How TV Dinners Changed The Way America Cooked, Forever

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มิ.ย. 2024
  • Nothing quite conveys America's need for quick culinary convenience like a TV dinner - turkey and gravy with mashed potatoes and peas, all neatly portioned in an easy oven-ready tray. The TV dinner of the 1950s and 60s has changed a lot in the decades since. Today, frozen foods are now a booming category in supermarkets, a category that TV dinners helped to launch. Frozen foods were among the fastest-growing grocery category during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing in $72.2 billion in retail sales in 2022, nearly a 34% increase compared to 2019.
    Chapters:
    0:00 - Introduction
    01:07 - The TV dinner origin story
    04:33 - The need for speed
    06:41 - What’s next?
    Produced by: Kate Sammer
    Supervising Producer: Jeff Morganteen
    Graphics by: Alex Wood
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    How TV Dinners Changed The Way America Cooked, Forever

ความคิดเห็น • 643

  • @Ohmygodstfu2045
    @Ohmygodstfu2045 ปีที่แล้ว +1604

    Couldn’t imagine eating these for more then a fun treat on Friday.
    Grew up with Indian parents and my mom cooked and still cooks every day. I am very thankful for meals with fresh seasonal ingredients.

    • @SuperRedux
      @SuperRedux ปีที่แล้ว

      India ? Do they have food in India ? I thought most people in India can’t even afford food and are mostly beggars

    • @jasonnguyen9806
      @jasonnguyen9806 ปีที่แล้ว +51

      Congrats. If only people cared more about what you're thankful for

    • @suronjitkumar3006
      @suronjitkumar3006 ปีที่แล้ว +129

      Your mom shouldn’t cook every day, you and other family members should also cook as she doesn’t have to cook everyday

    • @draculastraphouse7863
      @draculastraphouse7863 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      If you already eat fresh food all the time, how is this a fun treat? It would seem like a downgrade

    • @DylanJo123
      @DylanJo123 ปีที่แล้ว +183

      ​@@suronjitkumar3006 We don't know the circumstance of OP's family. It's possible that they're a traditional household. As long as it was a consensual arrangement, we shouldn't impose our values and expectations on them.

  • @innerlocus
    @innerlocus ปีที่แล้ว +886

    No TV dinners in my house when growing up, thanks, mom.

    • @StampitisDP
      @StampitisDP ปีที่แล้ว +55

      You had a good mother growing up...

    • @innerlocus
      @innerlocus ปีที่แล้ว +49

      @@StampitisDP She said, after I wanted Wonder bread and not her home baked, someday you will appreciate my school lunches that she made.

    • @BetteStewart
      @BetteStewart ปีที่แล้ว +6

      But, the few times we had TV dinners, it seemed like a PARTY. Usually, the times were when my parents were out of town @ a Volleyball Tournament.

    • @KailuaChick
      @KailuaChick ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Same, I’m forever grateful to my mom for taking the time to cook and teach me how to cook.

    • @noob.168
      @noob.168 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      read the ingredients and you'll find a bunch of weird words. look at your mom's dinners and you'll find love!

  • @Initiallyleo
    @Initiallyleo ปีที่แล้ว +498

    For me, we usually had home cooked meals growing up, or takeout if no one felt up to cooking. Frozen dinners were a rare treat - the sort of thing that never really tasted good, but was kind of exciting for a kid who saw all the commercials and wanted that little brownie side.

    • @JoyofBooking
      @JoyofBooking ปีที่แล้ว +16

      They're disgusting 🤢 beginning of the processed food crisis in this country

    • @tristanbulluss9386
      @tristanbulluss9386 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Take out used to be good. It sucks ass now.

    • @DrBamWam
      @DrBamWam 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Be quiet silly little kid

    • @NazriB
      @NazriB 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Lies again? Polite Chef Dutch Indonesia

    • @huelu982
      @huelu982 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      These are fake foods scientists, in fact they’re not real, yet

  • @kc_1018
    @kc_1018 ปีที่แล้ว +416

    I'm Asian and my family rarely had these frozen tv dinners. Even though my mom is a working mom she made sure we had a good home cooked meal to eat every night. My parents grew up in a society where every morning you head out to the market to buy fresh food and ingredients to prep your dish for the evening, and that holds true today.

    • @Satiney88
      @Satiney88 ปีที่แล้ว +52

      It's great but I wish this wasn't a woman/mother's job in a lot more societies. We all learn how to cook in school, and we are all capable of helping each other.

    • @Dirkadew
      @Dirkadew ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @@Satiney88 well Becky some women enjoy cooking everyday and is their way of contributing.

    • @nothingwong
      @nothingwong ปีที่แล้ว +33

      @@Dirkadew you are missing the point but whatever makes you happy i guess.

    • @Ladyliberty_1776
      @Ladyliberty_1776 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      ​@@Satiney88 they teach you how to cook in school?

