America’s frozen food aisles wouldn’t be so crowded if it weren’t for TV dinners.
Our desire for comfort in the kitchen has fueled a wave of food innovation, and it all started with dinner in front of the TV. The television dinner’s promise of a hot, ready meal in less than 25 minutes laid the groundwork for convenience-oriented dining options to become the norm today.
“Food will always be important to consumers,” said Phyllis Levy, the company’s former executive director of new businesses Campbell Soup Company. “People are busier than ever.
Frozen foods were among the fastest growing food categories during the Covid-19 pandemic, $72.2 billion in retail sales in 2022which is a nearly 31% increase compared to 2019. Along with growing demand for frozen foods, new products such as meal kits have highlighted America’s growing appetite for more modern forms of convenience.
Watch this video to learn how TV dinners ushered in a new age of convenience in American kitchens and led to a boom in frozen food sales during the pandemic.
