National TV Dinner Day is observed annually on September 10th. In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons changed the prepackaged meal business forever. Introducing the TV Dinner revolutionized frozen food.
In 1962, Swanson stopped using the name TV Dinner. However, in the United States, the term remains synonymous with any prepackaged dinner purchased frozen from a store and heated at home.
The first Swanson TV Dinner consisted of a Thanksgiving meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, peas, and sweet potatoes. Originally, Swansons made the tray of aluminum. They separated each food item into individual compartments, too. At home, the cook heated the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes. Today, nearly all frozen food trays can be cooked in the microwave or a conventional oven.
When Swanson’s first sold TV dinners, they priced them at 98 cents. In the first year, production estimates reached 5,000 dinners. To their surprise, Swanson far exceeded that amount. In the first year, they sold more than 10 million of them.
TV Dinner Facts
1960 – Swanson added desserts to a new four-compartment tray.
1964 – Night Hawk name originated from the Night Hawk steak houses that operated in Austin, Texas, from 1939 through 1994. The original diners were open all night, catering to the late-night crowd. The restaurants produced the first frozen Night Hawk TV dinner in 1964.
1969 – The first TV breakfasts were marketed. Great Starts Breakfasts and breakfast sandwiches followed later.
1973 – Swanson markets the first Hungry-Man dinners. The meals included larger portions of its regular dinner products.
1986 – Microwave-oven safe trays debut on the market.
1986 – The Smithsonian Institute inducted the original Swanson TV Dinner tray into the Museum of American History.
Much has changed since the original TV Dinner. They also remain a popular choice for a fast and convenient meal, fun to eat in front of the TV!
Looking for something to watch? Check out some of my favorites here.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalTVDinnerDay
Get out a TV dinner, pop it in the microwave or oven, and enjoy! Use #NationalTVDinnerDay to post on social media.
Each year on April 29th, National Peace Rose Day honors a well-known and fruitful garden rose.
The light yellow to large cream-colored flowers of the Peace rose have slightly flushed crimson pink petal edges. It is a hybrid tea rose that is hardy, vigorous, and highly resistant to disease.
French horticulturist Francis Meilland developed the Peace rose between 1935 and 1939. When Meilland foresaw the German invasion of France to protect the new rose, he sent cutting to his friends in Italy, Turkey, Germany, and the United States. It is believed these cuttings were sent to the United States on the last plane available before the German invasion.
Each country that received a cutting gave the rose a different name. In France, it was called “Madame A. Meilland” in honor of the breeder’s mother. Italy named the rose Gioia, meaning Joy. In Germany, the name of the rose was Gloria Dei, for glory to God. The United States named the rose “Peace,” and the national flower of the United States is the rose.
As the Second World War came to a close in Europe, the trade name “Peace” was publicly announced on April 29, 1945, by the Conrad Pyle Co. in the United States.
Later in 1945, Peace roses were given to each delegate at the inaugural meeting of the United Nations, in San Francisco, with a note that read: “We hope the Peace rose will influence men’s thoughts for everlasting world peace.”
National Peace Rose Day offers the opportunity for us all to discover the beauty of the Peace Rose. Whether you plant a shrub or share clippings with others, join in the celebration. These beautiful blossoms and their story encourages the sharing of peace between friends and neighbors.
Use #NationalPeaceRoseDay to post on social media.
Each year on April 16th, National Orchid Day recognizes one of the world’s diverse and widespread family of flowering plants. The orchids’ often colorful and fragrant blooms grow in abundance around the world. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species. Not only are they prolific, but they range in size from the 2.1 mm wide Platystele jungermannioides to broad-bloomed Grammatophyllum speciosum.
While some find the orchid challenging to grow, others find pleasure in their pleasant fragrance and uncommon beauty. With so many varieties to choose from, the beauty can be enjoyed from home or by visiting botanical gardens around the world.
Orchids are beautiful and extremely special. The creators of National Orchid Day, Mike and Faith Young, volunteered at an orchid reserve in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, in 2010, and the experience changed their lives forever. So much so, the Youngs decided if they were ever to have a daughter, they would name her Orchid. On April 16, 2014, sadly, they lost their precious daughter during labor. They named her Orchid Faith. Since then, they have been desperately trying to find ways to honor her life.
