Hamburger Helper

Hamburger Helper: An Introduction

Hamburger Helper has been in stores since 1971, and consumers loved the convenience it made for them as a quick, easy meal [1]. America found itself in an inflationary crisis, and that’s where Hamburger Helper stepped up to help families in need. Hamburger helper was introduced because of America’ beef crisis in the 1970s and this helped families make meals, put food on the table only by using one pound of ground beef.

(Woodrow)

While Hamburger Helper got its start helping families, it can be used to help university students or anyone looking for a quick and easy meal. It can even stay in your pantry for a longer time than fresh ingredients and that adds to the convenience of Hamburger Helper [1].

Why did consumers love the boxed meal kit?

By consumers, the consensus was that they loved the easy meal kit and proved to be a time saver too [2]. On another note, this meal only needs one pan while cooking other meals would generally need more for all the ingredients. You can also personalize the meal by adding whatever meat you like and/or whatever toppings you like, anything can go into Hamburger Helper and that is why consumers loved it [3].

Getting Hamburger Helper back on the market: a brief history

By the late 1970s, Hamburger Helper was in a decline in sales, that is where the “Helping Hand” mascot would now be the Hamburger Helper icon. The “Helping Hand” helped boost sales as families loved seeing him on their T.V. screens and Hamburger Helper was back on the sales [4].


The Hamburger Helper Recipe!

Now, let’s make the classic American family meal!

Ingredients:

  • Hamburger Helper box
  • 1 pound of ground beef
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 1/3 cup of water
  • Optional add ins: diced tomatoes, bacon bits

Utensils Needed:

  • Skillet pan and lid
  • A spoon to stir
  • Measuring cups
  • Plate and fork

Steps:

  1. Gather your ingredients and utensils
  2. Brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. 6 to 8 minutes or until all meat is browned
  3. Drain meat
  4. Stir in 1 1/3 cups of water
  5. Stir in 2 cups of milk
  6. Stir in the pasta from the Hamburger Helper box and the packet of mix
  7. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes
  8. Stir occasionally
  9. Once it is done, add the diced tomatoes and/or bacon bits on top.

Works Cited

Allen, Molly. “The Untold Truth of Hamburger Helper.” Mashed.com, 17 Apr. 2020, www.mashed.com/202595/the-untold-truth-of-hamburger-helper/.

Howell, Julie. “When Was Hamburger Helper Invented? – Chef’s Resource.” Chef’s Resource, 17 Apr. 2024, www.chefsresource.com/when-was-hamburger-helper-invented/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kershner, Ellen. “The Fascinating History of Hamburger Helper.” The Daily Meal, 15 May 2023, www.thedailymeal.com/1286718/fascinating-history-hamburger-helper/.

“The White-Gloved History of Hamburger Helper.” Www.youtube.com, Weird History Food, 9 July 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1wqZvOjle8. Accessed 6 Sept. 2023.

Woodrow, Lottie. “Foods America Fell in Love with in the 1970s.” Love Food, 12 June 2024.