Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Hi everyone! In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm taking a look back at four convenience foods that made getting Thanksgiving dinner on the table faster and easier than ever before.
Sources:
“A Perfect Dinner,” Mrs. Fred Field, Ladies Magazine, Dec 1, 1891 (via newspapers.com)
“Round the Thanksgiving Dinner Table,” Great Falls Tribune, Nov 23, 1902 (via newspapers.com)
“Help for Your Thanksgiving Dinner,” Lewisburg Journal, Nov 19, 1926 (via newspapers.com)
“Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce,” Ad, The Boston Globe, Dec 3, 1928 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberry Canners Form Big Merger,” The Morning Post, Mar 10, 1930 (via newspapers.com)
“Process Perfected to Can Cranberries,” Wausau Daily Herald, Nov 10, 1930 (via newspapers.com)
“Skeffington Says: Cranberry Co-Op,” Democrat and Chronicle, Nov 24, 1941 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberries: He Grows Them,” Jean Libman Block, The Baltimore Sun, Nov 14, 1948 (via newspapers.com)
“Really Not So Many Berries Poisoned, Says Cranberry Man,” Tom Henshaw, The Herald-News, Nov 25, 1959 (via newspapers.com)
“Marcus L. Urann Dead at 89; A Leading Cranberry Grower,” The New York Times, Apr 5, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Fans Cherish Shape, Taste of Canned Cranberry Sauce,” The Rock Island Argus, Nov 25, 2011 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberry Sauce Stats,” Ocean Spray Press Releases, Sep 30, 2017 (news.oceanspray.com/2017-09-30-cranberry-sauce-stats)
“Food Dehydration Technology,” American Chemical Society, 2007 (acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/fooddehydration.html)
“Better than Homemade: Amazing Foods that Changed the Way We Eat,” Carolyn Wyman, 2004 (archive.org/details/betterthanhomema0000wyma_m1j6)
“New Potato Powder Makes Instant Mashed Potatoes,” Oakland Tribune, Feb 20, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“Prepared Foods an Aid,” The Kansas City Star, Nov 9, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“U.S. Develops ‘Potato Flakes,” The Courier-Journal, Nov 23, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“USDA Develops New Dehydrated Mashed Potato,” The Bangor Daily News, Dec 9, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“More Potato Flakes On Way,” Tyler Morning Telegraph, Oct 16, 1958 (via newspapers.com)
“Work Miracles In Your Kitchen with Instant Mashed Potatoes,” The Montgomery Advertiser, Feb 16, 1961 (via newspapers.com)
“Thanksgiving Can Be Easy,” St. Joseph News-Press, Nov 24, 1964 (via newspapers.com)
“Government Stages Drive to Dispose of Surplus Canned Corn, Snap Beans,” The Bristol Herald Courier, Feb 13, 1965 (via newspapers.com)
“Holiday Banquet Trimmings,” Lebanon Daily News, Nov 22, 1966 (via newspapers.com)
“Potatoes from a Box,” The Gazette, Sep 30, 1967 (via newspapers.com)
“R.T. French Company vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue,” Opinion, Sep 6, 1973
(casetext.com/case/rt-french-co-v-commr-of-internal-revenue)
“Idaho…A Potato Paradise,” The Sioux City Journal, Nov 10, 1974 (via newspapers.com)
“Instant Mashed Potatoes – Worth the Holiday Gravy?” Tim Carman, The Washington Post, Nov 27, 2013 (via newspapers.com)
“Experts: Keep Thanksgiving Cooking Simple,” Shelley Swift, Daily Reporter, Nov 21, 2020 (via newspapers.com)
“Stove-Top Pioneer,” Anne Schleper, The Evansville Courier, May 29, 1991 (via newspapers.com)
“Her Stove Top Stuffing is Thanksgiving Staple,” The New York Times, Nov 24, 2005 (via newspapers.com)
“Stuffing an Everyday Pleasure,” The Pittsburgh Courier, May 12, 1973 (via newspapers.com)
“Don’t Wait for Holiday!,” The Magna Times, Jun 7, 1973 (via newspapers.com)
“Instead of Potatoes! Stove Top Stuffing Mix Passes Consumer Test,” Dianne Fogleman, The Daily Times-News, Jul 28, 1977 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet Milk Company Enters Food Field,” Traverse City Record-Eagle, Sep 28, 1955 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet Milk Broadens Expansion; Now Leads in Frozen Fruit Pies,” Theodore R. Gamble, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Dec 28, 1958 (via newspapers.com)
“Frozen Pie Crusts Will Cut Preparation Time and Trouble,” Dora Gummerson, The Charlotte News, Mar 28, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“New Pet-Ritz Quick-Bake Frozen Pies,” Ad, The Minneapolis Star, Jun 6, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet-Ritz Offers ‘Quick-Bake’ Frozen Fruit Pies,” The Times Herald, Sep 10, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Pumpkin Pie is for Thanksgiving,” Ann McDuffie, The Tampa Tribune, Nov 21, 1968 (via newspapers.com)
“Blessings? Count Them!” Dorothy Roe, The Springfield News-Leader, Nov 27, 1968 (via newspapers.com)
“Petritz Family Treat Now Shared by Millions,” The Los Angeles Times, Oct 16, 1980 (via newspapers.com)
“Pillsbury Formalizes Offer to Buy Pet Inc.,” Tony Kennedy, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jan 12, 1995 (via newspapers.com)
Hi everyone! In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm taking a look back at four convenience foods that made getting Thanksgiving dinner on the table faster and easier than ever before.
