Health

TV dinners turn 55 this year!

by Jason Sanders | November 28, 2008 at 12:23 pm

480 views | 14 Recommendations | 9 comments

November 26, 1953, the Swanson TV dinner appeared in grocery stores after the company had to get rid of a deluge of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Since then, the TV dinner has been a household staple, putting families in front of the television and contributing to the obesity epidemic.

Overestimating the need for Thanksgiving turkeys, [Swanson] found itself with over a half-million pounds of unsold turkey. Enter a salesman named Gerry Thomas. He modified a tray used by airlines into one with three compartments, filled it with a turkey dinner, and suggested tying the idea to the nation’s latest craze — television. And so the TV dinner was born. Much more sophisticated frozen dinners are today a staple of people short on time. Almost all refrigerators have a freezer section and more than a third of U.S. homes have a separate freezer. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

More recently, TV dinners have found themselves in the public spotlight after Lean Cuisine pulled their frozen foods from shelves because of plastic contamination.

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Amy Judd

at 12:26 on November 28th, 2008

I wish this had never happened - although I have been known to indulge in the Lean Cusine meals once in a while...

cupcakesupremacy

at 13:17 on November 28th, 2008

tv dinner at the doublewide grill in the southside, pittsburgh, pa. yum.

cupcakesupremacy has contributed a photo to this story.

Jordan Yerman

at 13:41 on November 28th, 2008

I can't deal with that. Mashed potatoes should not have right angles.

Sam McLean Designs

at 16:56 on November 28th, 2008

Fun Felt Foods TV Dinner available at Sam McLean Designs:
http://mclean2612.etsy.com
Thankfully it will not contribute to the obesity epidemic as it is made of wool felt and therefore inedible...

Sam McLean Designs has contributed a photo to this story.

Mary Richard

at 17:55 on November 28th, 2008

I can't resist once in a while, but they are sooo bad for you!

eastvanray

at 18:14 on November 28th, 2008

Wow I totally forgot they even existed anymore. I haven't had one of those since the 70's when I was watching Hockey Night In Canada in the livingroom and eating of a TV tray no less! Ah, memories.

Barbara McPherson

at 18:40 on November 28th, 2008

They were so 'of their time'. It was the modern way to eat. Hopefully we've learned a lot since then.

eastvanray

at 18:56 on November 28th, 2008

Yes I hope we have. I have learned not to trust huge corporations to buy and prepare my food for me and that doing it yourself is a very rewarding, often cathartic exercize that connects us with the earth.