Hamburger Helper

Hamburger Helper is a line of General Mills packaged food products, sold under the Betty Crocker brand, which consist primarily of boxed pasta bundled with a packet or packets of powdered sauce or seasonings.

The contents of each box are combined with browned ground beef, water, and sometimes milk to create a complete dish. The product line also features products with other starches, such as rice or potatoes, instead of pasta.

History

Hamburger Helper was first introduced in 1971. In 2005, the American-based Food Network listed Hamburger Helper as number three in its list of the top five fad foods of the 1970s.

In 2013, the company rebranded to just "Helper", de-emphasizing the meat-specific naming.

The Hamburger Helper mascot is the "Helping Hand" (or "Lefty"), an anthropomorphic animated, four fingered left-hand mitt, which appears in the product's television commercials and on the packages.

Varieties

Hamburger Helper is available in numerous flavors, organized into various categories.