Is This the Future of Food Packaging?

Swedish design company Tomorrow Machine has generated a few ideas of what food packaging could potentially look like in the future. The idea pictured above is a compact food package that expands when hot water is added. It saves space and is made of 100% biodegradable material.

Pretty neat, huh? Here are three more ideas from Tomorrow Machine, including a decomposing smoothie box.

It’s important to examine the food packaging we currently consume, versus something that might be better for the environment. I’m reminded of that concept German grocery store I wrote about a couple weeks ago that is trying to get rid of all grocery store packaging waste. While it’s a great idea, it would be difficult to implement everywhere for the foreseeable future. Perhaps these simple designs are a more realistic answer.

Here are a few ideas of future food packaging from Tomorrow Machine:

This box is intended for any liquids that need to be refrigerated and have a short life span once opened. The box is made out of seaweed gel, and as soon as you open it, it starts decomposing. The idea is to have the box have the same life span as the things it contains.

You crack open this oil container like you would an egg. It is made out of caramelized sugar and wax. As soon as the packaging is cracked, the package is able to dissolve in water.

You peel this rice packaging like you would a fruit! It’s made of beeswax.

So, what do you think? Is this the kind of design you’d like to see for future food packaging? Is it on the right track, or should we be trying to get rid of food packaging altogether?

→ For more information and design ideas: Tomorrow Machine