Why were TV Dinners called so?

I'm with them. They were designed to eat in front of the TV, on one of those rickety trays that everybody had a set of!!!

The answer does not say it was not designed to be eating in front of a TV which of course it was

Just a theory there is no right or wrong answer...a more appropriate answer would that they were eating them in front of a tv...

Maybe in the 1960s but the first trays were heated in ovens on metal trays and were used as a convenience for active familiies (grandma hated them). The idea that they were made exclusively to eat in front of a TV came from the consumer themselves.. Not a wrong answer but the intention at the time of it's creation had nothing to do with watching TV as the family still believed in gathering and dining at the table. The original name was ' TV Brand Frozen Dinner' (circa: 1953, C. A. Swanson and sons) which at the time less than 50% of homes had a TV (up to 55.7 by 1954 then ballooned to 90% by 1962). Though the first TV trays were introduced a year before the TV dinners and were used to dine while watching TV (exclusively for the well off).. The trays were quite bulky and expensive (in 1950 terms) while the dinners were sold at 98¢.. It wasn't until the late 50's - early 60's when both TV and the trays were affordable for most every home thus grandma lost her lofty position except on holidays..

I was there when they were created. They were designed to be eaten in front of the tv on a tv tray. You must remember what a tv tray was. It unfolded into a small table.

I love it when we correct the author :-)

Jmz N Nesky while many did not have tv's in 1954. Thr dinner was for those who did .the ads camebon tv showing happy family eating in the living room watching the rabbit eared tv

The general public did not have TV sets in the ‘20s, ‘30s or ‘40s. Radio was King. In the early ‘50s, TV really took off in the mass market and so did the concept of the TV dinner sitting on a TV tray in front of the TV. The shape had nothing to do with the connection.

Never had them here, but they look gross

They look disgusting 🤢 we always turned off the tv at dinner time so we would talk about our day, a habit we kept until the children left home.

Swanson coined the term to capitalize on the fact more people were buying televisions and wanting to eat while watching them

I remember them and they were revolting and I will eat just about anything

Is there anybody who thinks the posted answer is correct?? Come on!!

Mr. fcowell, your answer and explanation is a work of FICTION. I looked up wikipedia (TV dinner) which you seemed to have referenced and quoted but nowhere there does it say that, "As to the name TV dinner, it comes from the form of a tray that resembled a TV set"..

Disagree! Our original TV dinners did not look like the one in your picture and it did not look like a TV! It was more of a rectangular shape!

Need easier questions

NOT a definitive answer; that is an opinion

TV dinners where created to be eaten in front of the television, along with the TV table on which the dinners where eaten on.

This answer is wrong. I remember when these came out. There was one flavor, chicken, mashed potatoes and peas. The selling point from the beginning was that a busy housewife could heat them in the oven, and the family could eat them in front of the black and white, 15 inch, Television set. About this time came tv tables,so you didn't even have leave your new recliner.

We bought just for fun, to eat in front of the TV

I always thought they were called TV dinners due to being marked as dinners specifically designed for eating in front of the TV. Oh well.

I also disagree with this answer. While the tray may have the shape of an old TV the primary reason for the names was that they were to be eaten in front of the TV.