By Kevin Williams
Ah, as I close out 2016 I just thought I'd throw out a few more food memories. Â I'm sure all of these products are still around in some form or another, but they used to be more prevalent (0r at least they were in my life).
Boy, this is a TV dinner on steroids....the portions were always skimpy in the TV dinners of my youth, although my guess is, despite the trumpeting "1.5 pounds of food", I'd still not be full after eating this. And, hey, where is the dessert??
SWANSON TV DINNERS/HUNGRY MAN: Â Just the whole concept of a TV dinner seems so dated. Â I'm waiting for someone to introduce a "Computer Dinner" or a "Tablet Meal" because we are all sitting in front of our devices eating these days. Or what about a "Smartphone Supper." Â Well, for some people, that's every supper any way. Â But the whole idea of unfolding TV trays, putting your Swanson dinner on it, and parking yourself in front of the tube seems so dated and quaint. Â My grandma would fix these for us sometimes and the dessert never quite cooked right. Â But, sheesh, when researching this post it looks like most of the Hungry Man dinners can be microwaved. I haven't had a Hungryman dinner in probably 30 years. Â Has anyone had one more recently? Â If so, how are they holding up?
SHERBERT: Â This is another throwback from my grandma's. Â This was a non-dairy alternative to ice cream way back when. I assume they still make it, but I haven't had this in probably 30 years either. Â I'm assuming more upscale "sorbets" , Hagan-Daaz's, etc crowded out Sherbert.
ICE MILK: Â This is a product you'd see sold in big plastic buckets in the dessert section of grocery stores. Â I seem to remember it being a "poor man's ice cream." Â Haven't seen it sold in years.....anyone out there seen it?
ARCHWAY COOKIES: Â I'm assuming this brand is still sold in stores and doing fine but, wow, when I was a kid these were the "upscale, classic special occasion" cookie. Â I think my Dad liked his iced molasses. Â These were large, soft, chewy cookies, some of them fruit-filled and buying Archway cookies, Â I think, telegraphed that you had "made it."
RC COLA: Â I never understood why this drink never caught on more. Â This is another food memory from my Grandma's. Â She'd often have bottles of Royal Crown (RC) soda in her fridge and I'd eagerly guzzle it down. Â To me, it had zingier taste than Pepsi (which, bleech, I don't like) and even gives Coke a run for its money. Â I still occasionally get the nostalgic urge for a cold can of RC.
Some not gone, but generally forgotten, food memories as we head into 2016....
Judi Hamilton
Kevin, Sherbet is still sold in stores. It is one of my favorites, especially the orange. My husband is from Tennessee and one of the little towns there, Bell Buckle, has a festival every year. It is the RC and Moon Pie festival. You can always get RC there, but there are still stores that sell it.
Really enjoy The Amish Cook. Love Gloria's column but miss Lovina. Do you ever hear from her, I wonder about the health of her family.
Vickie
I haven't seen Archway cookies in ages. They were above my budget, but I occasionally splurged.
Sherbet I used to buy at DQ...by the pint. It never lasted for long.
RC is my favorite soda. It's my diet downfall,but tastes better than other colas to me.
kentuckylady717
No never had a Hungry Man Dinner....have had the others tho....and have had ice milk, many years ago too...as for the Archway cookies...just purchased some the other day....they really are my favorite brand of cookies....I think I like most of them....I have eaten them all.....and the RC Cola....I believe it was made in KY. I remember driving by the plant close to Whitesburg, KY and seeing it.....have drunk many many RC's .....even my daughter who is a coke lover will drink them.....but she will NOT drink a Pepsi.....if that is all you have, she will pass.....I will drink them both, but I am a Pepsi Fan.....all my life.....and still love them but rarely drink any pop at all because it is so bad for you.....
As for Sherbet I do like it, haven't had any in probably years....but orange was the only one I really liked tho..... these questions you asked sure bring back memories.....I hope a lot of people respond to this article.....should be interesting....
Happy New Year Kevin and Family......hope you have a much better year this year .....
I did email you and asked if you ever thought about making an Amish Calendar to sell, never did hear your response.....I would certainly purchase one from you if it wasn't too expensive.....I usually go to the Dollar Store and get my calendars for a $1.00 each...I used to get them free from companies I dealt with, but they all stop giving them away except , went to pay my car insurance last month, and they gave me one 🙂 I was excited.....nothing free anymore tho......maybe when we get a new president things will get better.....I sure hope so........
Kevin
We tried a calendar several years ago. Rachel made a gorgeous calendar using photos she had taken of travels in our Amish communities, but it was just too expensive to produce. When shipping was factored it, it cost $30. Most people don't want to pay $30 for a calendar! But it is a good idea
Barbara TArleton
I belive ice milk is currently marketed as low fat frozen dairy dessert.
Linda from KY
I made the mistake of buying a Hungry Man dinner because they were on sale for $1.00. They weren't even worth that. Yuck!
There's only one "r" in "sherbet," btw. I remember particularly enjoying the lime and pineapple flavors. It is still possible to buy the cheap sherbet today instead of the sorbet.
I love Archway cookies, especially the raspberry-filled ones!
Tom The Backroads Traveller
Archway cookies are still made with pride at the Archway bakery in Ashland, Ohio they began in 1936 in Battle Creek, Michigan. A bakery in nearby Perry, New York closed a few years ago.
Kevin
Interesting, Tom, they are made in my homestate, I did not know that!:)
lorraine
RC Cola is popular over here and so are Archway cookies. I remember when frozen dinners had soup and desert.
Kevin
Soup in a frozen dinner? Seems like it would have been tough to heat evenly, the TV dinners of today I guess have come a long way!
Missy
We always called it "sherbert" too. Didn't know I was wrong all these years. I grew up in a dieting house so "Ice milk" is what we bought... And I think I got Archway cookies at Dollar General the other day. At least I know I've gotten them in the past couple of years.
Kevin
Always good to hear from you, Joyce, I hope you are having a great 2016!