Hamburger Helper
Encyclopedia
Hamburger Helper is a line of packaged food products primarily consisting of boxed pasta
bundled with a packet or packets of powdered sauce/seasonings. The contents of each box are combined with browned
ground beef, water
and milk
to create a complete dish. The product line also features products with other starch
es such as rice
or potato
es instead of pasta. It is made by General Mills
.
Although the classic boxed Hamburger Helper products only supply the starch item and the sauce packets, some varieties of the product now include ground beef. These include a frozen food
line, which features some of the brand's classic varieties in a complete meal kit form, with frozen ground beef and frozen sauce packaged separately from the noodles in the same bag. There is also an "instant" version of Hamburger Helper containing dehydrated meat, noodles and seasonings in a small pouch, requiring only water to be added.
The Hamburger Helper mascot
is the "Helping Hand", an anthropomorphic animated
, four fingered left-hand glove, which appears in the product's television
commercials and on the packages.
listed Hamburger Helper as number three in its list of the top five fad foods of the 1970s.
In 2007, General Mills removed the microwave cooking directions from Hamburger and Tuna Helper, mainly due to the launch of the Microwave Singles line, which was especially formulated for microwave cooking. Directions for a limited number of flavors are still listed at the Hamburger Helper FAQ at BettyCrocker.com. Directions are still commonly found on private label
versions of Hamburger Helper.
. Tuna Helper was the second variety to appear on the market in 1972, but has quickly lost popularity to Chicken Helper. Tuna Helper is designed to be prepared with one 6 oz. can of tuna, although recent packaging has started to give the instruction "Add 2-5 oz. cans of tuna". Tuna Helper has seen very few changes to its offerings since its introduction. Most are variations on cream or cheese based tuna casserole
s. Since tuna does not need to be browned, the instructions begin with combining all ingredients together. Tuna Helper can be prepared with any type of canned seafood (mackerel, salmon, shrimp, etc.) or canned chicken, turkey, or ham
.
Tuna Helper flavors:
Chicken Helper was introduced in 1984 in response to the wide availability of inexpensive boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken Helper dishes are designed for use with sliced or cubed boneless skinless chicken breast, and are prepared in much the same way as Hamburger Helper except that it does not need to be drained. Like Tuna Helper, many varieties of Chicken Helper call for butter and milk in many flavors. While designed for boneless skinless breast, Chicken Helper can be prepared with any chicken, including canned chicken, or any other fowl, such as turkey
.
Chicken Helper flavors:
Asian Helper is a selection of three Asian-American-style dishes, two hamburger and one chicken. Only Mongolian Beef is new, as Chicken and Beef Fried Rice were previously offered.
Whole Grain Helper are Lemon & Herb Chicken, Honey Mustard Chicken, Cheeseburger Mac and Stroganoff
flavors made with whole-wheat pasta.
Fruit Helper was introduced in 1973. The products were desserts made with canned or fresh fruit. The Fruit Helper line has been discontinued.
Pork Helper was introduced in 2003. Varieties included Pork Fried Rice and Pork Chops with Stuffing. It was discontinued shortly after.
In 2006, Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles were introduced, which require only the addition of water and brief cooking in a microwave to produce a single serving portion of some of the most popular flavors. Chicken Helper flavors were added in 2007, but that line has since been discontinued.
Some vegetarians use artificial ground beef (usually soy-based) instead of genuine meat when preparing Hamburger Helper. Ground pork
, lamb, chicken or turkey meat can also be substituted. However, some Hamburger Helper varieties contain meat products (such as beef extract, found in the Tomato Basil Penne and the Stroganoff flavors).
Many private label
producers have replicated versions of the most popular varieties of Hamburger Helper.
wrote
, produced
and directed
a short film entitled Attack of the Helping Hand
, which featured the Hamburger Helper as a killer glove.
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
bundled with a packet or packets of powdered sauce/seasonings. The contents of each box are combined with browned
Browning (partial cooking)
Browning is the process of partially cooking the surface of meat to help remove excessive fat and to give the meat a brown color crust and flavor through various browning reactions. Ground meat will frequently be browned prior to adding other ingredients and completing the cooking process...
ground beef, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
to create a complete dish. The product line also features products with other starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
es such as rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
or potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es instead of pasta. It is made by General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
.
