A useful utility function for WordPress projects which loads a given template using output buffering optionally including data to be passed into template

wp-output-buffered-template-include.php

/**
 * Output Buffered Load Template Part
 * loads a given template part using output buffering
 * optionally including $data to be passed into template
 */
function ob_load_template_part( $template_name, $data ) { 
	
    // Optionally provided an assoc array of data to pass to tempalte
    // and it will be extracted into variables
    if ( is_array( $data ) ) {
	extract($data);
    }

    ob_start();
    include( locate_template( $template_name ) );
    $var = ob_get_contents();
    ob_end_clean();
    return $var;
}