    • @boop9430
      @boop9430 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I’m Asian too but unfortunately my parents worked a lot when I was growing up so I had frozen dinners at least once a week, I’m in college now and still eat them because they’re cheaper than takeout and I can’t cook :(

  • @KailuaChick
    @KailuaChick ปีที่แล้ว +516

    My dad lives on Hungry Man and Swanson dinners yet he swears he doesn’t eat any processed food 🤦‍♀️

    • @ahamed4152
      @ahamed4152 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      Your father is a man of culture

    • @randomyoutubebrowser5217
      @randomyoutubebrowser5217 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I'm glad its not a big thing in Australia cost wise. A meal of bulked home cooked would be $3-4, Frozen meals would be 6-8 and take out would be 12-16. Frozen diners are right in between with a lot of downsides for all of the compromises. The only benefit is that it is just a bit cheaper than take out. For the price and size, its makes much more sense to just pay several dollars more to get way better tasting and larger servings of fresh food or bulk cook your meals and heat them up which is the same process anyway but with way better tasting, healthier and larger servings.

    • @awillis244
      @awillis244 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      😂

    • @Sirius_Boner
      @Sirius_Boner ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Based dad

    • @user-ti7me6yv7w
      @user-ti7me6yv7w ปีที่แล้ว +13

      “How can frozen food be processed food” - POV from majority who consume it

  • @est9949
    @est9949 ปีที่แล้ว +168

    These things literally saved me when I was out in a college overseas and got my leg broken in the middle of winter. One of my classmates did the grocery shopping for me, consisting of tv dinners, yogurt, bakery items and bananas. He dropped these off at my apartment weekly and it was a huge reason I survived that stressful period. I only had a microwave in my apartment and survived comfortably. Ngl I miss those meals sometimes they actually taste pretty decent. We don't have so many varieties of frozen dinner here in southeast Asia.

    • @TryinaD
      @TryinaD ปีที่แล้ว

      I became obsessed with eating them in Singapore lmao, maybe you should pay a visit

    • @marvin2678
      @marvin2678 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      you went back to asia from the usa ?

    • @pantherowow77
      @pantherowow77 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@marvin2678he never said he was from the US you dimwit. The world doesn't revolve around the US.

    • @pantherowow77
      @pantherowow77 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      What was your favorite frozen meal?

    • @inacircle6736
      @inacircle6736 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      That's a good friend

  • @anthonygordon9483
    @anthonygordon9483 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    I am surprised they didn't mention the high sodium in TV dinners.

    • @est9949
      @est9949 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah it's the reason I stopped eating them 😂

  • @dondrap513
    @dondrap513 ปีที่แล้ว +271

    As a stupid kid, I ate these things sometimes. As an adult, they're vomitous. A million milligrams of salt camouflaging the lowest quality grade F items legally allowed to be sold.

    • @nunyadambusiness3530
      @nunyadambusiness3530 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Well when the healthy options, and making meals from scratch start to cost significantly more each month, I'm starting to see myself try out some more and more microwave meals. Is it healthy by any means? No. But I'm 21, on a full-time low income, and also in trade school full-time, so I have minimal time & money to be spending on "quality" food. I know my body will regret it decades later, but this is how the system is set up. When all your waking hours are spent working & learning, studying & sleeping, it's extremely hard to find time to cook. When I do cook, its just usually a box of mac n cheese or a bowl of ramen or spaghetti lol, thats about all I can cook quickly, everything else will take a few hours of prep and so on. It's stupid, and I feel like a stupid kid lmao. Somebody teach me time management LMAO.

    • @sandrohernandez4401
      @sandrohernandez4401 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Dawg, at this point, I'm not even going to college 💀

    • @petertwining5729
      @petertwining5729 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      @@nunyadambusiness3530 actually that’s not quite true. I understand where you are coming from but you can cook a great casserole, healthy and good price in 30 mins prep and 45 cooking time. Do two different ones and you will have cooked enough for two weeks of meals. Put the rice on 10 min before the casserole comes out the oven and your good to go. Divide the casserole into containers and freeze them, preferably in glass. When you come home grab one for dinner microwave it, put some rice on and 20min later your good to go and healthy. You can prep and cook a meal in 15 mins as well even a healthy omelette and cheap. There’s a saying your genes load the gun and your lifestyle pulls the trigger.

    • @MrMcbear
      @MrMcbear ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Idk man, in a pinch hungry man has saved the day and their nuggets are chicken breast and not half bad lol

    • @randomyoutubebrowser5217
      @randomyoutubebrowser5217 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@nunyadambusiness3530 Much cheaper and way more healthier to do meal prep, especially if your taste are satisfied by mac and cheese or ramen/pasta. It all just takes a bit of practice and trial and error. Just expand out to pre-made sauces and add more fresh meat and veg to make it last 3-4 days easy. Experiment with some simple herbs/seasonings after that and see how you go. I just made a stir fried meal of 1kg of mince ($12 AUD), 1kg of long beans (About $8 AUD from a local grocer) and 7 eggs (About $3 AUD), thats 10 meals for $2.3 AUD each. Cook the mince through with whatever sauce, set aside. Stir fry the long beans with your choice of seasoning until almost tender and add the eggs in to fry up. Quick and easy, very hard to overcook. Serve with rice and supplement with fruits. This lasts us about 3 days, we bring it to work so we don't need to eat expensive take out, we eat it in front of the TV after a tiring day at work and with the dogs. It saves us enough money that we don't need to do this everyday. We have some cheat days where we dine out and limited ourself to one processed meal a week (something we cannot make ourselves like frozen pie or niche instant ramen that we supplement with an easy to cook fresh veg/protein on the side).

