Ever crave those ole tv dinners?

[Nefarious]

All way too expensive for my family when I was a kid, never had anything like them until I left home for the military and lived off base.

 

[xray]

We were never big into the Hungryman dinners where you had a few things in the tv tray but we grew up on the Banquet Salisbury Steak and Chicken Parm dinners.

Hell, I still love the Stouffer’s Vegetable Lasagna and we have it on occasion when my wife’s younger sister visits and stays the weekend with us. That and plain Stovetop stuffing are guilty for pleasures.

 

[zwiller]

All way too expensive for my family when I was a kid

Similar here. We only got TV dinners once in a great while and it was like for good grades or something special. We never had any of the stuff my buds had like Rice O Roni, Hamburger Helper, or even Manwich. That said, we always had good meals and a desert. Usually chocolate pudding. I've told this to a few people and they mostly don't believe me: We killed a gallon a milk a day when were young.

 

[negolien]

Stuff got out of hand today LOL

 

[negolien]

yum

 

[Cody_Mack]

I like the enchiladas and the teriyaki too
I even like the chicken if the sauce is not too blue

 

[JLeonard]

yum

Dang bud! That looks good.
Jim

 

[noboundaries]

I remember a time when we regularly ate TV dinners. I liked the sliced turkey and gravy the best, but my dad hated anything poultry so mom only served those when he traveled. Salisbury steak was a close second. I absolutely LOVED the dessert portion, especially the apple pie.

Dad refused to eat leftovers until his dying day. I suspect that's a big reason mom bought them. No fuss. No leftovers.

I don't think I could bring myself to buy one nowadays for me, but my work-from-home wife is always looking for quick lunches. Pot pies work for her. Might have to try slipping a TV dinner in the mix.

 

[Inscrutable]

Wife ended up getting a job in the kitchen there and there is indeed a notebook with all the school recipes in it.

I would kill for the recipe for the peanut butter sauce served on Dixie ice cream cups in elementary school. I make a Friendly’s clone, but still not as good.

 

[bill ace 350]

Never liked them.
Even some C-Rats, T-Rats and MREs are much better.

 

[mneeley490]

i used to love the Swanson turkey dinners , over the years they changed them some much that they just don't taste as good as they did

Maybe you miss that tang from the aluminum trays?

Banquet fried chicken is still good, but not cheap anymore.
Anyone remember the 70's Libbyland Dinners for kids?

Even as a kid, I thought they were pretty bad.

 

[WaterRat]

Funny, I’ve been watching “Worst Cooks in America - Celebrity Edition” and they had them cook a lookalike salisbury steak TV dinner since the contestants were all on 90s tv shows. Pretty funny show, good laughs, I’m not sure how some of them tie their shoes, handing them a mandolin had me cringing

 

[gmc2003]

Funny, I’ve been watching “Worst Cooks in America - Celebrity Edition” and they had them cook a lookalike salisbury steak TV dinner since the contestants were all on 90s tv shows. Pretty funny show, good laughs, I’m not sure how some of them tie their shoes, handing them a mandolin had me cringing

I'm betting that they wear either slip-ons or velcro.

Chris

 

[mneeley490]

I'm betting that they wear either slip-ons or velcro.

Chris

Crocs.

 

[gmc2003]

Crocs.

Be careful there mneeley490 I wear crocs on my days off. After 12hr. shifts my feet need a rest.

Chris

 

[Cody_Mack]

I like the enchiladas and the teriyaki too
I even like the chicken if the sauce is not too blue

Well I thought at least a couple of you would get the ZZ Top reference...

 

[Fueling Around]

If I ever have a yen for a TV dinner, I make a batch of mashed potatoes from flakes or go to the Colonel for one of their bowls.

Well I thought at least a couple of you would get the ZZ Top reference...

Sorry missed it. RIP Dusty Hill

 

[noboundaries]

Well, what'a ya know. TV dinners just became one of my wife's quick lunch choices. All thanks to this thread.

 

[negolien]

I ended up making three kinds of beefaroni basically lol. Baked with shredded cheese and parmesan, noodle less for stuffed bell pepper and I made beefaroni with rigatoni pasta. I blame the whiskey lol

 

[zwiller]

Haha. All the names for this dish. THAT is called rigatoni here and is served with bread with peanut butter. Looks great!

I would kill for the recipe for the peanut butter sauce served on Dixie ice cream cups in elementary school. I make a Friendly’s clone, but still not as good.

I asked and sorry not something our school did. I will tell you the recipes are SIMPLE. One of things I wanted was the "white sauce" and it's cream of chicken soup made with milk but a little less. I love trying to find out stuff like this and dug a little. Some good ideas here and they are simple so a good start. I was going to tell you to call the school but school health regs were put into place so I doubt they serve that anymore. Those glorious rectangular school pizzas we had are horrible now due to the new regs. Good luck.