C.A. Swanson & Sons of Omaha, Nebraska introduced the first TV dinner in 1954 to America. Executive Gerald Thomas came up with the idea when the company had half a million pounds of leftover turkey from Thanksgiving stored in ten refrigerated railroad cars. On a visit to a Pittsburgh distributor he noticed a box of metal trays that an airline was testing as a way to serve heated meals on international flights. He saw a future for the unwanted turkeys.
The Swanson TV dinner was roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes and peas. It sold for 98 cents and came in an aluminium tray, so the diner could just open the box and heat the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes.
The Swanson TV dinner was roast turkey with stuffing and gravy, sweet potatoes and peas. It sold for 98 cents and came in an aluminium tray, so the diner could just open the box and heat the dinner in the oven. The cooking time was usually 25 minutes.
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| A Swanson "Hungry-Man Country Fried Chicken" TV dinner. By Famartin |
When Swanson’s first sold TV dinners, they priced them at 98 cents. In the first year, production estimates reached 5,000 dinners
The name "TV dinner" was coined by Gerry Thomas. 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.
National TV Dinner Day is observed annually on September 10th.
Microwave-oven safe trays debuted on the market in 1986.
In Japan, onigiri (rice balls) are a popular convenience food.
Canned tuna packed in oil is a convenience food in the Solomon Islands.
In Western Africa, processed cassava flour that has been grated and dried is a popular convenience food.
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