  • @DarianWade
    @DarianWade ปีที่แล้ว +151

    Really been enjoying these mini documentary type videos lately

    • @KiwiG2020
      @KiwiG2020 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Same same. I feel more educated, informed and the videos aren’t too lengthy.

    • @english8589
      @english8589 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      They got subtitles on every single video, allowing English learners to learn with ease.

    • @Nomorehats
      @Nomorehats ปีที่แล้ว +2

      this just feels like native advertising - cnbc loves blue apron. i think theyre a major shareholder

  • @pabl0sauced0
    @pabl0sauced0 ปีที่แล้ว +39

    This video started auto playing while I was taking my frozen chicken alfredo out of the microwave 💀

  • @aztronomy7457
    @aztronomy7457 ปีที่แล้ว +68

    My roommate in college used to have 20 of these stacked up in the freezer at all times. I gag thinking about how he survived on those for years 😂

  • @lzx868
    @lzx868 ปีที่แล้ว +71

    This is interesting - my family consumes both original meals cooked from raw ingredients (both my grandparents love cooking and are well-versed with cuisine from Sichuan, China where we are from) as well as using frozen foods, such as supermarket dumplings that are "pre-wrapped" and can be cooked and steamed at home. Original meals include our main courses, meat dishes, and vegetable dishes, while as mentioned frozen foods usually are dumplings or other foods that would otherwise need a lot of hands-on preparation, which obviously uses convenience. My grandfather used to wrap his own dumplings every weekend until I was around 10, but it was time-consuming and a bit tiring so we stopped around then.
    If I were to guess, I would say most American families probably do a similar mix of home-cooked meals and select frozen items that justify their convenience and time saved, as opposed to all original home-cooking or all frozen dinners (oh god, the thought of that lol). And I would argue that the frozen foods my family uses don't count as "TV dinners" because it is a single dish (then supplemented with our original home-cooking), rather than a pre-portioned cross-section of foods that can be microwaved together for an entire dinner.

    • @Mr.Patrick_Hung
      @Mr.Patrick_Hung ปีที่แล้ว +1

      From what have seen here in China, there are American TV dinners and similar things. However the cost of these frozen instant dinners is much higher than ordinary food.

  • @Truth-of-the-matter
    @Truth-of-the-matter 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +44

    The growth of frozen meals was definitely impacted as more women (who typically prepared the meals) were moving into the workforce. Nowadays while frozen meals are still prevalent there is definitely a trend with younger people returning to cooking after learning about the ingredients often used in hyper-processed foods. I myself enjoy cooking (mostly from scratch) and the only frozen meal I enjoy from time to time is a pizza. Cost wise you are definitely spending more on anything that's already prepared for you.

    • @Bananaaddict
      @Bananaaddict 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      True I recently started learning baking and cooking 3 years ago I learned so much about preparation and other skills and the bad effects of frozen food I only consume frozen food like chicken nuggets.

    • @williamadiputra2850
      @williamadiputra2850 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      for me it's not because of hyper processed food. that plays a factor but for me it's much simpler. real food tastes WAY better than processed food nowadays.

  • @SoapinTrucker
    @SoapinTrucker 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    In the 70's, my teenage years, tv dinners meant no dishes to do, a cool desert, and of course, Mom and Dad stressed out less! 😎👍

  • @freddyfriend5462
    @freddyfriend5462 ปีที่แล้ว +292

    I have noticed that food I cook myself never gives me satisfaction and full pleasure when I eat it. I always find food cooked by somebody else to be generally more tasty and desirable even if its ingredients are inferior to the ones used by me. It is a strange paradox but I cannot do anything about it.

    • @Nogogo29
      @Nogogo29 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      u aint the only one Freddy

    • @freddyfriend5462
      @freddyfriend5462 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@Nogogo29 thank you

    • @mamotalemankoe3775
      @mamotalemankoe3775 ปีที่แล้ว +90

      Skill issue

    • @KailuaChick
      @KailuaChick ปีที่แล้ว +62

      I’m the opposite. I feel like I enjoy my own food so much more than eating out.

    • @TomNook.
      @TomNook. ปีที่แล้ว +37

      This used to be me, then I learnt to cook

  • @diobrando6919
    @diobrando6919 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    As a bengali im grateful for the fresh dinners i had growing up.

  • @ivanr4300
    @ivanr4300 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Some of these frozen meals got me by when I was struggling
    I rather have these than cheap 711 food

  • @hbshined
    @hbshined ปีที่แล้ว +40

    I love this video and these types of videos. They're so fascinating

  • @martymorse2
    @martymorse2 ปีที่แล้ว +46

    This is where Tucker Carlson's wealth came from. Trust fund baby with the Swanson TV dinner family. Real man of the people that he pretends to be, I doubt he ever ate one during his conservative and very wealthy upbringing.

    • @FTBASTAR
      @FTBASTAR ปีที่แล้ว

      Dude is a bum

  • @baronvonjo1929
    @baronvonjo1929 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    TV dinners were never a big part of my life. We had a few of course. But it was maybe less than 10 times in my life and all when I was under the age of 10. I really don't know many people who do it. However of course people are buying them at stores so some folks still do it.
    Frozen foods don't really bother me. It's just the microwave dinners that are weird.
    It's really sad how most of us really don't know how top cook well, can afford good ingredients, and don't have the time to cook. That lady is right. No time for such things for most of us.

