In 1954, Swanson® responded to two post-war trends: the lure of time-saving modern appliances and the fascination with the latest innovation, the television. More than 10 million TV dinners were sold during the first year of Swanson’s national distribution. For $.98 per dinner, customers were able to choose among Salisbury steak, meatloaf, fried chicken, or turkey, served with potatoes and bright green peas; special desserts were added later. The food groups were displayed neatly in a divided metal tray. A representative tray was placed in the Smithsonian Institution in 1987 to commemorate the trays’ impact on American culture. Celebrity figures from Howdy Doody to President Eisenhower touted the dinners.

Swanson removed the name TV Dinner, from the packaging in the 60s, and has since introduced lighter fare in microwave-safe trays. Swanson TV Dinners still remain in the public conscience as the dinner phenomenon of the 50s that grew up with television.