We are moving toward the end of summer and harvest time seems to be in full swing at the local farmers’ markets. A modest investment in fresh produce turned into a couple days spinning circles in my tiny kitchen meal prepping for the next few weeks.
I always try to have something ready to eat on the days when I get home from dialysis. My scheduled time at the clinic is 11:30 which puts me back home around 5 in the afternoon. That’s the perfect time to start dinner except the last thing I want to do after dialysis is … well, anything.
During the summer I spend most of my cooking time in front of the grill on the patio. There it is easy to throw on extra of whatever I’m cooking and pack up a second meal that I would heat up for a future dialysis day dinner (DDD). In the winter, not unlike so many kitchens, mine plays host to casseroles, stews, and chilies. All yield multiple meals that can be refrigerated or frozen for use on those days when the thought of actually preparing a meal is more exhausting that actually preparing a meal.
But now we’ve entered that in between season. Eventually even I tire of my fabulous smoked chicken thighs with grilled zucchini planks and I’m not ready for Italian sausage and acorn squash casserole. What to do? Take some of that farmers’ market bounty and turn it into frozen dinners or sides. So yesterday I did just that, blanching beans, stuffing peppers, rolling cabbage leaves, and more. Now I have a freezer full of DDDs.
The Original
What makes any of this blog worthy? Because today celebrates the birthday of the classic American frozen dinner, Swanson TV Dinner. Yep, Sept 10, 1953 the frozen turkey dinner hit the markets and Swanson figured they’d sell maybe 5,000 of them. The first year they sold over 10 million dinners and created a new market niche.
In 1962 Swanson stopped labeling them as the “TV Dinner” but the term stuck and anybody who ever adjusted a pair of rabbit ears (go ask your grandfather) still calls any frozen meal a TV dinner.
So I’m happy to say I have celebrated National TV Dinner Day with gusto and with gustatory appropriateness (or appropriate gustatoriness).
And it’s been a pleasure to post about anything actually older than me!
The Real Reality Show Blog 
OMG! I may have to go buy one (yeah, they still make them) to celebrate. I’ve spent a few nights with those old friends but I imagine your DIY dinners are a lot better. Thanks for stirring the memories!
Glad I could be of service. Now we need a TV dinner emoji
I lived on TV dinners when I was working 12 hour overnight shifts. After work, commute, grooming, sleep and kids, I barely had enough time to step into the kitchen, let alone actually cook. I’m surprised I survived the 90’s.
I’m equally surprised my son survived growing up in the 90’s. Probably why he’s still thin as a rail.
Today, I can’t remember the last time I pulled a box out of the freezer and popped it in the microwave for a meal.
Congratulations on making it to the 21st century! We’re all better for it!