Tag: side plate

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.

Amazon Basics Classic TV Dinner Folding Tray with Storage Rack, Natural - Set of 4 Trays — Amazon Basics Classic TV Dinner Folding Tray with Storage Rack, Natural – Set of 4 Trays

Casual Home 5 Piece Tray Table Set, Espresso — Amazon Basics Classic TV Dinner Folding Tray with Storage Rack, Natural – Set of 4 Trays

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.

Paragon Microwave Food Storage Tray Containers - 3 Section/Compartment Divided Plates W/Vented Lid, Set of 6 — Paragon Microwave Food Storage Tray Containers – 3 Section/Compartment Divided Plates W/Vented Lid, Set of 6

Ez Prepa [20 Pack] 32oz 3 Compartment Meal Prep Containers with Lids - Bento Box - Plastic - Stackable, Reusable, Microwaveable & Dishwasher Safe — Paragon Microwave Food Storage Tray Containers – 3 Section/Compartment Divided Plates W/Vented Lid, Set of 6

It’s time for the freshness of National Salad Month. Greens pop this time of year, and it’s easy to grow garden lettuce even in a small space. They fill the grocery with a variety of color, too.

Beyond the leafy part of the salad, the crisp vegetables, proteins, flavorful cheeses, herbs, berries, grains, and nuts make salads exciting and healthy. If we don’t over indulge in the cheese and fatty meats, it’s usually the dressing that causes our salad downfall.

The Complete Salad Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to 200+ Vibrant Dishes Using Greens, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, and More (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series)#NationalSaladMonth — The Complete Salad Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to 200+ Vibrant Dishes Using Greens, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, and More (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series)

Seriously Good Salads: Creative Flavor Combinations for Nutritious, Satisfying Meals#NationalSaladMonth — The Complete Salad Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to 200+ Vibrant Dishes Using Greens, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, and More (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series)

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HOW TO OBSERVE

Salads are an excellent way help get your 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. We’ve provided tips to get the maximum salad-eating in this month!

Mix up the lettuce variety. Iceberg is what we’re most familiar with in the United States. Try spinach for a change of pace. Romaine makes excellent lettuce wraps. Butterhead comes in loose, crisp, rosettes.
Prepare salads for the work week. Fill the bottom of a Mason jar the salad dressing. Add the more solid fruits or veggies to next layer followed by any proteins and cheeses. Next, add the leafy greens. The items crunchy croutons, nuts or soft fruits and veggies should be added the day you eat the salad.
Serve salad with every meal, even breakfast. Fruit salad is a bright way to start the morning.
Substitute salad for one meal a day.
Try a different type a salad every week.

Use #NationalSaladMonth to share on social media.