Hamburger Helper facts for kids
Cheeseburger Macaroni flavor
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| Type | Packaged mix |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Created by | General Mills |
| Invented | 1971 |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Pasta or rice |
| Ingredients generally used | Seasonings |
| Variations |
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Hamburger Helper is a popular packaged food product. It is made by Eagle Foods. Inside the box, you'll find dried pasta or rice. There is also a packet of powdered seasonings.
To make a meal, you mix the box contents with ground beef. You also add water and sometimes milk. This creates a complete meal in one dish. There are also different versions for other meats. These include "Tuna Helper" and "Chicken Helper". Some even use other starches like potatoes.
Contents
History of Helper Meals
The "Hamburger Helper" brand started in 1971. It was created by General Mills. This happened because meat was hard to find and expensive. In 2005, a TV show called Food Network listed it. They said it was one of the top "fad foods" of the 1970s.
In 2013, the company made the name shorter. It became just "Helper." The brand's fun mascot is "the Helping Hand." People also call him "Lefty." He is a white glove with four fingers. He has a face on his palm and a red nose. You can often see him in TV ads and on the boxes.
In 2022, General Mills sold the brand. It was bought by Eagle Foods.
Different Kinds of Helper Meals
The most popular Helper meal is made with ground beef. It comes with dried pasta and seasonings. You cook it with your beef. Hamburger Helper has many flavors. Some popular ones are Lasagna, Cheeseburger Macaroni, and Philly Cheesesteak.
There are also Helper meals for other meats. These include "Tuna Helper" and "Chicken Helper."
Tuna Helper
Tuna Helper was the second type of Helper meal. It became very popular in 1972. It's made to be cooked with canned tuna.
Chicken Helper
Chicken Helper came out in 1984. It was made for chicken breasts. These were becoming easy to find and not too expensive.
Asian Helper
Asian Helper offers different Asian-American style dishes. Three of these are made with chicken. One is made with beef.
Whole Grain Helper
Whole Grain Helper options use whole-wheat pasta. Flavors include Lemon & Herb Chicken and Cheeseburger Mac. There is also beef Stroganoff.
Pork Helper
Pork Helper was introduced in 2003. It had flavors like pork fried rice. It also had pork chops with stuffing. This product was stopped soon after it started.
Microwave Singles
Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles came out in 2006. You just add water and microwave them. They make a single serving of popular flavors. Chicken Helper flavors were added later.
See also
