Why You Don't See Swanson's Frozen TV Dinners Around Anymore

Mention the phrase "Swanson TV dinner" and you're likely to make any boomer within earshot smile and ask, "Whatever happened to them?" in the same way they'd ask about any long out-of-the-limelight star from the Golden Age of Television. They'll think fondly of sitting with their family around the television set, silver trays placed on a folding table, digging into sliced turkey, cornbread stuffing, and sweet potatoes. But even though one of those silver trays is in the collection at the Smithsonian Institution and Barbra Streisand once told the New Yorker "The best fried chicken I know comes with a TV dinner," Swanson dinners barely eked past their 50th birthday. Copycat brands, microwave ovens, and the desire for healthier and higher quality meals made TV dinners as obsolete as some of boomers' favorite television shows.

The origin story of TV dinners is a little murky. What we do know is the dinners were introduced to the public in the early 1950s by C.A. Swanson & Sons after the frozen poultry supplier was left with an excess of turkey. Depending on who you ask, either one of the founders' two sons or an innovative employee thought of packaging the turkey in one of the sectioned trays used by the military or the airlines, with two sides. At a time when the number of homes with television sets had jumped from 9% to 65% in just a few years, the meals were an instant hit.

The Swanson brothers tried to keep up with the times, even dropping the phrase "TV dinner" in the early 1960s to expand the market. During the same decade, the company added a dessert compartment to the meals, introduced international-style meals, and breakfast. In the 1970s, the brand added "Hungry Man" dinners to meet the demand of bachelors living on their own. Even in the 1980s, the company focused on innovation. With families now using microwaves instead of ovens, the brand traded in the aluminum tray for a microwavable alternative and sales continued to grow.

But American tastes in frozen foods were changing. In the 1990s, health-conscious consumers flocked to brands like Lean Cuisine, which promised convenience and health, and those that offered fresher ingredients, fewer preservatives, authentic international foods, and partnerships with celebrity chefs. Swanson dinners couldn't compete with the likes of Korean style short-ribs, the most expensive frozen meal at Trader Joe's. Campbell's, which now owned Swanson, spun it off along with other brands into a company that eventually became Pinnacle Foods. After a failed attempt at reviving the brand, Pinnacle stopped selling Swanson frozen foods in 2010, citing a decline in sales in the face of heavy competition.

If you're really craving the Swanson turkey dinner, there is some good news. After Pinnacle was sold to ConAgra in 2018, frozen food sales started surging, and consumers started upgrading frozen foods with high quality ingredients, the latter company resurrected the brand. Under ConAgra, Swanson now offers frozen dinners, as well as pot pies, skillet meals, a line of ready-to-roast frozen vegetables called Oven Roasters, sauced and seasoned vegetable side dishes, and oven-ready meals. And yes, there is a turkey dinner including mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, stuffing, and a brownie for dessert.