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.
National Wildfire Awareness Month dedicates the entire month of May to prevention and preparedness.
While wildfires may not be prevalent in every state, the responsibility to be aware and alert belongs to all of us. The causes of wildfires can occur in every state, and as mobile as our lifestyles have become, we each need to be prepared.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, humans cause an average of 68% of fires per year in the United States. Of those human-started fires, 2.8 million acres burn each year. In 2018, 8,767,492 acres burned due to human-started and lightning strikes.
There are steps to take to both prevent wildfires and prevent them. From fire-resistant building materials to following the safety protocols for handling fire when camping, heating your home or storing fuel, we can all take part in reducing wildfires.
NATIONAL WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH HISTORY
National Wildfire Awareness Month has been declared in 10 western states to increase prevention and preparedness for wildfires throughout the country.
Visit the National Interagency Fire Center website to learn more about what you can do to make your property better prepared for a wildfire. Learn more about fire safety and how to take shelter when a wildfire event occurs. Use #WildfireAwarenessMonth to share on social media.
According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is January 13th so around the country it’s National Rubber Ducky Day! A friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode.
The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a chew toy for children. While the origin of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys came about when rubber manufacturing developed in the late 1800s. They produced a variety of toys from dolls and various animal shapes, including the rubber duck.
In 1928, Landon Smart Lawrence received the earliest patent fora rubber duck toy. His clever design weighted the toy so that when it tipped it returned to an upright position. The sketch included with the patent was that of a duck.
During World Wars I and II, rubber was a valuable commodity. Rationing became mandatory and by the 1940s with the advent of plastic, the rubber ducky began being produced in vinyl and plastic.
Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine sculpted many animal figures. One, a duck, he later designed and patented into a floating toy which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have become familiar with today.
Sales of the iconic yellow rubber ducky we’ve come to know today soared in Britain in 2001. Why? A British Tabloid, The Sun, reported Queen Elizabeth II had a rubber duck in her bathroom that wore an inflatable crown.
The rubber ducky became a Toy Hall of Fame inductee in 2013. Founded in 1998, the Hall of Fame has only inducted 52 other toys.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalRubberDuckyDay
Spend time with your favorite rubber ducky. Share photos of your rubber ducky collection. Discover all the different kinds of rubber duckies available. Use #NationalRubberDuckyDay to post on social media. Do you still have yours?
October is National Fire Prevention Month and that means it’s time for us all to take the precautionary steps to prevent dangerous and life-threatening fires.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, the winter months see an increase in home fires, deaths and injuries. These are the months when we turn on the heat to keep our homes warm. While we need to keep our homes warm, there are steps we should take to prevent a fire.
Make sure your heating source is well maintained. Whether it’s a fireplace, wood stove, a furnace or electric heat, check the equipment before using or have them serviced.
Don’t store items near your heating source. Boxes, clothes, and other fuels may ignite if they are close.
Make sure draperies and furniture and other combustible items are kept far enough away from a heating source.
Other causes of fire include:
Kitchen – It’s important to not leave burners or grills unattended. Make sure to use proper equipment and to keep dish towels, clothing and other items away from heating elements and open flame. Keep pets secured away from the kitchen, especially when you’re not home. They can inadvertently turn on burners.
Candles – Never leave a burning candle unattended. As an alternative, use battery-operated candles for ambiance.
Smoking – Unattended cigarettes or overly full ashtrays start fires. Curious children might play with matches or lighters. Keep them well out of their reach.
More National Fire Prevention Month tips
When it comes to keeping our families and homes safe, there are many other steps we can take to prevent fires.
Make sure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Place a fire detector every level of the home and test them monthly. Replace batteries annually.
Get a fire extinguisher and make sure it’s not outdated. Most fire extinguishers have an expiration date. Place one on each floor of the house and in the garage, too. They truly are a lifesaver. We recently had a grease fire and the only thing that kept us from an uncontrollable fire was the fire extinguisher that we had handy. Flames shooting up from your stove or grill are a frightening experience, but you can avoid disaster! It’s also important to know how to use one.
The National Safety Council recommends this acronym, PASS to remember the steps.
Pull the pin.
Aim low at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the handle slowly.
Sweep the nozzle side to side.
Have an escape plan. Practice fire drills with your family and make sure everyone knows where to go depending on where the fire is in the home. Have at least two ways to get out of the house, too. Set a meeting place for everyone.
In the event of a house fire, do not try to salvage items before leaving the house. Personal effects can be replaced, but lives cannot. Instead, keep valuable documents in a fireproof box for recovery later. Keep valuable documents in a fireproof box for recovery later.
The National Fire Protection Association founded National Fire Prevention Week in 1922. The observance takes place the week of October 9th, commemorating the date of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. In later years, the organization expanded its efforts to include the entire month of October.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalFirePreventionMonth
Follow the tips listed above. Work with your family to implement safety precautions. Practice fire safety all year long and not just once a year. Share tips and resources with your neighborhood. Attend fire safety courses at work or in your community. Join the conversation by using #NationalFirePreventionMonth when sharing on social media.
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