Hamburger Helper
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
November 17, 2008 5:47pm CST
How often do you have this for dinner?
It's not really a favorite of ours, we might have it once every other month, if that much. But we had it for dinner tonight. I didn't really feel like cooking, and it was there as a quick, easy meal.
Do you add anything extra to your Hamburger Helper? What's your favorite variety?
3 people like this
18 responses
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
20 Nov 08
They look pretty good I have never seen those before. I know I can buy pasta in a packet and rice and stuff but never a whole meal like that.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
20 Nov 08
I've never met anyone who hadn't heard of it before. It's very popular here. It's a boxed dinner, comes with uncooked pasta or dried potatoes or rice and some seasonings. All you do is add beef (or there are chicken and tuna varieties too) and cook it. It's rather inexpensive, and definitly easy and quick. Most of them do not taste bad at all. Here's a website to give you a better idea..
http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/hamburger-helper
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Nov 08
Well you know Americans are all about convenience and time saving, lol. Actually these things have been out since I was a kid. I'm surprised you don't have them over there.
@snowy22315 (208962)
• United States
18 Nov 08
We don't eat it that often. We have it maybe 5 times a year. I like the hamburger lasagna and also the double cheeseburger variety. Right now we have the tuna helper.
I think it is tuna brocoli or something like that. I am trying not to eat so many carbs so I don't know when we will be having this.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
18 Nov 08
There is a tuna variety I like, but haven't had it in probably a year or so. Hubby won't eat tuna, so if I make it, I have to have something else for him. But thanks for that idea, I might get that sometime soon as a cheap meal idea.
@messageme (2821)
• United States
18 Nov 08
sounds like my house I love the brocili tuna helper, but if I make it I have to make another meal for everyone else, so I just don't make it at all.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
21 Nov 08
We don't have it very often either. My husband was fed it a lot growing up so now he is tired of it. We probably have it less than once a month. My favorite is the cheese italian shells. All of us like the hashbrown one too. That and the cheesy enchilada one.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
21 Nov 08
We've never tried cheesy enchilada. I love the hashbrown one. Hubby's fav is the italian shells. I got him a package of that this week because I'm planning a tuna dish he won't eat.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I've gotten the chicken fried rice a couple times. I have to add some soy sauce, stir fry sauce, garlic, and ginger to it to spice it up a bit, otherwise it's just far too bland. I also usually add more peas and carrot to it. I had a recipe for my own chicken fried rice, but it's pretty difficult to make, although it tastes a lot better than the chicken helper one.
@lilcee (2703)
• United States
19 Nov 08
When my kids were still home, I used to have Hamburger Helper a lot. But now they are gone, I hardly ever have it. My husband doesn't really care for it although he will eat it if I fix it. I like pretty much all the varieties. Sometimes I get it just to have on hand if I want to fix something really quick and easy if I'm not feeling like cooking.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
20 Nov 08
My husband loves Hamburger Helper, but I'm not overly fond of it. I'm okay with having it now and then. Sometimes when I'm planning a meal hubby doesn't like I'll pick up a package of it just for him.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
8 Jul 10
I usually do Hamburger Helper only when I am sick. My husband is not a gourmet chef, but he can cook hamburger helper. He and I like the spaghetti one and the sloppy joe one. He bought the lasagna one the other day and we will try this one on Sunday. With the sloppy joe I add sour cream and with the spaghetti I will sometimes add tomatoes.
@irishmist (3814)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I like Hamburger Helper, and it has been around for years, they really have some good ones, and you can't beat the fact that it is kid friendly easy to make and almost cheap to buy,. You can add lots of stuff to make it better if you want to, there is no set rule with Hamburger Helper. My fav's are the potato ones, and the strogganoff one, oh heak I almost like them all.
@ersmommy1 (12587)
• United States
23 Nov 08
We may have it once a month or so. It's okay for a meal when I am tired. I think the one that gets the best review is Cheeseburger Macaroni. I just add some extra cheese.
@newtondak (3946)
• United States
18 Nov 08
If I find it on a really good sale, I will buy and use it. Most of the time I cook from scratch and make similar things with basic ingredients.
If you're interesting in frugal cooking and recipes, I have a number on my blog (link in my profile) - there are also a number of links on the blog to other frugal resources.
@redkathy (3374)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I make my own hamburger helper, it's just as easy to prepare. My husband love the original Hamburger Helper but I never buy it anymore. Back when I was working two jobs and the kids were young I bought it for those hurry up dinner night but only occasionally even back then..
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
21 Nov 08
I never use Hamburger Helper or Tuna Helper. I do, on rare occasion, buy Annie's helpers; they don't contain all of the artificial colors and flavors that I won't eat. Actually, I usually avoid processed foods; they tend to be more expensive than cooking from scratch, aren't really much faster and aren't as healthy as meals prepared from whole ingredients.
@chasingsunlight (261)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I have NEVER cooked hamburger helper. That stuff is exceptionally unhealthy (as are most packaged dinners of the sort). I am a big health nut and think it's better to take a few extra minutes and use better ingredients.
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I do have to admit that hamburger helper is quick and easy, but I can't stand it! I make it every once in a while if my husband and I are going out and the kids are eating without us. It is also an easy meal to bring when we go camping in the summer. My kids like the 3 cheese lasagna flavor. I think that is what I mostly buy.
@kdhartford (1151)
• United States
17 Nov 08
We used to eat this a lot, but it has a lot of sodium and fat in it. I still like it every once in a while.
@Kmarie923 (875)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I have never cooked this, mostly because I don't like beef. However, I haven't cooked the chicken helper either. My mom used to cook hamburger helper all the time though. It seems easy enough when you don't feel like putting a lot of effort or don't have time to cook a big meal.
@messageme (2821)
• United States
18 Nov 08
I use to make them all the time, but I really don't care for them much anymore. I make my own helper. Make mac and cheese dump it in some ground up hamberger and we call it garbage. It's basically the same as you can buy as a helper, just cheaper. Kids love it too. It's cheesier than ham. helper.