  • @Batmann29
    @Batmann29 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    Kid Cuisine was a big part of my childhood lol

    • @sandrohernandez4401
      @sandrohernandez4401 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I always wanted to try them out. When I did. I was so disappointed.

    • @kingrobotnik6950
      @kingrobotnik6950 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@sandrohernandez4401 they were not that great. I’d much prefer my mom to cook…

  • @TheNomadicFoodie
    @TheNomadicFoodie ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I used to love TV dinners from Hungry Man as a kid 😆

  • @rahulvinalnarayan9743
    @rahulvinalnarayan9743 ปีที่แล้ว +87

    So blessed to have organic home cooked meals when growing up. My mom was against all these processed food. Thank you mom

    • @Sammysapphira
      @Sammysapphira 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Wait until you find out all food is "processed"

    • @PeteS_1994
      @PeteS_1994 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@Sammysapphira However not ultra prosessed like modern non whole foods

    • @heroe1486
      @heroe1486 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​​@@Sammysapphira There is a difference between really processed "meat" and normal meat which is raw, sure depending on the quality animals could've been given low quality nutrition and tons of drugs but it's still better than ultra processed food

  • @stoundingresults
    @stoundingresults ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Most recent thanksgiving holidays I buy my Hungryman Turkey Dinner and stick it in the Freezer a week before. Hits the spot with a lot of butter and pepper. And I am truly grateful that day.

  • @jeffreytruong3056
    @jeffreytruong3056 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I worked at a skilled nursing facility. These tv dinners are widely used by older folks for easy to make meals

  • @jacobfalardeau676
    @jacobfalardeau676 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +25

    You know, as much as I love a nice home cooked meal and I'm glad that I don't eat nothing but frozen foods; I also think it's amazing that we live in a time where you can still have something resembling a decent meal even if you don't want to cook or spend any effort.

    • @pyramidblack
      @pyramidblack 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      how can you be glad of eating industrial waste?

  • @michaelkurtz1967
    @michaelkurtz1967 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Loved when Swanson had the cranberry apple cobbler with the turkey dinner.

  • @ArchieSB
    @ArchieSB ปีที่แล้ว +64

    Having Blue Apron talk about food innovation is like asking a Hindenburg engineer talk about aircraft safety.

    • @mframe360
      @mframe360 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      yep, just an ad for them

  • @user-jc5ll1rx3f
    @user-jc5ll1rx3f ปีที่แล้ว +70

    I grew up on tv dinners as my family was poor and I didn't realize it wasn't "normal" until some friends made fun of me for it and I got embarrassed that we ate them literally every day. Hey, some taste good and are filling though. It's way better than nothing!!!

    • @moin6077
      @moin6077 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Where I come from, a developing country, poor people don't get enough nutrition. So, it's way better than that.
      Sad story, but I hope you have home-cooked meals now or soon 👍🏻

    • @joy-ow4ey
      @joy-ow4ey ปีที่แล้ว +12

      I don't understand, how are tv dinners cheaper than cooking yourself??

    • @moin6077
      @moin6077 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@joy-ow4ey 1. They probably have multiple jobs.
      2. In a developed economy, shelf life matters more than cost of production.

    • @leesapham9207
      @leesapham9207 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@joy-ow4ey banquet meals, for example, are $1 per meal.

    • @lukasgerasymenko7608
      @lukasgerasymenko7608 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      One of the reasons why poor are poor. Isnt just basic raw material food cheaper than that garbage? :D Im a big guy, need a lot of nutrients. My house is full of 200kg of raw meat, legumes, cereals, potatoes, seeds and nuts and oils. All bought in larger quantity for very nice price. Im just going to farmer market for vegetable, fruit and cheese, to baker, bee keeper and to butcher for some nice ham, salami, sousages and pate. We have there oft discounts on pasterized milk, so every month i buy 46 litres for 20 bucks. Have a big garden with just lawn? Why? You can plant fruit and vegetable and keep few hens there. Your culture is about processed food, in my culture everyone know how to cook. Pizza for 10 bucks? Its so easy to do better pizza at home. For 10 bucks i rather go on 7 good big Czech beers to pub.

  • @skyscraperfan
    @skyscraperfan ปีที่แล้ว +32

    American food seems to be even worse than I thought.

    • @Charlie-zj3hw
      @Charlie-zj3hw ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Not all Americans eat the processed foods

    • @iamjohnporter67
      @iamjohnporter67 ปีที่แล้ว

      Healthy food is expensive to buy these days.

    • @bcrawfordiv
      @bcrawfordiv ปีที่แล้ว +4

      It really is. Preservatives and pre cooked food is so prevalent.

    • @freddyfriend5462
      @freddyfriend5462 ปีที่แล้ว

      only the third world countries eat fresh and naturally grown food.

    • @KailuaChick
      @KailuaChick ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Most of these meals are expensive too. Just buy a bag of frozen veggies and mix it with some rice and sauce. Costs the same as one tv dinner stirfry but you get several servings.

