Postwar Processed Convenience Foods in the United States (1945-1975)

1. Minute Rice released commercially by General Foods

   Jan 1, 1946Labels: Minute Rice, General Foods

   • Minute Rice

2. McDonald brothers introduce “Speedee Service System”

   Jan 1, 1948Labels: McDonald brothers, Speedee Service

   • LoC Guide
   • History com

3. Betty Crocker expands postwar cake-mix line

   Jan 1, 1948Labels: Betty Crocker, General Mills

   • General Mills
   • Food Timeline

4. Ore-Ida develops Tater Tots from potato scraps

   Jan 1, 1953Labels: Ore-Ida, Tater Tots

   • AP News
   • Tater Tots

5. Swanson markets TV dinners nationally

   Sep 1, 1953Labels: Swanson, TV dinner

   • Library Congress
   • EBSCO

6. Tappan RL-1 launches early home microwave cooking

   Jan 1, 1955Labels: Tappan RL-1, Tappan

   • Smithsonian
   • IEEE Spectrum

7. Campbell Soup acquires Swanson

   Apr 1, 1955Labels: Campbell Soup, Swanson

   • Swanson

8. Tater Tots offered commercially in U.S. stores

   Jan 1, 1956Labels: Tater Tots, Ore-Ida

   • Tater Tots
   • AP News

9. Tang developed and later sold as powdered drink mix

   Jan 1, 1959Labels: Tang, General Foods

   • Food Wine
   • Tang FR

10. Frozen pizza manufacturing begins at Totino’s plant

    Jan 1, 1962Labels: Totino s, frozen pizza

    • CNBC
    • Totino s

11. Commercial production of high-fructose corn syrup begins

    Jan 1, 1964Labels: high-fructose corn, HFCS

    • HFCS

12. McDonald’s switches from fresh to frozen fries

    Jan 1, 1966Labels: McDonald s, french fries

    • TIME

13. Amana introduces countertop Radarange for home kitchens

    Jan 1, 1967Labels: Amana Radarange, Amana

    • IEEE Spectrum
    • Percy Spencer

14. Hamburger Helper introduced regionally, then nationally

    Aug 1, 1971Labels: Hamburger Helper, General Mills

    • Hamburger Helper

15. Totino’s frozen pizza business sold to Pillsbury

    Jan 1, 1975Labels: Totino s, Pillsbury

    • Totino s
    • CNBC