TV dinners: a relic of the past or a current kitchen staple? Once the height of convenience, these frozen, single-serve meals found in the freezer aisles of grocery stores—brands like Lean Cuisine, Hungry-Man, and others—offered a fast solution for busy families.
But with more options for takeout and home meal kits, are they still as popular as they used to be?
For some, TV dinners may stir up nostalgic memories of childhood, nights spent in front of the television with a tray in hand. Others might consider them a go-to on hectic days when cooking from scratch isn’t an option. Maybe you grab one for lunch or have a few stashed in the freezer for emergencies. But just how often are people turning to these pre-packaged meals today?
We want to hear from you! Do you eat TV dinners often? When was the last time you had one? Whether it’s a regular part of your routine or a once-in-a-blue-moon indulgence, we’d love to hear from you.
After you cast your vote, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Thanks!
We travel with TV breakfasts. Enables us to quickly get back on the road.
Last week..I was home all alone, it’s a quick, simple, mostly well rounded meal. It was also the one pictured above, Salisbury steak.
Not since I found a chunk of ABC gum in mine – many, many moons ago. Never will I ever buy or eat another one.
When tired of cooking I grab one from the freezer. It’s cheaper than any fast food places and not having to drive to get it. It works as a good back up but wouldn’t eat daily for sure too much sodium.
A few times a month. Helpful when we’re out of the complete ingredients for a home cooked meal; or don’t have the time and don’t want to run to the grocery store for that nights meal; or don’t feel like or don’t have the time to go to a restaurant for dinner.
Not since I left my parent’s home (1963).
It’s been decades. They weren’t that good then and are worse now. A few years ago I brought a few to our hunting camp. No one could eat them they were so bad. One bite and in the trash…at least the Banquet brand.
During my career I was in many food processing plants (One of which was Banquet) and the kitchen end of some fine restaurants. I was ALWAYS shocked at the level of filth and poor practices in these places. When I mention this to food service workers in private, most say they won’t eat in restaurants themselves.
I think of these things whenever I look at processed meals/food in stores, and the prices of “Fine Dining”.
I think the last time I had a TV dinner was when they still came on aluminum ‘plates’. A week ago we were coming home from a camping trip and decided to stop at a store and look for TV dinners – for a nostalgic dinner. Hit Grocery Outlet first and found nothing. Next door was Safeway and we tried to find something there. I wanted a fried chicken dinner, like the old days. Once again, nothing except massive carb blast chow. So we continued home and got a ribeye out of the freezer. Sigh.
Things like the quick nuke sausage and biscuit sandwiches for a head out the door fast. Or the frozen lasagna. We eat that.
I don’t really consider those TV Dinners so marked “It has been years”
The last time I ate a tv dinner was a very long time ago, but the dinner had a hair in it. called the manufacture and was ask the color of the hair. I told them the color and the individual on the phone said, I know exactly who that worker is.
Last week while camping. We prefer PF Chang’s frozen meals, but will sometimes get Marie Calendar’s bowls if the grocery doesn’t have Chang’s. We leave home with 2 weeks of frozen home-made entrees, but that still leaves 2 more weeks of dinners that we need to fix on a month-long trip. Since we didn’t eat any restaurant meals on our just-completed 4-week trip to northern AZ and NM, we bought a number of frozen dinners to go with an occasional grilled burger, chicken, or salmon, chef salad, or soup and sandwich dinner. We might eat out since I love Santa Fe-style, green-chile Mexican food, but my wife can’t even stand the smell! When home, though, I go to Denver’s green-chili Mexican cafes.
50-years ago (+/-). Certainly no later than that.
I left home in 1960 and we had stopped using them all before that. Bad memories of mediocre food persist. We either prepare meals fresh or have left overs from previous home cooked meals even when on the move.
It’s been about 45 years, since I found a mouse fetus in the food. I wrote to Swanson and they replied with an apology and some coupons for TV dinners. Uhhh, no thank you. I threw them away. 🐭 –Diane at RVtravel.com
YUCK ! 🤢🤮
Yeah, every time I go down the frozen food aisle at the store I can still picture it perfectly. Way gross! Have a great day, Bill. 😀 –Diane
Ewww. Coupons??
Yep. Back when we used snail mail. But I didn’t use them–didn’t want to take a chance of running into something so disgusting again. Have a great day, Kathy. 😀 –Diane
I said years, but I do eat frozen pot pies and some other frozen entrées and vegetables.
Dang, had a frozen pot pie last week too. Maybe I shouldn’t be left alone..🤔
We get some sort of “TV” dinner that is not frozen and keep in stock for hurricane season. Had one just the other night.
Actually last week.
Thank you, RV Travel! I did go through a period of buying them several years ago. I will guess it has been 25 – 30 years since I last bought, heated, and ate one. I did enjoy them and probably would again if the opportunity presented itself. Thanks again, have a great weekend, and safe travels! 🙂
As most I don’t recall the last time I ate a TV dinner. One thing is I still have those TV trays for holding the TV dinners, some with legs & a couple for eating in bed, of course they are SNOOPY designs on them!
Snoopy
I just had a Turkey TV dinner a few days ago, when living alone what would I do with the whole bird?
When my wife was still with us she would just buy a turkey breast, plenty of food for the two of us, and a kitty or three.
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Perhaps this survey piqued my interest. In any case, DW went on a trip with friends about 3, 4 weeks ago. During her absence I bought and ate 3 TV dinners. They are no longer packaged in aluminum (?) trays, but are in a microwave-safe tray that is cardboard and plastic (?). Do not like their green beans, but the rest was okay. Happy new year and safe travels!
I’m always late to the party DH buys pot pies & frozen stuffed peppers. As others have said only when we’re both too tired to cook I usually ask for turkey or salisbury steak After graduating from nursing school as an RN/welfare mom 1978-79when a USDA “thrifty” meal plan was $133.30 a month, the state of Virginia awarded me only $33.30 a month I believe in entitlement, a program that says “if the government says you’re entitled to $1,889 a month for SS you GET $1,889 a month not $89 a month. Only was able to do it because DS was still nursing& I brought the babysitter (paid for with welfare funds) “my” milk. Pre Lactation rooms I would go to the rest room & dump.
For the next year we only ate tv dinners or fast food. DD’s family is non cooking only uses protein bars and nutrition drinks. DS is chief cook and bottle washer, does once a week cooking and packaging. 2 entirely different reactions to that time in our lives