  • @jmesabeats5800
    @jmesabeats5800 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I was raised on TV dinners and now I prefer to stay away from them. I rather cook my protein, mash potatoes, and veggies without the extra preservatives, salt, and sugar. Plus, cooking from home tastes better.

    • @kingrobotnik6950
      @kingrobotnik6950 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Exactly, send all that stuff to starving people in Africa. They much appreciate it. Maybe make a stew or something

  • @junesilvermanb2979
    @junesilvermanb2979 ปีที่แล้ว +72

    Frozen meals are often heavily processed with extra salt and fat to make foods last longer.
    In addition, stabilizing the product for a long period typically means that companies will use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils for some items (typically dessert).
    Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are high in trans fats and are shown to adversely affect cardiovascular health.
    The dinners are almost always significantly less nutritious than fresh food and are formulated to remain edible after long periods of storage, thus often requiring preservatives such as butylated hydroxytoluene.
    There is, however, some variability between brands.
    In recent years, there has been a push by a number of independent manufacturers and retailers to make meals that are low in salt and fat and free of artificial additives.
    In the UK, most British supermarkets also produce their own "healthy eating" brands.
    Nearly all chilled or frozen ready meals sold in the UK are now clearly labeled with the salt, sugar and fat content and the recommended daily intake.
    Concern about obesity and government publicity initiatives (such as those by the Food Standards Agency and the National Health Service) have encouraged manufacturers to reduce the levels of salt and fat in ready prepared food.

    • @Wozza365
      @Wozza365 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      UK has a good selection of much better fresh "ready" meals from most supermarkets as well. They're often just marinated meat in sauce and won't have a long date on them, they also aren't cooked beforehand. Usually much lower in salt, fat, sugar etc. I used to have these a fair amount as a sort of middle ground because I'm lazy.
      I rarely see these kinds of meals available elsewhere in the world, only frozen ready stuff which I avoid.

    • @robertskolimowski7049
      @robertskolimowski7049 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Reducing the level of salt and fat is next to nothing given how highly processed and (chemical) additive-ridden those meals still are.

    • @Wozza365
      @Wozza365 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@robertskolimowski7049 the ones in the UK usually aren't too bad in that respect, especially if you go for the higher quality ones. I actually prefer they add more salt and fat than those things, at least you know what you're getting with salt and fat, we've been eating them for centuries and our bodies know what to do with them (within limits) but no one really knows the long term effects these chemicals are having
      Ever since watching stuff around "ultra processed foods" I've really changed my diet, buying so much more raw ingredients and because I'm lazy eating simpler meals that I make myself and at least know what's in them.
      I still have other stuff from time to time that has those chemicals, but hoping a big reduction in consumption of them will do me a favour in 30+ years.
      Ironically also noticed I've been naturally losing body weight slowly over time, I had a bit of a beer belly but almost nothing now, despite probably consuming more sugar and fat.

    • @Makalon102
      @Makalon102 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      And now we just have gross healthy food that's bland

  • @ghw7192
    @ghw7192 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    My mother loved cooking, but we might have a TV dinner if she'd had a busy day. I don't remember ever having take out growing up. Mom would sometimes heat chicken pot pies as she got older, but tv dinners were rare.

  • @paolaanimator
    @paolaanimator ปีที่แล้ว +11

    I don't think I ever had TV dinner growing up but I heard that the flavors are bland despite the high sodium content. When I did eat junk food like Cup Noodles (I thought they're tasty) my mom always warned me about the high sodium content so I eventually stopped. I like making soup so cutting off Cup Noodles wasn't too bad (might be better for my health to avoid all that salt). I'm grateful I grew up with my mom and step dad who both cooked delicious meals, although I did feel like there's too much food sometimes and I don't like having any food wasted. The cooked food leftovers would be saved in plastic containers so I can eat it the next day or next few days, I just warm it up in a microwave and eat it. I'm thinking if I ever live by myself, I'll cook the meals in the weekend and the leftovers will be eaten at work during the week (if a microwave is available at work). That way I can cook and save money. If I work remotely then I have more time to cook home meals that's fresh.

    • @ddoubleu170
      @ddoubleu170 ปีที่แล้ว

      You must be a kid. 😂
      I like your thinking though. Always aim high. ☝🏾🙏🏾

  • @marylove909
    @marylove909 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    We didn't have them very often, but it was fun when we did. I liked them better when they came in a metal tray for the oven.

    • @EojinsReviews
      @EojinsReviews ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Me too. Not very often at all, maybe a few times a year, but when we had it as a kid it was fun. Exciting, almost.
      Funny to see how the comments are so aggressively against it.. sure, living off of it is unhealthy, but it can be a good thing to have in your freezer as a snack or when you're really too busy to cook a meal.

  • @kyungshim6483
    @kyungshim6483 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Instead of eating commercially available frozen meals, I would do a version of meal preps that I saw people do on social media. Bulk buy the ingredients and batch cook three or four dishes, put them in serving containers and freeze them. Rinse and repeat except with different ingredients/dishes to create some variety. These meals will last several months in the freezer and the cost per meal will be surprisingly low.

