TV Dinner

Eating in front of the television set became a way of life in the early 1950s for many Americans, including these mesmerized youngsters. By 1954, eating by “the tube” became easier than ever as supermarkets introduced TV dinners , which came packaged in a box designed to look like a TV screen.

The first TV dinner was made by Swanson and sold for 98 cents. It consisted of turkey, cornbread dressing and gravy, buttered peas and sweet potatoes – with each item placed in its own compartment. The aluminum tray could be heated in the oven and consumers, not to mention TV watchers, could eat the meal directly out of the same tray.

The two youngsters glued to the TV set in this Times image were photographed on June 28, 1951. The photo was published the next day with The Times article, “Educators Find TV Benefits Children; Some Early Adverse Effects Wear Off, They Say, Noting Widening of Horizons.”