Systems and methods for cutting food articles and filling containers therewith

A food article cutting and container filling system, comprising:

• a food article cutting subassembly including a cutting blade and a body configured to receive a food article;
• a plunger movable between (a) a retracted position in which the plunger does not extend into the body of the food article cutting subassembly and (b) an extended position in which the plunger extends into the body of the food article cutting subassembly, pushes the food article contained therein across the cutting blade causing the food article to be cut into a plurality of pieces, and pushes the plurality of pieces out from the food article cutting subassembly;
• a container lift/transfer subassembly including a container transfer sled, the container lift/transfer subassembly being vertically movable and the container transfer sled being horizontally movable;
• and
• a container holder configured to receive a container from the container lift/transfer subassembly and position the container so as to receive the plurality of pieces from the food article cutting subassembly,
• wherein the container transfer sled picks up the container from a first location and transfers the container from the first location to the container holder by moving horizontally.