NATIONAL TV DINNER DAY

September 9, 2026September 8, 2026Jensperspectiveblog Leave a comment

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.

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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.

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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.

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NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH

August 31, 2026August 7, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 3 Comments

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together with major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September. As a result, September is known as National Chicken Month! This once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, has turned into one of the year’s best performing sales periods. September might be the month we find out which came first, the chicken or the egg.

First domesticated for cockfighting, the chicken eventually made its way to the dinner table. Many families have their own homemade spice recipes. A major part of enjoying chicken is the spicing. Food experts have debated for years about the contents of KFC. White pepper, paprika, and even Thousand-Island dressing are among the eleven herbs and spices supposedly in the Colonel’s recipe.

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There are 25 billion chickens in the world, making them the most abundant bird species. Did you know all vertebrate species lay eggs? And, all hard-shelled variety eggs originated with reptiles? Chickens, like many birds, are descendants of the dinosaurs. Chickens are relatively closely related to reptiles on the evolutionary chain. In recent decades, many researchers have started describing dinosaurs as more like flightless birds than reptiles. Even though chickens are not entirely flightless, they can get airborne enough to get over a fence or into a tree.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Ever wonder why so many different meats like rattlesnake and alligator apparently taste like chicken? Several explanations point to why mainstream Americans tend to have limited experience with judging flavor. Our taste buds, in other words, are not finely tuned. Our meat experiences are limited mostly to beef, pork, and chicken. A gourmet with a seasoned palette has a broader experience, which makes them more apt to identify exotic meats like rattlesnake and alligator.

Chicken is full of health benefits. When eaten without the skin, chicken is very lean. It is carb-free and rich in Vitamins B3 and B6, as well as two important minerals, phosphorus, and selenium. Various parts of the chicken are considered special treats in some countries. For instance, in China, chicken feet are considered a delicacy.

HISTORY

For over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together all of the major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September, turning a once slow month, as the summer grilling season waned, into one of the year’s best-performing sales periods.

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Chicken Cordon Blue Day
National Chicken Month
National Keto Day
National Chicken Curry Day
National Chicken Wings Day
National Fried Chicken Day
National Rotisserie Chicken Day
National Poultry Day
National Pork Rinds Day
National Chicken & Waffles Day
National Chicken Boy Day
National Chicken Lady Day

HOW TO OBSERVE

There are several ways to observe National Chicken Month. We recommend trying a new recipe. Whether you choose white meat, dark meat, fried, broiled, baked or warmed over, prepare your chicken the way you like it!

Try one of our family favorites…

Use #NationalChickenMonth in social media correspondence.

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NATIONAL POTATO MONTH

August 31, 2026August 7, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 3 Comments

This month we salute the terrific tuber, the spud, otherwise known as the potato! September is National Potato Month!

It’s hard to imagine a world without potatoes. Once indigenous to South America, specifically Peru and Bolivia, the potato has become a staple food in much of the world. In fact, it is an integral part of the food supply in many countries. Spuds are grown in all fifty states in the U.S. alone!

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In 1784, Thomas Jefferson set voyage on a trip to France with his slave James Heming. Jefferson brought his slave along in hopes he would learn some of the French culinary skills. Upon return to the U.S., Jefferson made Heming prepare one of the many culinary delights learned in France, the French fried potato. The dish was served at Jefferson’s private residence. Despite the fact Heming learned the culinary skill to make French fried potatoes and brought that skill back the U.S., Jefferson is given credit for introducing French fried potatoes. The earliest known recipe for the potato chip appeared in a cookbook published in 1817. The preparation resembled the French fried potato prepared by Heming.

The potato continues to have a vast history after its initial introduction. Most notably, the history of potatoes relates to the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. Sadly, starvation and disease claimed as many as a million lives in Ireland during the famine. It was during this time that nearly 500,000 Irish immigrated to the U.S.

Mash-Up Potato Facts:

The word “spud” first made an appearance in New Zealand around 1850. Potato planters used spuds, a sharper version of a spade, to dig up potatoes. Technically, it had nothing to the with the potato.
The world’s largest potato chip was produced by the Pringle Company in 1990. It measures 23′ by 14.5′.
Potatoes have even made an entry into pop culture. Possibly the most famous potato known to man, Mr. Potato Head. A creation from New Yorker George Lerner, the Hasbro Company launched the beloved toy in 1952. Unfortunately, Mr. Potato Head lost his pipe in 1987 mostly due to pressure from anti-smoking groups.
The “Mashed Potatoes” was a popular dance craze in the early 1960s. Mashed Potato Time was a 1962 chart-topping hit for soul singer Dee Dee Sharp.

Potatoes also have health benefits. For instance, potato skins are a good source of roughage and potassium. The average potato with the skin intact only contains 110 calories. It’s all the stuff you put on it that makes it fattening. As long as toppings are used in moderation, you can enjoy potatoes in all their deliciousness!

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Potato dishes can be found in all corners of the world, making it easy to find something that suits your taste buds!

Use #NationalPotatoMonth in social media correspondence.