Sources:
“A Perfect Dinner,” Mrs. Fred Field, Ladies Magazine, Dec 1, 1891 (via newspapers.com)
“Round the Thanksgiving Dinner Table,” Great Falls Tribune, Nov 23, 1902 (via newspapers.com)
“Help for Your Thanksgiving Dinner,” Lewisburg Journal, Nov 19, 1926 (via newspapers.com)
“Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce,” Ad, The Boston Globe, Dec 3, 1928 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberry Canners Form Big Merger,” The Morning Post, Mar 10, 1930 (via newspapers.com)
“Process Perfected to Can Cranberries,” Wausau Daily Herald, Nov 10, 1930 (via newspapers.com)
“Skeffington Says: Cranberry Co-Op,” Democrat and Chronicle, Nov 24, 1941 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberries: He Grows Them,” Jean Libman Block, The Baltimore Sun, Nov 14, 1948 (via newspapers.com)
“Really Not So Many Berries Poisoned, Says Cranberry Man,” Tom Henshaw, The Herald-News, Nov 25, 1959 (via newspapers.com)
“Marcus L. Urann Dead at 89; A Leading Cranberry Grower,” The New York Times, Apr 5, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Fans Cherish Shape, Taste of Canned Cranberry Sauce,” The Rock Island Argus, Nov 25, 2011 (via newspapers.com)
“Cranberry Sauce Stats,” Ocean Spray Press Releases, Sep 30, 2017 (news.oceanspray.com/2017-09-30-cranberry-sauce-stats)
“Food Dehydration Technology,” American Chemical Society, 2007 (acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/fooddehydration.html)
“Better than Homemade: Amazing Foods that Changed the Way We Eat,” Carolyn Wyman, 2004 (archive.org/details/betterthanhomema0000wyma_m1j6)
“New Potato Powder Makes Instant Mashed Potatoes,” Oakland Tribune, Feb 20, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“Prepared Foods an Aid,” The Kansas City Star, Nov 9, 1949 (via newspapers.com)
“U.S. Develops ‘Potato Flakes,” The Courier-Journal, Nov 23, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“USDA Develops New Dehydrated Mashed Potato,” The Bangor Daily News, Dec 9, 1954 (via newspapers.com)
“More Potato Flakes On Way,” Tyler Morning Telegraph, Oct 16, 1958 (via newspapers.com)
“Work Miracles In Your Kitchen with Instant Mashed Potatoes,” The Montgomery Advertiser, Feb 16, 1961 (via newspapers.com)
“Thanksgiving Can Be Easy,” St. Joseph News-Press, Nov 24, 1964 (via newspapers.com)
“Government Stages Drive to Dispose of Surplus Canned Corn, Snap Beans,” The Bristol Herald Courier, Feb 13, 1965 (via newspapers.com)
“Holiday Banquet Trimmings,” Lebanon Daily News, Nov 22, 1966 (via newspapers.com)
“Potatoes from a Box,” The Gazette, Sep 30, 1967 (via newspapers.com)
“R.T. French Company vs. Commissioner of Internal Revenue,” Opinion, Sep 6, 1973
(casetext.com/case/rt-french-co-v-commr-of-internal-revenue)
“Idaho…A Potato Paradise,” The Sioux City Journal, Nov 10, 1974 (via newspapers.com)
“Instant Mashed Potatoes – Worth the Holiday Gravy?” Tim Carman, The Washington Post, Nov 27, 2013 (via newspapers.com)
“Experts: Keep Thanksgiving Cooking Simple,” Shelley Swift, Daily Reporter, Nov 21, 2020 (via newspapers.com)
“Stove-Top Pioneer,” Anne Schleper, The Evansville Courier, May 29, 1991 (via newspapers.com)
“Her Stove Top Stuffing is Thanksgiving Staple,” The New York Times, Nov 24, 2005 (via newspapers.com)
“Stuffing an Everyday Pleasure,” The Pittsburgh Courier, May 12, 1973 (via newspapers.com)
“Don’t Wait for Holiday!,” The Magna Times, Jun 7, 1973 (via newspapers.com)
“Instead of Potatoes! Stove Top Stuffing Mix Passes Consumer Test,” Dianne Fogleman, The Daily Times-News, Jul 28, 1977 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet Milk Company Enters Food Field,” Traverse City Record-Eagle, Sep 28, 1955 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet Milk Broadens Expansion; Now Leads in Frozen Fruit Pies,” Theodore R. Gamble, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Dec 28, 1958 (via newspapers.com)
“Frozen Pie Crusts Will Cut Preparation Time and Trouble,” Dora Gummerson, The Charlotte News, Mar 28, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“New Pet-Ritz Quick-Bake Frozen Pies,” Ad, The Minneapolis Star, Jun 6, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Pet-Ritz Offers ‘Quick-Bake’ Frozen Fruit Pies,” The Times Herald, Sep 10, 1963 (via newspapers.com)
“Pumpkin Pie is for Thanksgiving,” Ann McDuffie, The Tampa Tribune, Nov 21, 1968 (via newspapers.com)
“Blessings? Count Them!” Dorothy Roe, The Springfield News-Leader, Nov 27, 1968 (via newspapers.com)
“Petritz Family Treat Now Shared by Millions,” The Los Angeles Times, Oct 16, 1980 (via newspapers.com)
“Pillsbury Formalizes Offer to Buy Pet Inc.,” Tony Kennedy, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jan 12, 1995 (via newspapers.com)
