B2 – Upper Intermediate
In the mid-20th century, a culinary revolution quietly unfolded in American homes, transforming the way families approached mealtime. Enter the TV dinner—a convenient, pre-packaged meal that brought together elements of innovation, efficiency, and, well, a dash of nostalgia.
No longer bound to the traditional confines of home-cooked dinners, Americans found themselves embracing the futuristic appeal of neatly compartmentalized trays filled with a medley of flavors. These frozen delights not only saved time, but also mirrored the changing dynamics of American life, where convenience became a key ingredient in the recipe for success. The TV dinner era not only changed the way America cooked, but also left an indelible mark on the cultural menu of the nation.
Watch the video to know how TV dinner changed the American cooking and be able to answer the questions below.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What is flash frozen meat? “Imagine opening a box of TV dinner and marveling at the flash frozen meat, perfectly preserved to retain its flavor and texture as if it was just prepared in a chef’s kitchen.” Make a sentence using this term.
- What does “pitch” mean in this sentence? “Borrowing from the concept of the ‘Strato-Plate’, Swanson salesman Gerry Tomas pitched an idea – preserve the turkey through flash freezing and sell it to consumers as a meal in a box.” Make a sentence using this word.
- What does expression “lauded” mean? “The innovation of TV dinners deserves to be lauded with praise for revolutionizing the way we approach mealtime, providing a quick and easy solution for busy households. Make a sentence using this word.
Discussion Questions:
- How do you think the advent of TV dinners impacted family dynamics around mealtime?
- In your opinion, do TV dinners represent a positive or negative shift in our approach to cooking and dining as a society? Explain your answer.
- What are your thoughts on the cultural significance of TV dinners and their influence on American culinary habits?
- How have TV dinners influenced the way we perceive and value traditional cooking skills in contemporary culture?
- In your opinion, do TV dinners promote a healthy or unhealthy relationship with food and eating habits?
2 replies on “TV Dinners Changed American Cooking”
1. What is **flash frozen meat**? “_Imagine opening a box of TV dinner and marveling at the **flash frozen meat**, perfectly preserved to retain its flavor and texture as if it was just prepared in a chef’s kitchen._” Make a sentence using this term.
In recent years many companies have emerged that offer you fresh cooked daily menu instead of frozen
2. What does “**pitch**” mean in this sentence? “_Borrowing from the concept of the ‘Strato-Plate’, Swanson salesman Gerry Tomas **pitched** an idea – preserve the turkey through flash freezing and sell it to consumers as a meal in a box._” Make a sentence using this word.
Elevator pitch is term famous in business for startups
3. What does expression **“lauded**” mean? “_The innovation of TV dinners deserves to be **lauded** with praise for revolutionizing the way we approach mealtime, providing a quick and easy solution for busy households._ Make a sentence using this word.
Although they are quite accomplished, I prefer home cooking to lauded TV dinner
**Discussion Questions:**
1. How do you think the advent of TV dinners impacted family dynamics around mealtime?
I’m not sure, but I guess more families could have dinner together and prepare the food quickly
2. In your opinion, do TV dinners represent a positive or negative shift in our approach to cooking and dining as a society? Explain your answer.
I think depends on the country’s culture, but In my opinion it more negative. At least in my country, cooking elaborated food is an art, and TV dinners goes against that.
3. What are your thoughts on the cultural significance of TV dinners and their influence on American culinary habits?
I think it was a new industry with influence throught TV and changed American culinary habits. In fact, nowadays everyone think they only eat junk food, even if it’s not true
4. How have TV dinners influenced the way we perceive and value traditional cooking skills in contemporary culture?
I think TV Dinners influenced a lot. Nowadays, few people take long time in cooking and making elaborated food. Even if they have enough time. Therefore, people who do it, are considered artists
5. In your opinion, do TV dinners promote a healthy or unhealthy relationship with food and eating habits?
In general, I think TV Dinners promote more unhealthy food than healthy, because even though they look like healthy, they really have many artificial ingredients.
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