What is a TV Tray?
When television became popular during the early 1950s, many families changed their traditional dining and recreational habits. Instead of eating their meals at a communal dining table, it was not unusual for an entire family to eat in front of the television set. This new TV-centric lifestyle inspired several manufacturers to market a type of folding tray known as a TV tray. Users could unfold the hollow aluminum legs and attach a tray to hold their plates while they watched their favorite television programs in the living room or den. There is a bit of a “chicken or the egg” controversy surrounding the first introduction of the TV tray, however. Some television historians say the first TV trays were available at least a year before the advent of the frozen TV dinner. The original TV tray was not necessarily marketed as a dinner tray, but more of a catch-all for plates, books, and craft projects a user might need while watching television. When not in service, a TV tray could be folded
When television became popular during the early 1950s, many families changed their traditional dining and recreational habits. Instead of eating their meals at a communal dining table, it was not unusual for an entire family to eat in front of the television set. This new TV-centric lifestyle inspired several manufacturers to market a type of folding tray known as a TV tray. Users could unfold the hollow aluminum legs and attach a tray to hold their plates while they watched their favorite television programs in the living room or den. There is a bit of a “chicken or the egg” controversy surrounding the first introduction of the TV tray, however. Some television historians say the first TV trays were available at least a year before the advent of the frozen TV dinner. The original TV tray was not necessarily marketed as a…