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National Potato Day

August 18, 2026August 7, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 2 Comments

National Potato Day is August 19, so if you like spuds, this one’s for you! Never celebrated this tasty tot before? Good news, we have the lowdown on how to do things up right with facts and links to turn you from couch potato to party animal.

Potatoes have been a popular food for centuries so it’s about time we recognize this versatile and ap-peeling favorite. Mashed, smashed, chipped, or covered in cheese, potatoes can be eaten with just about every meal — or as a meal! — making these starchy veggies a delicious and easy way to get iron, potassium and vitamin c. The puns are just baked right in! Now just fry and stop us from telling you the whole scoop on what makes National Potato Day so …spudtacular.

NATIONAL POTATO DAY ACTIVITIES

Did you know there are over 4000 different kinds of potatoes? It’s true! Choose your favorite or choose a bunch because potatoes are so tasty and easy to cook that no matter what you pick you won’t be wrong! And not being wrong is a wonderful way to celebrate anything, so try it out this August 19.

There’s no wrong way to prepare a potato and the Internet (and probably your grandma) have a million and one recipes for you to try. Select a favorite, chop to it and discover for yourself why this hot potato is such a hot commodity. Don’t forget to invite some friends and make it an event! This is a celebration, after all.

Creamy and buttery or crispy and salty, the last step to enjoying this day is the best step — eating! —and we will eat potatoes in any form (even baked into bread)! We think consuming these delectable spuds in mass quantities is the best way to pay homage on their special day.

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WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL POTATO DAY

Potatoes are a staple for a reason Hashbrowns or potato salad, hot or cold, no matter how you slice ‘em, potatoes have been a staple in diets all over the world because they’re easy to grow, tasty and relatively inexpensive to produce and buy. Nearly ever cuisine has potatoes in it, so you can take a culinary journey with your trusty potato by your side.

Potato chips are the best snackThe people have spoken! Potato chips are regularly regarded as the most delicious snack and we couldn’t agree more. Plus, there isn’t a better party food than the potato chip. Just pour them in a bowl and let the festivities begin! With chips coming in more and more flavors all the time, you’ll never run out of ways to enjoy your favorite spuds with your buds. That deserve a few chip-chip-hoorays!

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How to OBSERVE

Potatoes are America’s cropPotatoes are grown in all 50 states! It makes sense that there should be a national day to celebrate the crop that can feed an entire country. We really do think this starchy, vitamin packed veg is all that and a bag of chips so pick up a bag, choose a recipe and feast with friends!

No matter how you celebrate share it on social media with #NationPotatoDay. We look forward to seeing your favorites.

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NATIONAL OYSTER DAY

August 4, 2026August 1, 2026Jensperspectiveblog 10 Comments

Get slurping on August 5th with National Oyster Day! Oysters are enjoyed as a seafood in many parts of the world.

Did you know there are over 100 different species of oysters? Interestingly, oysters tend to take on the characteristics of the water in which they live. Because of this, they’re typically named after the body of water in which they grow.

While many people enjoy fresh oysters raw, the shellfish can also be savored in multiple other ways. As a side dish, oysters add immense flavor to Thanksgiving dressing. They also make delicious stews, soups, and chowders. Other recipes will bake, grill or broil the oysters with or without the shell.

These mollusks provide valuable nutrients whether eaten cooked or raw. Since oysters supply a high amount of vitamins B12 and A, they may benefit heart, skin, and brain health. These vitamins also support lung and kidney function. Additionally, oysters benefit the environment since their valves are capable of cleansing an ecosystem of pollutants.

Here are some other exciting oyster facts:

The Chesapeake Bay produces more oysters in the world than any other body of water.
The world loves oysters! We consume almost two billion pounds of oysters each year around the world.
Illustrating how the body of water influences the flavor of the oysters, the east and west coast U.S. oysters taste very different from each other. On the east coast, oysters tend to be smaller, milder and saltier. However, west coast oysters take on a creamy texture and a sweet flavor.
Only one out of every 10,000 oysters will produce a pearl.

Want more seafood delicacies try some of these…National Seafood Month, National Fried Scallops Day, National Shrimp Day, National Baked Scallops Day, National Crab Meat Day, Clams on the Half Shell Day, National Shrimp Scampi Day, National Lobster Day, National Go Fishing Day, National Catfish Day, National Catfish Month, National Caviar Day, French Fried Shrimp Day, National Oyster Day, Oysters Rockefeller Day, National Seafood Bisque Day, Lobster Newburgh Day, National Deep Fried Clams Day, Crab Stuffed Flounder Day, National Sardines Day

HOW TO OBSERVE #NATIONALOYSTERDAY

Make or order a dish that uses oyster as one of its main ingredients. You can celebrate in other ways, too.

Read up on oysters. We suggest The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Texture by Rowan Jacobsen or Appreciating Oysters: An Eater’s Guide to Craft Oysters from Tide to Table by Dana Deskiewicz.
Watch the documentary The Oyster Divers by Erin DeJesus.
Explore the world of cooking with oysters.

Use #NationalOysterDay to post on social media.

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NATIONAL CHICKEN MONTH

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NATIONAL OYSTER DAY

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TV Dinner Facts

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NATIONAL POTATO DAY ACTIVITIES

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL POTATO DAY

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