The Irony of My TV Dinner
For the past 5 days I’ve been staying with Matt in his new apartment (I’m moving into mine on Friday). All of my belongings are at the old condo so I just brought over enough clothes for the week and nothing else. Since I’m technically a guest in his place, I didn’t want to hog up (and mess up) the kitchen so I didn’t buy much food, either.
Last night I had class and didn’t get home until around 8PM. With no food in the house I opted to go to the local convenience store and pick up something for dinner. I selected the Swanson’s chicken, mashed potato, corn and brownie TV dinner. Five minutes in the microwave and my nutritious nuclear meal was prepared. It was then I realized the irony of having a TV dinner without a TV to watch (since I screwed up Matt’s cable installation date).
And, seeing as this sight is called “Adventures in Gastronomy” (and was initially created to showcase my meal preparation habits in an effort to humiliate me into cooking more creative things), I’m going to provide you with a review of my meal last night!
First, this was the first frozen dinner I’ve had in probably a decade (or more). True, I’ve purchased frozen vegetables or frozen chicken in the past, but they were separate. I’d not purchased an entire meal wrapped into one package. Second, I hate microwaves. I never use them. In fact, Matt and I went years without microwaves (and only had one in our last condo because it was built-in over the oven). We mostly used it to store breads and cookies so they didn’t get stale.
But my Swanson’s meal was quite yummy. And at only $3.49 (convenience store price…probably even less at a supermarket), I was pleasantly surprised to realize I was full when I finished. And it was reasonably healthy, too (the corn was plain…not in a butter sauce). This could be a good (and inexpensive) option for me on nights when I have class and get home late. But now I’m thinking how tragic it could be that I’m not even living on my own yet and I’m already resorting to frozen dinners. Next thing you know I’ll be wearing wife-beaters and boxer-shorts while watching wrestling on TV. But at least then my TV dinner will make sense.
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Darling Snarl,
Could I just point out that fried chicken is never healthy, even when the accompanying corn is sans butter sauce, unless you are comparing it to , say, a fried COW or something. You are a bloody genius, and creative and marvelous and I cannot fathom why you are resorting to frozen dinners unless you are just determined to plant your feet in Misery, Population You, and make this sort of self-fulfilling, self-defeatist, depression thing a total success.
I guess I can appreciate your intention of not wanting to clutter Matt’s digs, but for Crissakes, he’s not a stranger, he’s still Matt and he will understand if you want a proper meal. SO FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, AT THE VERY LEAST GO BUY A ROTISSERIE CHICKEN NEXT TIME. And if I catch you in a wife beater, we are going to have words.
Wink wink. xxoo – k
this is like your Old Navy rut. youll sacrifice quality for price and convenience.
instead of stopping for food at Boston Market/Panera/Corner Bakery/Cosi/Pret-a-Manger/Potbelly/Baja Fresh for some freshly-made sandwiches with a side salad or steamed vegetables, youll go to a convenience store and buy, basically, canned food.
your body is a temple, please dont litter it with garbage.
Yes! Yes! I agree with Karyn and Chris!!!
You are being a complete goober.
Swansons for heavens sakes. Gross!!
TV Trailer Trash Dinner is more like it.
At least you could have bought a weight watchers or lean cuisine or something.
I don’t even want to think of the sodium……..
David in Boston
I have no quarrel with you for eating a TV dinner. It probably was healthier than many other options you could have had, and certainly cheaper, and possibly more convenient.
Oh my…the judgements are flying furiously today.
Don’t feel bad about the occasional TV dinner. They can be convenient and some are pretty tasy. Just don’t make a habit of it. They tend to have incredibly high sodium content.
I was partly raised on Swanson TV dinners by my parents and vowed NEVER to have another in my entire life, a vow to which I have remained faithful ever since.
On the other hand, you might look really hunky in “tank top underwear” (an unbearably PC euphemism for you-know-what)!
While I won’t comment on your amusing “frozen dinners are reasonably healthy” remark, I will say I find white tank tops pretty sexy…
yeah, you know, a tv dinner is probably about as healthy as fast food. of course, I am one to talk. I do not even know why I have a kitchen.
Oh my. “TV Dinner” is such an outdated phrase. These are now “frozen dinners” or “frozen meals”. Frozen meals can be terribly convenient and inexpensive. True, one must watch the sodium content. But the plus side to many a frozen meal is having a balanced meal (different food groups), and portion control.
You’re so fun-knee Karl.. and I bet you look HOT in a wifebeater!!!