A TV Tray Table

[Jazzy1]

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard the phrase “TV tray” in design conversations. Commonly thought of as flimsy foldable trays these makeshift meal stations have long been exiled from modern interiors. Popularized in the 1950s just as television sets and frozen dinners became fixtures in homes, the former living room-staple often featured bold, kitschy motifs on a plastic tray top on a folding metal base.

Did you ever use TV trays?

 

[QuietByNature]

Yes I have used those, not plastic but metal.
These days we use a folding wooden one.

 

[Aunt Bea]

We had that exact set from the S&H Green Stamp store.

TV trays helped to destroy the family dinner hour, I still take most of my meals in front of the television.

 

[Jazzy1]

Ours looked like the one pictured but they were metal. I remember one time I didn't snap it together hard enough and the plate of food wound up on the carpet.

 

[Flarbalard]

Yes we had them. Metal, but the pattern was like a brown burlap material. I don't ever remember them being used to eat off of. I know a couple of them had vaporizers sitting on them in the winter.

 

[robin416]

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard the phrase “TV tray” in design conversations. Commonly thought of as flimsy foldable trays these makeshift meal stations have long been exiled from modern interiors. Popularized in the 1950s just as television sets and frozen dinners became fixtures in homes, the former living room-staple often featured bold, kitschy motifs on a plastic tray top on a folding metal base.

Did you ever use TV trays?

Still do. It holds my laptop. It's foldable to slip under the couch.

 

[That Lady in PA]

We did not have them.
DH and I decided early on that we were not going to eat meals in front of a TV.
We ate at a proper table and actually talked to each other. It was good practice for when we had kids.

 

[Paco Dennis]

 

[Lizzie00]

They’ve come a longgg way baby….

 

[IrishEyes]

I use one but not for eating. I use it to hold craft materials I am working with as I listen to the
TV.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

We had some years ago, but I don't know what became of them, and we never had food in the living room, to avoid spills on the carpet. The dining area is not carpeted, and the TV can be seen while seated in there.

 

[Raven]

No we never had TV trays. When our family was growing up we always ate at the dinette table.
I live alone now but never eat in front of the TV, always eat at my kitchen table where I can't see the television.

 

[JustBonee]

Something that you don’t need to hide when company comes ..

 

[Been There]

I remember when I was living on the farm and after we got home from church, we would all change our clothes. After that, Grandma would start dinner and Gramps and I would turn on the tv to catch the NFL pregame b.s. After that, we would set up our tv trays and watch the game coming on, which we always hoped was either the Browns or the Steelers.

Grandma would tell us when dinner was ready and we would fill our dish and go back to the den to watch the game. Grandma liked to read, so she would be buried in the Sunday paper. Sunday was the only day we ate off of the tv tray. The other 6 days, we ate together in the dining room. We would hold hands while one of us prayed. It was a great time full of great memories and writing this brings tears to my eyes. They were wonderful people.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’ve been seriously considering one of these to use as my command center.

 

[astralcat]

I’ve been seriously considering one of these to use as my command center.

"Beam me up Scottie...." -

 

[Coco]

I found one like that at a thrift store. Use it a lot. We also have 2 wooden tv tables but they are without an edge, you know...stuff can easily slide off especially hubby's plates and other crap...er....things he sets on it.

 

[Murrmurr]

I have several nice-looking wooden ones that fold up, but they're from way before Michelle and I married (a few years ago), when I lived alone in a small apartment with a dinky dining area and my "dining set" was a little vintage bistro table and 2 chairs that were meant for a patio.

It looked really cool, imo, but my grandkids stayed weekends and my sons + families visited often, and we always had a meal together, so we'd dig the folding tables out of the closet.

 

[katlupe]

I had tray tables in my previous life. Now I bought this one and keep it put away unless I need it for something. I don't use it meals because I eat at my computer on the computer table.

 

[MarciKS]

@Jazzy1 we used to have those metal ones like that when we were kids. I have several wooden ones throughout the house now. I don't use any of them to eat off of though. I used to. Now I have things sitting on all of them. I eat on the sofa usually.

We also had a couple of these for when we were sick and mom brought us tea and toast in bed.

 

[Naturally]

My mom used one when in her home alone and watching TV
If even one family member showed up, she'd have meals at the dining table
I use a wooden one as a small side table at my desk

 

[Llynn]

My Maternal Grandparents had nine children. When everyone got into the Grandkid making mode, the family population grew rapidly and the kitchen table in the old homestead farmhouse could no longer cope.

People started hauling in tin TV trays (a brand new item on the market) to accommodate the overflow. Every Chair in the living room sported a TV tray in front of it and a folding card table served as the kids table.

Grandma loved TV trays and when Grandpa died she started eating all her meals in front of the tube. Dinner time was Perry Mason rerun time.

 

[Paladin1950]

I've used those things for years. I still have some to this day. Newer and cheaper material of course.

 

[Dr.Colosso]

I bought this one last year. Had no idea it was ever a thing. I taped it with duct tape so it doesn't fall off.

 

[Jules]

When we moved to this house 20 years ago, the tv trays came with us. I don’t know why, because I can’t recall using them much. For several tax seasons, DH hauled them out to spread out all the multiple forms he used to get. They may be buried deep within the basement, but I don’t think so. If I find them, they’ll be gone.