  • @Vaish1304
    @Vaish1304 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    TV dinners are fine for once a week but can’t imagine having it everyday😅

  • @andreawallenberger2668
    @andreawallenberger2668 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    The biggest challenge of changing from oven to microwave is oven-dinners were sold in metal containers, but put a metal container in the microwave = armageddon. The technology of "cook-in" containers is probably a whole other episode 🤣

  • @jonjamesminer
    @jonjamesminer 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I always think of the Golden Girls when I see TV Dinners. Sophia calls television 'just a fad' and Dorothy replies "If Swanson thought television was just a fad, he would have named those Radio Dinners."

  • @vnrkain1169
    @vnrkain1169 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Quality convenience variety. And not a single word about nutrition. I am most grateful that I eat none of that garbage.

  • @seooooyo
    @seooooyo 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This was really interesting. Thank you CNBC.

  • @teegee7661
    @teegee7661 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Inflation sent prices up on these meals over 9 dollars for 1 meal..

    • @Lybrel
      @Lybrel ปีที่แล้ว +11

      Good. Half a TV meal is enough empty calories. Doubling the price of processed food would singlehandedly be the best thing to happen to American life expectancy.

    • @sandrohernandez4401
      @sandrohernandez4401 ปีที่แล้ว

      ​@@Lybrel low calories. High sodium.

  • @calmingnight3376
    @calmingnight3376 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I honestly just eat them because they are cheap and don't take long to make. Usually for a quick lunch. I make my dinners 9/10 if the time

  • @mackpines
    @mackpines ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I think TV dinners tasted better in an aluminum tray than a plastic one.

  • @MH-YouTube-Controlled
    @MH-YouTube-Controlled ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I remember TV dinners from the 1960's ... Swanson's Beef and potatoes. Tasted like beef, like McDonalds tastes like a hamburger; not exactly right but fun.

  • @ahsanarshad918
    @ahsanarshad918 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Living in sub continent, we have a Microwave and my mother only uses it just to heat the rice she cooks. Frozen food here is considered highly unhealthy.

  • @louiexiii9408
    @louiexiii9408 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    Let’s talk about how nasty those Kid Cuisine ones were yet we bugged our parents for them when the commercials came on lol

    • @SA-xt1gd
      @SA-xt1gd ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Those 2000’s commercials made me feel like i am missing out on life

  • @oliviao2238
    @oliviao2238 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Great video as always

  • @swenja761110
    @swenja761110 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Tv dinner is still fine for food alone, but people no longer gather around tv for dinner any more.

  • @drrd4127
    @drrd4127 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    We have frozen meals in Australia but those TV dinners are on another level 😲

  • @yodaisgod2
    @yodaisgod2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Sodium levels are very, very high.

    • @TheUnitedDrills
      @TheUnitedDrills ปีที่แล้ว +1

      SKY HIGH ☁️

    • @rockgod2131
      @rockgod2131 ปีที่แล้ว

      That's actually one of the least problematic things about them.

  • @c.eb.1216
    @c.eb.1216 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    You can make your own frozen meals when you have time in bulk and even store them in individually wrapped serving size. Just do your research on what freezes well. Just pop it in the microwave or even the oven. Best of both worlds.

    • @koenven7012
      @koenven7012 ปีที่แล้ว

      I do that when I'm making certain things. I live on my own, so it's often difficult to get ingredients for just one serving. And also making a large pot takes not much longer than just a small pot, so I make a large one and freeze the rest. For instance with spaghetti sauce. Make it once and the next 7-8 times you don't have to make it again and it goes a lot quicker (cook the spaghetti and microwave a serving of sauce taken out of the freezer).

  • @alberoDiSpazio
    @alberoDiSpazio ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It's late you're still in the office, you have a dead-line, you haven't eaten. Luckily for you the break room has a microwave and you remembered your Banquet Mega Bowl Country Fried Steak - which by the way is my favorite.
    "I rather have it and not need it , then need it and....starve."

  • @cookiesncream696
    @cookiesncream696 ปีที่แล้ว

    i ate this sometimes for lunch at the office. especially when i had to visit the remote office where lunch options are pretty limited.

  • @RexZShadow
    @RexZShadow 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I remember during the first year after moving to the US on Sunday me and my mom would have these TV dinner for dinner. We like pick up like 3 interesting ones to try. Would like never eat them now but good memories XD

  • @AA-iy4gm
    @AA-iy4gm ปีที่แล้ว +58

    Interesting topic and well done. The excuse the lady gave for 5 minutes meals is that people were busier than ever...be real it was for profit, banking on the fact that if people had the easy option most would go with it.
    We as people are inherently lazy, nothing to do with being so busy that out of the whole day you only have 5 minutes for dinner on a regular basis. I'm not talking about any potential exceptions because they are exceptions and not the rule. Remember this started before both parents had to work to provide basics, and when vacuums, dishwashers, washing machines became common and freed up time and energy. When dads spent time in bars or at games when not working and when helping with any chores was considered odd.
    Back then kind of like today people spent time watching movies, shows, reading magazines, and moms having regular gossip sessions etc. Today is worse for sure with social media, drive ins, and even less activity but you just explained how it all started. It's sometimes unfortunate how easily one corporation can set a trend for a whole society, but we as people play a part in it. It's not irreversible for an individual though, we can get better informed and start living better day by day.

    • @KC-dr3cg
      @KC-dr3cg ปีที่แล้ว

      Crazy to say that men spent money at the bars and on games instead of being at home are you kidding ?! My dad was a minister, His siblings were postal workers , farmers, NO ONE AT THE BAR!

