Thanksgiving Dinner

The last thing I think about eating for Thanksgiving dinner is a Lean Cuisine, but here we are. Legend has it that our beloved TV dinner came from, you betcha, Thanksgiving leftovers. Am I surprised? No. My grandma was a child of the Great Depression. You should’ve seen the things she could do with leftovers.

In Omaha, Nebraska, Carl Swanson was hard at work in a grocery store when he was presented with an opportunity: going into business with a friend who processed eggs and cream from local farmers into butter for larger distribution. Our man Carl expanded that business into processing chicken and turkey, and oven-ready pot pies. Yum. He eventually bought his partner out, hired his sons, and the rest is Swanson Company history.

Legend has it that in 1953 Swanson’s Thanksgiving turkey sales were a little disappointing. And what do you do when you have hundreds of turkeys on your hands the day after Thanksgiving? You make the first TV dinner.

Taking its lead from airplane meals (anybody remember those?), the first TV dinner had individualized compartments for turkey, cornbread stuffing, peas, and sweet potatoes. And of course, you could eat it in front of the TV.

So what better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than a TV dinner made of slime? It’s everything but edible! Just plop down in front of the TV, open the tray, and play. Don’t be surprised if you’ll need a little leftover snack at some point, this TV dinner smells just like the real deal.

Check out our Retro TV Dinner Slime Kit.