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A bagel box is a food grade paperboard or corrugated carton sized to a count of bagels, with a lid that closes over the stack and, usually, a window so the customer sees what they bought. Bagels are about 4 inches across and 1.5 inches tall, so the counts set the boxes: a half dozen fits a 10 by 7 by 4 inch box in two rows of three, a dozen fits a 13 by 10 by 4.5 or a two layer 10 by 7 by 7. We make them as one piece lock corner bakery boxes, tuck top cartons and handled gable boxes, in white, kraft or full color, with a grease resistant coating, and with no minimum order. The number that decides the box is the count and how the bagels stack: side by side in one layer for a box that opens like a tray, or two layers for a box that carries like a parcel.
The other job is steam. Fresh bagels give off moisture for an hour after baking, and a sealed box turns the crust soft. A few vent holes in the lid, or an open window, lets the steam out and keeps the crust. It is a small detail that separates a bagel shop box from a generic bakery box.
Sizes by count
| Count | Layout | Box (inside) | Structure | Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 bagels | side by side | 8.5 x 4.5 x 2 in | tuck top or clamshell | 16 pt, grease resistant |
| Half dozen | 2 x 3, one layer | 10 x 7 x 4 in | lock corner bakery box with window | 18 pt paperboard |
| Half dozen, carried | 2 x 3, one layer | 10 x 7 x 5.5 in to handle | gable box | E flute |
| Dozen | 3 x 4, one layer | 13 x 10 x 4.5 in | lock corner bakery box, window | E flute or 24 pt |
| Dozen, stacked | 2 x 3, two layers | 10 x 7 x 7 in | tuck top carton | E flute |
| Baker’s dozen with spreads | 3 x 4 plus a tub well | 14 x 10 x 5 in | lock corner box with a divider | E flute |
Structures
The one piece lock corner bakery box is the standard: it ships flat, the corners lock by hand without tape, the lid hinges over the top, and a window in the lid shows the bagels. A tuck top carton is stronger for a stacked dozen and for delivery. A gable box with a handle suits a half dozen carried out of the shop. For catering, a corrugated tray with a lid holds two or three dozen and stacks in a van.
Board and coating
16 to 18 point paperboard for two to six bagels; 24 point or E flute corrugated for a dozen, because a dozen bagels weigh 3 to 4 pounds and a paperboard box that size sags at the lid. Every box gets a grease resistant coating on the inside so butter, cream cheese and seed oils do not stain through. Windows are clear film; leave them open for a plastic free box, or add a few die-cut vent holes in a solid lid.
White board with full color, or kraft with one or two colors for the bakery look. Print the lid, which is what the customer sees on the counter and in the car. Add a flavor checklist on one end panel that staff tick with a marker, and the shop’s address and hours on the base. For delivery boxes, a tamper strip across the lid opening.
In short
What to send us: the counts you sell, whether the box is carried, delivered or catered, and whether you want a window. What you get back: box sizes by count with the stacking planned, the board for the weight, vents and a grease coating, a dieline and a physical sample to fill with real bagels. What it costs you to start: nothing. Free design, free dieline, free samples, no minimum order.
Bagel box questions
What size box holds a dozen bagels?
In one layer, 3 by 4, about 13 by 10 by 4.5 inches inside. Stacked in two layers of six, 10 by 7 by 7 inches. A dozen weighs 3 to 4 pounds, so use 24 point board or E flute corrugated so the lid does not sag.
What size box holds half a dozen bagels?
About 10 by 7 by 4 inches inside, two rows of three, in an 18 point lock corner bakery box with a window. For a carried order, the same footprint as a gable box with a handle.
How do you keep bagels from going soft in the box?
Let the steam out. A few die-cut vent holes in the lid, or an open window, release the moisture fresh bagels give off for the first hour so the crust stays crisp. A fully sealed box softens them.
Are bagel boxes greaseproof?
Yes. A grease resistant coating on the inside stops butter, cream cheese and seed oils staining through the board. It is standard on every bagel box we make.
Is there a minimum order?
No. A hundred boxes for a new shop or a full run for a chain. Free design and dieline, free samples to fill, and a printed proof before the run.
No minimum order. One or a full run. Free design and dieline, and a printed proof before production. Free samples so you can fill a sample with real bagels before you commit. Price match: send a written quote for the same size, board, print and quantity and we will beat it.
Related: bakery boxes, donut boxes, gable boxes and toast boxes.
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