forgot to say "I reckon" before ending your anno, [AO]-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 03 2004 I like [Letsbuildafort]'s idea. But the croissant is going to magic_ki-- nomadic_wonderer, Feb 03 2004 Its already been baked, [nomad] ... by the burger chain in question ...-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 03 2004 Every purse should have an auxiliary vat into which the owner's preferred condiment could be injected. Then, when the purchased item does not have sufficient condiment, the auxiliary supply could be used to supply the difference. Or, how about freeze-dried condiments which one could sprinkle on the disappointing fast food thereby giving the taste without the mush.-- juliec2, Feb 03 2004 Oh, and welcome to the bakery, ki.-- krelnik, Feb 04 2004 thankyou k.-- magic_ki, Feb 05 2004 I prefer to interpret the last sentence of this idea // ...some sort of plastic valve were placed on the top of the packet...// as meaning we'll all have our own separate plastic spout/valves that we can shove into the/the little squishy packets /into for easier dispensing. That way, each packet need not bear the expense of the valve/ spout, and those of you who have no trouble with the squishy containers can elect not to use the improved valve-spout.-- oxen crossing, Feb 05 2004 I was sceptical about this idea before I was sitting in a restaurant, about to tuck in to a tasty sausage bap, when to my horror, the brown sauce sachet i had just opened squirted all over me and the floor and I thought, 'I wish I had magic_ki's Easy pouring device for ketchup sachets!'-- Deadlock'd, Mar 12 2004 Packets need a "best by" date. I have several in a pile in a kitchen cabinet and I have no idea how old they are.-- Gamma48, Aug 31 2009 // How about a small filament "pull here" cord like whats found on cigarette packages, or chewing gum? //
Kit Kat chocolate bars have that.
// Low profile, not easily snagged, and could pull the whole top off if so required. //
That implies the serrations would be on the long sides of the packets, rather than the short sides where they are now. That on its own would be better and probably enough.-- notexactly, Aug 31 2019 If humanity gets a really good biodegradable or easily cleaned recyclable plastic, it would be possible to have miniature valve in the shape of a gravy boat.-- wjt, Aug 31 2019 The scissors on a Swiss Army Knife are excellent for snipping a corner, end or side off this type of single-serving condiment sachets.-- 8th of 7, Aug 31 2019 I wonder just how many people are implemented in the Swiss Army Knife army?
Re calculations, most purchases end up in draws.-- wjt, Aug 31 2019 random, halfbakery