What can I say, except that I am old enough to have enjoyed the real thing back in the 60’s. When these went on sale (sometimes 10 for $1.00 at Piggly Wiggly), my parents stocked up the freezer. These were the original “Fast Food”! Take a look at some of the various brands and their ads:
Swanson was the brand we most often ate, although we had Banquet sometimes too. Swanson Fried Chicken with mixed vegetables, and buttered potatos!
English Style Fish and Chips:
Swanson TV Dinner Advertisement that offered a .15 cent coupon
And for those with taste for the better things in life, they also made Shrimp Dinners
Buying Swanson TV Dinners meant you could spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing the things you enjoyed, like watching TV with the family.
The aluminum tray was covered with aluminum also. After heating the already cooked meal, simply peel the cover off and enjoy!
A few other leading names also made TV Dinners, though Swanson’s were called TV Dinners, the others were made the same.
Banquet:
Birds eye:
Even Chun King:
And we always dined with the ever popular TV Tray: