Sandwich press for toaster

A method for heating a food item held by a sandwich press configured for use with a toaster having a vertical cavity to receive and heat the food item and a plurality of heating elements associated with the vertical cavity, the method comprising:

• compressing the food item in a space between inner sides of first and second sidewalls each having a top end, a bottom end and lateral ends, the inner sides of the first and second sidewalls having a flat section and a plurality of convex surfaces that extend inwardly from the flat section and contact the food item, the inner sides of the first and second sidewalls including only flat and convex surfaces and being free of any concave surfaces, the plurality of convex surfaces being entirely unperforated, elongated and extending along a majority of a height of the first and second sidewalls from the top end to the bottom end, the flat section of the first and second sidewalls including a plurality of openings that are elongated, are parallel to the convex surfaces, extend through the sidewall and extend along a majority of the height of the first and second sidewalls, outer sides of the first and second sidewalls opposite the inner side including an outer flat portion and a plurality of concave surfaces that each correspond to a respective one of the plurality of convex surfaces on the inner side;
• inserting the first and second sidewalls and the food item into the vertical cavity of the toaster to heat the food item in the space between the first and second sidewalls;
• and conducting heat from the plurality of heating elements from the plurality of concave surfaces at the outer sides of the first and second sidewalls to the plurality of convex surfaces in contact with the food item at the inner sides of the first and second sidewalls.