Hamburger Helper is a packaged food product from General Mills, sold as part of the Betty Crocker brand. As boxed, it consists of a dried carbohydrate (often pasta or rice), with powdered seasonings contained in a packet. The product line also features other starches, such as potatoes. The contents of each box are combined with browned ground beef ("hamburger"), water, and, with some varieties, milk to create a complete one-dish meal. There are also variations of the product designed for other meats, such as "Tuna Helper" and "Chicken Helper".The packaged pasta brand "Hamburger Helper" was introduced in 1971 (51 years ago) (1971)[1][2][3] in response to a meat shortage and rising meat prices.[4] In 2005, Food Network rated it third on its list of "Top Five Fad Foods of 1970". In 2013, the company shortened the brand's name to just "Helper".[5]The Hamburger Helper mascot is "the Helping Hand" or "Lefty"—a four-fingered, left-hand white glove with a face on the palm and a red spherical nose. It often appears in the product's television commercials and on packages.[2][3][6] [Wikipedia]