    • @el-maiki
      @el-maiki ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@KC-dr3cg lol dude nobody is talking about your family, why do you take this personal? OP made a general statement to express how men in the past did not spend time doing domestic work

  • @MichaelGilmoreTV
    @MichaelGilmoreTV 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    That Fried Chicken TV Dinner be bussing💯, Ebonics for “damn good.” I tried others, but don’t like them👍🏿.

  • @FireEverLiving
    @FireEverLiving ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I'm very bullish on frozen food. The healthy brands of frozen meals are among the easiest, healthiest, and cheapest ways to eat healthy. Frozen food doesn't need chemical preservatives, and is often flash-frozen soon after harvest. It *can* be healthier and cheaper to cook for yourself, but most people don't know how to make healthy food, and they waste a lot of the ingredients they buy. Frozen meals produce no food waste. I don't do this currently, but for years I lived on just healthy frozen meals, healthy cereals like plain shredded wheat, and some fresh/frozen fruits/veggies.
    The leaders in healthy frozen food seem to be Conagra and Nestle. I've been particularly impressed by Conagra's innovation in this space, such as their larger-sized Birdseye Voila bags and their Healthy Choice meals in compostable paper bowls.

    • @user-jy7yw5kw3w
      @user-jy7yw5kw3w ปีที่แล้ว +1

      If you want to be impressed by a frozen meal try some of Trader Joe’s.

    • @baronvonjo1929
      @baronvonjo1929 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Lots of Frozen vegetables aren't that bad either. Better than stuff in the can. Fresh produce can be hard to manage at times.

  • @dentatusdentatus1592
    @dentatusdentatus1592 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I love me some tv dinners. 😋

  • @THECULTUREVISUAL
    @THECULTUREVISUAL ปีที่แล้ว +16

    As a latchkey kid, tv dinners were breakfast, lunch, AND dinner 😂

  • @Native722
    @Native722 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I love tv dinners!

  • @timberwolfe1645
    @timberwolfe1645 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    ONLY DO the trial version of meal kits. NO ONE should pay $120 a WEEK on meal kits that YOU STILL HAVE TO PREPARE!!!! They add the service cost as if they are the store, grower, shopper, AND a company. WAYYYYY overpriced

  • @Sacto1654
    @Sacto1654 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    TV dinners became such a threat that home appliance makers had to evolve. That's why we got microwaves, smaller kitchen top ovens, air fryers, the Instant Pot and even small induction cooktops.

    • @kingrobotnik6950
      @kingrobotnik6950 ปีที่แล้ว

      Sad thing is, that didn’t stop anything, just made the TV dinner people get smarter…

    • @Sacto1654
      @Sacto1654 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@kingrobotnik6950 I think the rise of TH-cam, especially once widescreen playback and videos longer than 10 minutes became viable, has driven a renewed interest in homemade food. Especially with all the home appliances I mentioned.

  • @LAPrado-fe9lm
    @LAPrado-fe9lm ปีที่แล้ว

    Watching this on my phone while eating breakfast 😅

  • @eddietat95
    @eddietat95 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    They're a huge deal for younger people with no family around (i.e. college students, military personnel, young professionals). Beats ordering fast food, especially at the ludicrous prices the food delivery apps charge.

    • @Wozza365
      @Wozza365 11 หลายเดือนก่อน

      If you're ordering and collecting fast food then not so much, because it's cheaper than delivery and at least you're getting a bit of exercise. I used to get takeaway a lot as a student, but usually involved some walking

  • @amazon4716
    @amazon4716 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Tied it once...
    Never again
    Eating out or cooking yourself is better.

    • @mrhand3350
      @mrhand3350 ปีที่แล้ว

      Italian say once: your place is trash can not my stomach

  • @gudrunbruemllst4172
    @gudrunbruemllst4172 ปีที่แล้ว

    Three weeks ago somebody cooked a casserole from Virginia. Priceless.

  • @gphillips3775
    @gphillips3775 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Even when cooking at home Americans reach for canned & packaged ingredients rather than fresh. This country is the most backwards when comes to food. Somehow the population is blind to this fact.

  • @material___
    @material___ ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you to my parents for not raising me on these highly processed pre cooked frozen tv dinners. I had home cooked meals, and learned to cook.

  • @vasiovasio
    @vasiovasio ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Does anyone know the Jazz composition's name at the end of the video?

  • @manowar4046
    @manowar4046 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The problem with all tv dinners is that the portions are way to small and they don't fill you up and they cost too much.

  • @The1stClassVillain
    @The1stClassVillain ปีที่แล้ว +3

    If it wasn’t for the microwave I would starve to death. Stouffers have the best frozen food

  • @carpediem8533
    @carpediem8533 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Its better to have frozen food than hungry and cold.

  • @ezervanzportillo2092
    @ezervanzportillo2092 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    “Sacrifice taste and texture for presentation” well that’s just sad

  • @davidmazza8714
    @davidmazza8714 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love tv dinners! 😃

  • @thugnasty1984
    @thugnasty1984 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The marie calendars chiken Alfredo is good .👍

  • @kentaroo.7759
    @kentaroo.7759 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Today, TV dinners are small portioned and are loaded with salt. I don't normally eat those, but only on rare occasions. I see people buy a lot, maybe because of the convenience or they can't or don't want to cook.

