Automatically Reconfigurable Microwave Interactive Material

A method of heating a package comprising:

• obtaining a package having a microwave energy shield that is reconfigurable between a first shielding configuration and a second shielding configuration, the shield comprises:
• a pattern of shield material, the pattern of shield material comprises a first portion and a second portion that are positionable relative to each other, the first portion of the pattern of shield material and the second portion of the pattern of shield material are positionable between a first position corresponding to the first shielding configuration and a second position corresponding to the second shielding configuration during microwave heating, a first amount of microwave energy is reflected by the microwave energy shield in the first shielding configuration and a second amount of microwave energy is reflected by the microwave energy shield in the second shielding configuration, the first amount of microwave energy is different than the second amount of microwave energy;
• applying microwave energy to the package;
• the microwave energy positioning the first portion of the pattern of the shield material and the second portion of the pattern of shield material from a first position to a second position;
• the first position corresponding to a first shield configuration of the microwave energy shield and the second position corresponding to a second shielding configuration of the microwave energy shield;
• transmitting a second amount of microwave energy through the microwave energy shield in the second configuration.

A packaging material for containing at least one food product, the packaging material comprises:

• a microwave energy shield that is reconfigurable between a first shielding configuration and a second shielding configuration, the shield comprises:
• a pattern of shield material, the pattern of shield material comprises a first portion and a second portion that are positionable relative to each other,
• the first portion of the pattern of shield material and the second portion of the pattern of shield material are positionable between a first position corresponding to the first shielding configuration and a second position corresponding to the second shielding configuration during microwave heating,
• a first amount of microwave energy is reflected by the microwave energy shield in the first shielding configuration and a second amount of microwave energy is reflected by the microwave energy shield in the second shielding configuration, the first amount of microwave energy is different than the second amount of microwave energy.