(1950s-60s)
Popcorn before this required that you pour oil into a pot (or popper if you had one and wanted to do it over a fire), heat it up, add the corn, and then shake it until it stopped popping. Not a complicated process, but too much for the time
TV Time made the process simple. It was a plastic container with a two-pocket pouch. The right pouch held nut oil (in solid form); the left held popcorn grains and salt.*
You’d squeeze the oil into the pan, heat it, and then add the popcorn. You’d shake it until it stopped popcorn and ended up with a bowl of it.
Not much different from the traditional method, but it saved the step of measuring out the oil. Plus the nut oil was more flavorful than vegetable oil, so the end result was very satisfying..
This was our go-to for many years, up until Jiffy Pop came in 1959. It was an aluminum pan that you just put on the heat. As a bonus, the foil covering the popcorn expanded as it popped, turning a flat pan into a big ball of aluminum-covered snack.
TV Time couldn’t compete in the convenience game, and and Jiffy Pop popped it out of the water for spectacular presentation. And later popcorn makers and microwaves made stovetop cooking of popcorn as obsolete as home churning butter.
Like most products, there’s little information on what happened to it. It went through various owners. The last seems to have been Great Western Foods, which still seems to sell similar products called “Portion Packs,” but which use canola oil, so it’s not the same.**
Jiffy Pop is still around, since it’s owned by agricultural giant ConAgra.
But for many years, TV Time was what we mean when we wanted popcorn at home.
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*Later iterations had a place to cut off one corner to pour out the excess salt. For some reason, that always impressed me.
**It also looks like the sell primarily in bulk.
I'd put forth the extra effort with TV time popcorn for the extra flavor ( and nostalgia ).
ReplyDeleteI sure wish tv time popcorn was available today. Growing up my family would make this every Saturday night watching Jackie Gleason. Delicious.
ReplyDeleteObviously NOT forgotten on the least. We buy food for taste not health.
ReplyDeleteNo other popcorn tastes like t.v. time. It was the best and would be again today with people steering away from microwave popcorn. Pls bring it back.
ReplyDeleteAgree 1,000,000% ! TV TIME POPCORN WAS THE BEST ! HAD THE BEST TASTE & BEST SMELL ! Microwave Popcorn doesn't even come close. Jiffy Pop always just popped a little then burnt. It never did work as stated on directions.
DeleteThis without a doubt was the best popcorn ever. It was pretty much a every Sunday treat at my grandma’s house
DeleteI remember melting an extra stick of butter and pouring it over our TV Time popcorn.....wow that was buttery, salty, heaven......We almost reproduced that taste with pop secret and some extra butter but it wasn't quite right.
ReplyDeleteI just found a box in my mothers pantry she’s 93 years old the box has a date on it 1978 still in his packaging and open
DeleteWish it was still available.
ReplyDeleteBox of TV time popcorn I just discovered in my mothers pantry is open 1978 on the box I might have to pop it
DeleteEvery Saturday night in the 80’s with my family...they’re all gone now, and I wish I could still get this.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered a box of TV time popcorn in the box unopened I think I might have to pop it after 40+ years
DeleteI wish they had the picture of the ingredient list. I know coconut oil and beta carotene were two of the main ingredients, but I can't remember the others.
ReplyDeleteI worked st TV time in bremen indiana as maintenance on the packaging machines in 1981 before they sold out to Mcormicks...always had a garbage bag with popcorn and cheddar popcorn around from the test lab...best popcorn ever to this day..
ReplyDeleteWe lived in the second floor apartment at my Italian born grandmother. She was thrilled when I would make it and bring it to her. I wish I could make her a batch now.
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ReplyDeleteLike everyone else lots of good memories and it was the best popcorn around. Please bring it back
ReplyDeleteI just discovered a box of TV time popcorn in the box unopened and my mother’s pantry cleaning it out date on it is 1978 I think I’m about to pop it after 40+ years
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ReplyDeleteWe used to have this popcorn all the time in the 70’s...wish we could still get it
ReplyDeleteCleaning out my mother’s pantry she’s 93The tv time popcorn is dated 1978 I think I might have to pop in after 40 something years
DeleteI did some research and called great western popcorn who bought them out back in 1992 or 93 talked to someone there who did great western popcorn is t v time popcorn exact taste I intend to find out I'm ordering some tomorrow so hope this helps to all you t v time fans and you are all right best ever popcorn
ReplyDeleteI loved TV Time popcorn and wish I could buy some now to share with my grandchildren. Best popcorn and great memories!
ReplyDeleteCleaning out my mother’s pantry at her house she’s 93 years old I just discovered a box of TV time popcorn with the date on it 1978 I think I’m about to pop it after 40 something Years
DeleteIf you search Amazon.com for 'Great Western Premium America Dual Pack', you may find it available. (A search conducted at the time of this posting was successful.) One would have to order a large quantity (e.g., 48-count case), but it can be attained.
ReplyDeleteNot having sampled the Great Western popcorn, I cannot attest to its flavor.
A recently passed uncle of mine worked as a food scientist at TV Time in Bremen, Indiana for years. He would often present my immediate family with free samples at family reunions. The idea of ordering some in his honor, as well as to (hopefully) enjoy, is tempting.
Lived next door to the plant in Bremen in Bremen! Popcorn very frequently. Nothing compares! Kc
DeleteTV Time popcorn - The same thing is available from Whirley Pop
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother would pop this every Saturday night and we would all watch Ed Sullivan show. What these memories bring back.
ReplyDeleteI think the semi-solid popping oil was palm kernel oil?
ReplyDeleteVery favorite in the 1950’s. I’m 80 and wish it was still available.
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ReplyDeleteTV Time popcorn was available well into the 1980s. That's the kind we used. Jiffy Pop always burned.
ReplyDeleteHad an uncle who worked for TV-Time in Bremen back in the 50’s. Uncle Ed always kept us well stocked with TV-Time Popcorn. Must have personally consumed a gazillion servings myself!
ReplyDeleteMy father was Odd, the Pres.
DeleteI am a great popcorn maker, here is how I make my version. I use Orvile Redenbockr that I keep frozen until I pop it in corn oil (do not burn). I sprinkle to taste accent seasoning and salt with real butter. After the popcorn is in the bowl I melt the butter in the pot swirling the butter until it becomes foamy but not burnt. I then pour the butter evenly over the popcorn then enjoy my creation.
ReplyDeleteI too love good popcorn so I popped a batch your way Floyd, it was the best. Thanks for the tip Floyd !!!!
ReplyDeleteI made some popcorn the Floyd way and I am going to tell all my friends who love GREAT popcorn the Floyd way too.You must have worked on developing your way of making GREAT tasting popcorn for quite a while and I am grateful, friend.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's parents owned a farm near Bremen and I have been told that my grandfather played a role in the origination of TV Time Popcorn facility and convincing the local farmers to grow the corn. As kids we always had freebie packages of the product around our home until the era seemed to disappear without giving it much thought.
ReplyDeleteHow I miss that tv time popcorn!! I have never tasted any other popcorn that tasted so good!! My father would get gifted with tv time popcorn packages by friends or customers, and none of those gifts were ever not eaten! Many other packages of tv time were purchased at local stores. I have spent decade after decade hoping to find a popcorn as GOOD as TV Time without success. Than soil in IN grows the best, and I know TV Time was the very best! I miss it! MAJ
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