  • @Sohailali1
    @Sohailali1 ปีที่แล้ว

    I'm grateful to my mother for providing me with a hot home cooked meal with fresh ingredients. I doubt it can be done in this day and age. I did try those TV dinners twice maybe. It was good but I wouldn't want it every single day thrice a day

    • @jephrokimbo9050
      @jephrokimbo9050 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      yes, i grew up in the OLD SCHOOL. Mom cooked dinner 7 days a week and sometimes it was good and sometimes it was not so good but i can barely remember tv dinners as a child. maybe that odd time every once in a while. later in college i got them because they were quick easy and convenient. later on realized that they were bland processed and tasteless food.

  • @TheClipper7
    @TheClipper7 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    The TV dinner changed how people in north-america ate with a fork and knife to today simply just using a fork only !

  • @Vyzard
    @Vyzard ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Found it funny that the VP of Blue Apron can't be arsed to get a better mic

  • @carlosspeicywiener7018
    @carlosspeicywiener7018 ปีที่แล้ว

    Tv dinners are so ingrained in American culture that there's songs about them.

  • @tobbsnobb1366
    @tobbsnobb1366 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    sous vide also opened up doors for better quality quick meals.
    Here its really popular with refrigerated meals that have been prepared in sous vide that you just toss in the microwave for a couple of minutes. By no means a grand full meal, but good for those in a hurry or dont need much more.

  • @gibraelkotwal6894
    @gibraelkotwal6894 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I thank the innuit and the farmers to all the science that went into this, that we arent starving and always have more than one option to eat

  • @rkmugen
    @rkmugen 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I'm far from what science might consider a 'typical' American consumer. But I do love me a frozen Salisbury steak TV dinner, once, every 5 years.

  • @geostyma
    @geostyma ปีที่แล้ว

    I guess we aren’t tired of hearing the origin of tv dinners

  • @nicolenew1708
    @nicolenew1708 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    SUPER AMAZING

  • @daltonmooring2573
    @daltonmooring2573 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    i love tv dinners

  • @courtneypuzzo2502
    @courtneypuzzo2502 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    my mother cooked most nights when I was growing up unless her and dad were going out I.E. to someone's wedding or something. in that instance we'd either have a frozen dinner or a takeout pizza when I was a kid we lived on Chelsea street in East Boston and across the street from Santarpio's pizza's original location originally founded as a Bakery in 1903 closed and refounded as a Pizzaria in 1933

  • @gabrielamazurek8057
    @gabrielamazurek8057 ปีที่แล้ว

    I never knew such thing existed, never heard of TV dinner in Europe

  • @muzerhythm2242
    @muzerhythm2242 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Who else has ZZ Top "TV Dinners" runningin their head? "I even like the enchiladas and the teriyaki too...I even like the chicken is sauce isn't too blue"🤣🤣

  • @13cardenk
    @13cardenk ปีที่แล้ว

    @5:16 say what 😂

  • @teresaames7902
    @teresaames7902 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    By the time I was 8 I was cooking for my siblings. Gourmet? No! My parents worked so yeah we did TV dinners Swansons family meals pot pies over rice. It was either these or hot dogs every day! My kids liked kids cuisine but for my kids it was a treat. We were a military family and 1 chicken was 4 meals for our family of 7. TV dinners were 7 a meal when I could make a meal for half the price!

  • @sams3015
    @sams3015 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    My ex bf was Danish and grew up with the stereotypical Scandinavian Almond Mom. He never ate a frozen meal or used a microwave. It’s crazy, because in my house we did get proper home cooked meals but frozen dinners tied us over if mom or dad had to work late or were out

  • @itswhatitis277
    @itswhatitis277 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Fun Fact: Tucker Carlson is the heir to the Swanson frozen food empire

  • @amandarey2016
    @amandarey2016 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I didn't see any warning for a specialist about the damages that this type of ultraprocessed food can have. I know that is a video about the history of TV Dinners, but I just saw interviews with these companies employees from this food sector.

  • @ItsMaha
    @ItsMaha ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I can’t believe people actually like these things

  • @dinf591
    @dinf591 ปีที่แล้ว

    As a kid who heavily manuplated by hollywood image now I realized that by age 29 US of America is the biggest test lab in the world. The whole system aim about self destuctive,fast and meaningless living life while working so hard make their rich companies richer, even their eating habits got controlled. Maximum efficeny for a town house and a car.... rest is unhappy unhealthy depressed problematic lifestyle.
    I am still feeling so lucky that I grew up with fresh local rich and healthy Turkish cusine, My mom still cooks for daily. Matter fact its not just about to eating food also sitting with loved ones in the same table is the whole experience of feeding yourself and your soul.

  • @teytreet7358
    @teytreet7358 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I had these a lot. Thought they were fine. Except for value. They were quite expensive for the portion size.

  • @arveedibira2454
    @arveedibira2454 ปีที่แล้ว

    "push d buttons" by sugababes plays in d background😅😮

  • @jeffsmith8842
    @jeffsmith8842 ปีที่แล้ว

    Italian here........ .ate the potpies once in awhile....