This has been one of those weeks from he… with people not doing what they should or not wanting to follow through. I’m ready to throw in the towel and move far far far away where no, one could find me. The only problem with that is finances and David would want to come with me.

As much as I love him I need time to myself just as he does. With this morning being National TV Dinner Day I’ve decided everyone can go to Walmart this evening and pick up a TV Dinner they want for dinner.

Then they can come home and make the dinner in the microwave because I refuse to cook and since David is going through the same feelings I’m not going to let him cook for everyone. He needs a nite of rest.

I have a question for you. What Would Be in Your Perfect TV Dinner? Did you celebrate September 10 which was National TV Dinner Day! Because I missed it somehow someway. But you can bet your bottom dollar I’m adding it to my calendar to celebrate next year withy.

I don’t know about for you but for me there is something about the words TV dinner that can take you right back in time. Before everyone had a microwave sitting on the kitchen counter, before frozen meals came in endless varieties, and before dinner was something we could heat up in a couple of minutes, there was something special about those little compartmentalized dinners.

You had your main dish, your vegetable, your potatoes or another side, and sometimes a little dessert tucked into its own section. And then there was the best part: You could eat your dinner while watching television! For many families, that was a treat.

TV dinners have changed quite a bit over the years but I was wondering if you used to eat tv dinners when the came in aluminum trays? Back them the original frozen dinners were heated in an oven, often in their familiar foil trays.

Eventually, microwaveable frozen dinners became the norm, but those old-fashioned TV dinners have a special place in many people’s memories. I can still remember the excitement of having a dinner that felt a little different from an ordinary family meal.

There was something about opening that tray and seeing all the little compartments. And, of course, everyone had their favorite part. Maybe you always ate the dessert first or you might have started with the potatoes which David says were the best part.

Maybe you couldn’t stand the peas and tried to leave them until the very end! Or you didn’t eat them at all like David and Gerald. Now this is where I want to hear from you. What was your favorite TV dinner growing up?

Was it a classic meat-and-potatoes dinner? A fried chicken dinner? A turkey dinner? A Mexican-style frozen dinner? Or was there a particular brand or meal that your family bought over and over? Some frozen dinners have disappeared from grocery store shelves, and sometimes you don’t realize how much you liked something until it is gone.

Think about the frozen dinner that was your family’s staple. Maybe you haven’t seen it in years. Maybe you can still remember exactly what it tasted like. Maybe you even remember the packaging. Tell us about it! And if you could bring back one discontinued TV dinner today, what would it be?

Now let’s have some fun. Forget about what is actually available in the freezer aisle. You get to create your own TV dinner! What would you put in those little compartments? Why did you choose what you choose? Would your family eat it?

My Perfect TV Dinner

Main Dish:

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Side Dish:

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Vegetable:

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Dessert:

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Something Extra:

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Would you make yours traditional? Maybe you’d choose fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and a brownie. Or perhaps you’d go completely modern. Pizza? Mac and cheese? Chicken nuggets? A cookie? There are no rules!

Now, that you have your meal I thought I would share a fun activity for kids. Give each child a pretend TV dinner tray and let them design their own meal. They can draw their food in each compartment, color it, and give their dinner a name.

The important rule: this is a pretend TV dinner tray — don’t put food in a foil tray and try to cook it in the microwave. Instead, let the kids use their imagination.

They can create:

📺 The Superhero TV Dinner
🍗 The Chicken Lover’s TV Dinner
🍕 The Pizza Party TV Dinner
🍫 The Dessert First TV Dinner
🎮 The Gamer’s TV Dinner

Or let them invent something completely ridiculous!

When our family would have tv dinners for dinner the television was half the fun. So here’s another question: What did you watch while eating your TV dinner? Was it a favorite sitcom? A cartoon? A western? A game show? A family program? Or whatever happened to be on?

For some families, eating dinner in front of the television probably wasn’t an everyday occurrence. That’s part of what made it special. Today, families have televisions in multiple rooms, phones, tablets and streaming services. Back then, gathering around the television with a special dinner could feel like an event.

The TV Dinner Memory Test: Let’s see how many of these bring back memories:

☐ Eating dinner on a TV tray
☐ Waiting for your food to finish heating
☐ Having to let the tray cool down
☐ Trying not to burn your mouth
☐ Saving the dessert for last
☐ Eating the vegetable first because you had to
☐ Watching your favorite television show
☐ Fighting over what everyone was going to watch
☐ Having a TV dinner as a special treat
☐ Remembering a frozen dinner that isn’t sold anymore

How many did you check?

I thought we might do a challenge. Tonight, why not have your own TV Dinner Night? You don’t even need an actual frozen dinner. Make everyone’s favorite meal, put the food into separate little sections on a plate or tray, and let everyone choose something to watch together.

For families with children, let them design their dream TV dinner first. For adults, make it a nostalgia night. Ask your parents or grandparents what TV dinners they remember. And if you have an older family member who remembers the early days of TV dinners, ask them what they ate and what they watched. You might hear a story you’ve never heard before.

Now Let’s Talk TV Dinners! What was your favorite TV dinner? What’s one TV dinner you wish would come back? What would you put in your perfect TV dinner today? And perhaps most importantly… What would you watch while eating it?

Leave your answers in the comments. I would love to hear what everyone remembers!

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that bring back the biggest memories. A little frozen dinner. A television. A TV tray. And time together.

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

GreatfulMoments.com

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates