Many Boomers Used To Own This Type Of Dining Furniture - You Can Still Snag One Today

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High back chairs and plastic table covers are just a couple of quintessential items that were to be found in a typical boomer dining room back in the 1950s. However, there was one piece of dining furniture that had ingratiated itself into the adjoining living area: The folding TV tray.

This practical piece of furniture was essentially a slimline tray-top table with folding legs that was sold in a set of four. Each tray was set in front of the sofa and employed as a dining table for one, which allowed people to eat comfortably while watching TV. Their collapsible design made them highly portable and suitable for slotting away into corners when not in use, so they didn't take up space outside of meal times. In many cases, the trays would have colorful motifs on top to lend them a little character.

Soon after the folding TV tray debuted in the early 1950s, the first frozen TV dinners were rolled out by Swanson & Sons in 1954. This serendipitous event allowed Americans to watch their favorite shows while enjoying a convenience meal they hadn't prepared themselves and didn't require any clean-up. Nowadays, the best brand of TV dinner is made by Marie Callender's, followed by Stouffer's and Hungry-Man, but back then, Swanson's sold a whopping 10 million trays in its first year of full production (later in 1979, Swanson's frozen TV dinners became microwaveable).

By the 1960s, folding TV trays had well and truly become an alternative to the family dining table (you can even find a set displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History that features a colorful ribbon pattern). That said, they eventually lost their novelty and initial glamour, which may explain their decline over the following years. During the 1970s, there was also a rising interest in the practice of mindfulness, which recommended eating without the distraction of the TV.

While the designs have since changed, you can still snag a folding TV tray today. And indeed, with the rise of binge-watching and Netflix watch-parties, it makes sense to use one to serve shared snacks like popcorn, or to save upholstery from becoming damaged from messy eats, like burgers and nachos. In fact, folding TV trays can be used for much more than food. For instance, one boomer on Reddit said, "I got a set for a wedding gift 45 years ago. They were used a lot when family came over or for my crafts, which was daily." 

This Huanoa TV tray, sold on Amazon, has a drink holder on one side, and the height can be adjusted. However, there are many upmarket designs available too, featuring options made with mirrored chrome or grounding natural materials, like wood, that double as standalone pieces and moonlight as coffee tables or laptop stands.