Mulligan Stew was a children's educational program, sponsored by the 4-H Council and shown both in schools and on television. It was produced by Michigan State University and premiered in 1972 during National 4-H Week in Washington, D.C. The show was named for the hobo dish, and each of the six half-hour episodes gave school-age children information about nutrition.
Produced by V. "Buddy" Renfro, Mulligan Stew featured a multi-racial group of five kids: Maggie, Mike, Micki, Manny, and Mulligan, plus one adult, Wilbur Dooright. The group went on nutritional adventures around the globe, although the series' filming usually stuck close to Lansing, Michigan
School packages included a companion comic book with further adventures of the characters, reviews of things learned from the show, and lyrics to the show's songs.
The show was noted for the key phrase "4-4-3-2" that was often invoked to refer to the USDA's then-recommended number of daily servings of the "Four Food Groups" — "fruits and vegetables," "breads and cereals," "milk or cheese," and "meat, fish or fowl." Thanks in part to the popularity of "Mulligan Stew", 4-H membership was boosted to an all-time high in 1974, and it remained on the air until 1981.