A LONG-RUNNING SERIES

If it were a television show, the TV dinner saga would probably be the longest running series around. Here's some of the highlights of the last 40 years:

s Restaurant in Cleveland.

1955

Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J., acquires C.A. Swanson & Sons.

1956

F.M. Stamper Co. introduces its first Banquet frozen dinner.

On-Cor introduces 14-ounce entrees, including sliced beef and gravy, barbecue beef and beef chop suey.

1958

On-Cor introduces 2-pound entrees.

1966

Banquet introduces Buffet Supper line. Company runs its first television ad.

Weight Watchers entrees become available through Foodways National (approximate

time frame).

1970

F.M. Stamper Co. merges with RCA Corp. and changes its name to Banquet Foods Corp.

1973

Swanson introduces its Hungry Man dinners.

Nestle acquires Stouffer Food Corp.

Banquet introduces Man Pleaser dinner products.

1978

H.J. Heinz Co. acquires Weight Watchers.

1980

ConAgra acquires Banquet.

Armour introduces Dinner Classics line.

Campbell Soup introduces Le Menu dinners.

1981

Stouffer launches Lean Cuisine line.

1983

Banquet introduces Light & Elegant line of entrees.

On-Cor introduces On-Cor Lite entrees.

1984

ConAgra acquires RJR Nabisco frozen food business (Morton, Patio and Chun King).

1986

Banquet introduces Banquet Gourmet line.

Swanson repackages dinners to make them suitable for use in microwave ovens.

All American Gourmet introduces Budget Gourmet dinners.

Stouffer introduces Dinner Supreme brand, its first product in microwavable packaging.

1987

The original Swanson aluminum dinner takes its place in the Smithsoinian Institution.

1989

ConAgra introduces Healthy Choice line of dinners.

On-Cor introduces dual tray for use in microwave or regular ovens.

1990

Tyson introduces Looney Tunes line.

Banquet offers Kid Cuisine.

Jeno Paulucci, founder of Chun King and Jeno's,launches Luigino's Italian entrees.

1992

Swanson introduces Fun Feast Dinners.

Weight Watchers introduces Smart Ones, entrees containing one gram of fat or less.

1993

The dinners category logs $1.1 billion in supermarket sales for the 52-week period ended Sept. 13.

1994

Stouffer Food Corp. becomes Nestle Frozen Food Co.