Although the classic boxed Hamburger Helper products only supply the starch item and the sauce packets, some varieties of the product now include ground beef. These include a frozen food
Frozen food
Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved their game and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing food slows down decomposition by turning water to ice, making it...
line, which features some of the brand's classic varieties in a complete meal kit form, with frozen ground beef and frozen sauce packaged separately from the noodles in the same bag. There is also an "instant" version of Hamburger Helper containing dehydrated meat, noodles and seasonings in a small pouch, requiring only water to be added.
The Hamburger Helper mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
is the "Helping Hand", an anthropomorphic animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
, four fingered left-hand glove, which appears in the product's television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercials and on the packages.
History
Hamburger Helper was first introduced in 1971. In 2005, the American-based Food NetworkFood Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
listed Hamburger Helper as number three in its list of the top five fad foods of the 1970s.
In 2007, General Mills removed the microwave cooking directions from Hamburger and Tuna Helper, mainly due to the launch of the Microwave Singles line, which was especially formulated for microwave cooking. Directions for a limited number of flavors are still listed at the Hamburger Helper FAQ at BettyCrocker.com. Directions are still commonly found on private label
Private label
Private label products or services are typically those manufactured or provided by one company for offer under another company's brand. Private label goods and services are available in a wide range of industries from food to cosmetics to web hosting...
versions of Hamburger Helper.
Varieties
Hamburger Helper is available in numerous flavors, organized into various "Favorites" categories. These include:- Homestyle Favorites
- Beef Pasta (formerly called "Beef Noodle")
- Beef StroganoffBeef StroganoffBeef Stroganoff or Beef Stroganov is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana or sour cream...
- Potato Stroganoff (includes dehydrated potato slices)
- Salisbury
- Sloppy Joe
- Patty Melt
- Italian Favorites
- LasagnaLasagnaLasagna is a wide and flat type of pasta and possibly one of the oldest shapes. As with most other pasta shapes, the word is generally used in its plural form lasagne in Italy and the U.K. Traditionally, the dough was prepared in Southern Italy with semolina and water and in the northern regions,...
- Four Cheese Lasagna
- SpaghettiSpaghettiSpaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta of Italian origin. Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour...
- Cheesy Italian Shells
- Italian SausageItalian sausageIn the United States, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork sausage noted for being seasoned with fennel and/or anise as the primary seasoning...
- Tomato Basil Penne (Formerly called "Zesty Italian")
- Lasagna
- New Orleans Favorites
- Cheesy Jambalaya
- Cheesy Favorites
- Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Double Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Three Cheese
- Chili Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese Melt
- Philly CheesesteakCheesesteakA cheesesteak, also known as a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheese steak, or steak and cheese, is a sandwich made from thinly-sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long roll...
- Cheesy Hashbrowns
- Bacon Cheeseburger
- Cheesy Baked Potato
- Cheesy Ranch Burger
- Mexican Favorites (co-brandedBrand alliancesBrand alliances is a branding strategy used in a business alliance. Brand alliances are divided into three types:-Cobrands:Cobrands are the usage of two or more brands on one certain product...
with Old El PasoOld El PasoOld El Paso is a brand applied to a range of Mexican-style foods, including dinner kits, tacos and tortillas, sauces, condiments, rice and refried beans.Old El Paso products are marketed across the globe. The brand is owned by General Mills...
