This article is about the hors d’oeuvre. The name comes from beef amuse bouche French word for sofa, drawing on the analogy that the garnish sits atop the bread as people do on a couch.

Because they are often served during cocktail hours, it is often desired that a canapé be either salty or spicy, in order to encourage guests to drink more. A canapé may also be referred to as finger food, although not all finger foods are canapés. The canapés are usually served on a canapé salver and eaten from small canapé plates. The spread is traditionally either a compound butter, made by creaming butter with other ingredients such as ham or lobster, or a flavored cream cheese.

Mayonnaise salads can also be prepared as spreads. Common garnishes can range from finely chopped vegetables, scallions, and herbs to caviar or truffle oil. Canapés are made from white, graham, and brown bread, sliced very thin and cut in various shapes. They may be dipped in melted butter, toasted or fried. They could be served hot or cold, spread with anchovy, crab or caviar paste, served with garnishes like green and red peppers, paprika, and lemon juice. Bread triangles can be sauteed in bacon fat, deep fried, or just buttered and browned in the oven. Mustard can be use as a spread for canapés garnished with chopped bacon, grated cheese, or chopped olives.

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. The term TV dinner, which has become common, was first used as part of a brand of packaged meals developed in 1953 by the company C. The original TV Dinner came in an aluminum tray and was heated in an oven. The name “TV dinner” was coined by Gerry Thomas, its inventor. At the time it was introduced, televisions were status symbols and a growing medium.

Much has changed since the first TV Dinners were marketed. The American football player “Mean” Joe Greene was the “Hungry-Man” spokesman. The first microwave oven-safe trays were marketed. Modern-day frozen dinners tend to come in microwave-safe containers. Product lines also tend to offer a larger variety of dinner types. These dinners, also known as microwave meals, can be purchased at most supermarkets. To prepare them, the plastic cover is removed or vented, and the meal is heated in a microwave oven for a few minutes.