Creating National Orchid Day
After discovering that no National Orchid Day existed, the Youngs set out to secure the day in honor of their daughter, Orchid Faith. On the year anniversary of losing their precious little girl, they created a Kickstarter campaign. They offered pre-orders of their backyard honey (The Humble Bumbles Honey) with the goal of designating April 16th as National Orchid Day through the Official National Day Registrar. Within the first day, they met their goal, and the campaign brought in over $1,500. Thanks to the generosity and kindness of many friends, family, and supporters, April 16th will now forever be National Orchid Day in honor of their daughter.
For the rest of their lives, Mike and Faith say they will be caring for and spreading awareness about orchids. They feel that having a National Orchid Day dedicated to the beautiful life they lost, orchids will be appreciated a little bit more, and their little girl will feel the warmth of those that think of orchids that day. They feel as though all orchids are a representation of their little girl and hope that this special day will inspire those who come across orchids to think of their daughter, Orchid Faith, too; she is alive within you and all of us.
Radiant Faith Orchid
Also, for Mother’s Day 2015, Mike designated and named a Cattleya orchid ‘Radiant Faith’ through Chadwick and Son Orchids, Inc. The International Orchid Register of the Royal Horticulture Society in England officially recognizes and recognizes the Radiant Faith orchid. The Youngs were inspired by the color company Pantone’s color of the year for 2014 (the year they lost their daughter) – Radiant Orchid. Information on the Radiant Faith orchid can be found here: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticulturaldatabase/orchidregister/orchiddetails.asp?ID=982975
National Gardening Day on April 14th encourages gardeners and would-be gardeners to pick up a shovel, plant some seeds, and kick off a beautiful year of homegrown bounty.
Whether you want to grow vegetables, fruit, flowers, houseplants, or anything in between, National Gardening Day celebrates a satisfying pastime that you will enjoy for decades.
Growing your own food also provides fresh and natural nourishment for your family and saves you time and money at the grocery store.
As many gardeners know, the benefits of gardening come from more than the produce. Spending time in the garden also provides physical activity and an opportunity to join with nature.
The day is a call to action to get out and grow flower or vegetable gardens. No matter how you garden, plant in the ground, in containers, in straw bales or in a square foot gardening box. Just garden!
NATIONAL GARDENING DAY HISTORY
Cool Springs Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group, founded National Gardening Day on April 14 to celebrate gardening and to encourage home gardeners and students to learn more about how to garden.
About Cool Springs Press
Celebrating over twenty-five years of inspiring gardeners, Cool Springs Press is a leading publisher of best-selling gardening books with titles that cover all facets of plant cultivation and gardening techniques, both indoors and out.
Green thumbs are not required to learn to garden. Attend gardening seminars to gain knowledge. Read up about the plants that thrive in your zone. Start with some easy plants to grow such as: Radishes, Lettuce, Potatoes. We always do Tomatoes, Herbs, Zinnias, Pansies, and Marigolds.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL GARDENING DAY
There are many ways that you can celebrate the day, including:
Find the right book, guide or resource for your needs at Cool Springs Press, county extension service, the local bookstore or library.
Look for a community garden in your area.
Organize a seed and perennial plant swap with neighbors and friends.
Join a garden club. There isn’t one near? Start one!
Visit your local nursery or garden center—you will be amazed and excited by all the beautiful options
Visit Quarto Homes on Facebook and Instagram for more gardening information
While you’re gardening, be sure to share your experience with others on social media using #NationalGardeningDay, #garden and #gardening.
National Lawn and Garden Month is celebrated each year in April.
Lawns and gardens go together. By spring we are all anxious to get outside and enjoy the nice weather and the rebirth of all things green. In most residential neighborhoods making the most out of your outdoor space means adapting to small spaces. Where space is at a premium, container or raised gardens make having fresh vegetables possible for your table.
Flowers and greenery beautify the space but prepare for proper care. Certain plants require shade and others full sun. Read the care instructions for the flowers you’re considering planting. Are they perennial or annual? Depending on the acidity of the soil, the amount of rain you receive and the zone where you live, certain plants considered perennial for one area will not thrive in another zone.
April is the perfect time to clean up your lawn and get it ready for summer. It’s important to get the mowing height right when you mow your lawn. Most lawns do well at 2” to 3”, but it’s a good idea to leave it a little longer during hot months. Leaving the grass clippings on your lawn recycles the plant nutrients back into the soil and is a great fertilizer. Always use a sharp blade for mowing as a dull blade will tear the grass rather than cutting it. Water and fertilize your lawn, but don’t overdo either. A lawn survives better if it is underwatered and underfertilized than it does if you overdo it. Too much water will drown the grass and too much fertilizer will burn it.
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