brand)- Cheesy Nacho
- Chili Macaroni
- Cheesy Enchilada
- Cheesy Beef Taco
- Crunchy Taco
- Double Cheesy Quesadilla (originally "Double Cheese Quesadilla")
- Discontinued
- Beef Romanoff (still available in Canada)
- Beef and Garlic Potatoes
- Beef Stew
- Cheddar & Broccoli
- Hash
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Meatloaf
- Pizza Bake
- Rice Oriental (Officially discontinued, but occasionally still available in some stores)
- Wild Rice & Mushrooms
- Wagon Wheels (also called "Barbecue")
- Zesty Mexican
- SouthWestern Beef
Other Helpers
Tuna Helper is designed to be used with tunaTuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
. Tuna Helper was the second variety to appear on the market in 1972, but has quickly lost popularity to Chicken Helper. Tuna Helper is designed to be prepared with one 6 oz. can of tuna, although recent packaging has started to give the instruction "Add 2-5 oz. cans of tuna". Tuna Helper has seen very few changes to its offerings since its introduction. Most are variations on cream or cheese based tuna casserole
Tuna casserole
Tuna casserole is a casserole mainly composed of egg noodles and canned tuna fish, with canned peas and corn sometimes added. The casserole is often topped with potato chips, corn flakes or canned fried onions. It is a common dish in some parts of the United States of America...
s. Since tuna does not need to be browned, the instructions begin with combining all ingredients together. Tuna Helper can be prepared with any type of canned seafood (mackerel, salmon, shrimp, etc.) or canned chicken, turkey, or ham
Ham
Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
.
Tuna Helper flavors:
- Creamy Broccoli
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Creamy Pasta
- Creamy Parmesan
- Cheesy Pasta
- Tuna Tetrazzini
- Tuna Melt
Chicken Helper was introduced in 1984 in response to the wide availability of inexpensive boneless, skinless chicken breast. Chicken Helper dishes are designed for use with sliced or cubed boneless skinless chicken breast, and are prepared in much the same way as Hamburger Helper except that it does not need to be drained. Like Tuna Helper, many varieties of Chicken Helper call for butter and milk in many flavors. While designed for boneless skinless breast, Chicken Helper can be prepared with any chicken, including canned chicken, or any other fowl, such as turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Chicken Helper flavors:
- Creamy Chicken & Noodle
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Cheesy Chicken Enchilada
- Chicken Fried Rice
Asian Helper is a selection of three Asian-American-style dishes, two hamburger and one chicken. Only Mongolian Beef is new, as Chicken and Beef Fried Rice were previously offered.
Whole Grain Helper are Lemon & Herb Chicken, Honey Mustard Chicken, Cheeseburger Mac and Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff or Beef Stroganov is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana or sour cream...
flavors made with whole-wheat pasta.
Fruit Helper was introduced in 1973. The products were desserts made with canned or fresh fruit. The Fruit Helper line has been discontinued.
Pork Helper was introduced in 2003. Varieties included Pork Fried Rice and Pork Chops with Stuffing. It was discontinued shortly after.
In 2006, Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles were introduced, which require only the addition of water and brief cooking in a microwave to produce a single serving portion of some of the most popular flavors. Chicken Helper flavors were added in 2007, but that line has since been discontinued.
Some vegetarians use artificial ground beef (usually soy-based) instead of genuine meat when preparing Hamburger Helper. Ground pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, lamb, chicken or turkey meat can also be substituted. However, some Hamburger Helper varieties contain meat products (such as beef extract, found in the Tomato Basil Penne and the Stroganoff flavors).
Many private label
Private label
Private label products or services are typically those manufactured or provided by one company for offer under another company's brand. Private label goods and services are available in a wide range of industries from food to cosmetics to web hosting...
producers have replicated versions of the most popular varieties of Hamburger Helper.
In popular culture
In 1979, Scott SpiegelScott Spiegel
Scott Spiegel is an American screenwriter, film director, producer and actor. He is best known for co-writing the screenplay for the movie Evil Dead II with longtime friend, film director Sam Raimi, with whom he attended Wylie E. Groves High School in Birmingham, Michigan...
wrote
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
a short film entitled Attack of the Helping Hand
Attack of the Helping Hand
Attack of the Helping Hand is a 1979 short film written and directed by Scott Spiegel and starring Linda Quiroz and Sam Raimi.-Plot:Linda Quiroz plays a woman at home who buys herself a "Hamburger Helper", which is an oven mitt. It comes to life and tries to strangle her. She tries drowning it in...
, which featured the Hamburger Helper as a killer glove.