In the 1970s, hamburger Helper became a basic item at the American dining tables, as families, pressured by inflation and high beef prices, sought to turn a kilo of ground beef into a full meal.
Nowadays, these same pressures make the mixture of seasoned pasta be a solution again.
While most food companies have a drop in consumer demand for their products, hamburger Helper sales grew 14.5% in the year by August, receiving extra impetus after its appearance in an episode of “The Bear” in June, according to the brand’s company Eagle Foods.
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And it’s not just the hamburger Helper. Food sales generally purchased in difficult financial times are on the rise, according to sector analysts. Rice purchases rose 7.5% this year. Consumers in difficulty are also buying more tuna, salmon and sardine cans. Sales of beans and noodles with cheese are also strong, based on data from the Cirk Research Company.
Economic uncertainty and higher rates on products from various countries have led many consumers to focus their spending on essential or cost-effective items, cutting superfluous spending.
“Life costs have increased. Spending on food and drink have risen,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, a consultant for food companies packed in the Cirk. “Consumers are looking for foods that satisfy them for the lowest possible cost.”
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In supermarkets, consumers are increasingly opting for cheaper their own brands. Restaurant chains like McDonald’s offer more economic meals. Sales of candy such as ice cream, cookies and cakes fell, according to the cirna.
Although inflation has reduced considerably since the peak of 2022, the price of food consumed at home is still 21% higher than four years ago. In August, the prices of various food categories, including meat, coffee and many fruits and vegetables, rose a lot, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For many families, the increase in the price of beef has been a particular point of pressure. The severe scarcity of the US herd made the price of ground beef rise 13% in the last year, reaching the record of $ 6.63 per pound in August, according to the BLS. The number of cattle available for meat has been at the lowest level since the 1950s, while consumer demand has remained stable, raising costs.
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Evelyn Hidalgo, a 31 -year -old digital creator in Nashville, Tennessee, bought a Helper Stroganoff Hamburger box last year for her and her husband.
“I was looking for a meal to put on our routine for days when I needed something really practical, fast, but also saved money,” said Hidalgo.
She found the result “bland” and didn’t prove it again. Still, the pursuit of hydalgo by a new and cheap product reflects what many consumers do by considering options such as their own brands and popular markets.
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Although hamburger Helper helps stretch the budget, it is not exactly aligned with the trend of less processed and healthier foods. A Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Box contains artificial dyes, including tartrazine, and a portion has 27% of the recommended sodium daily intake.
“We have real cheese and real pasta on the product,” said Bernard Kreilmann, CEO of Eagle Foods, who acquired General Mills Hamburger Helper in 2022. “But we are seeking to remove some artificial ingredients that have been incorporated into the product over time. We are listening to consumers and adapting the product.”
Originally available in five flavors, including Beef Noodle, Oriental Rice and Chili Tomato, the product was a success when launched in 1971, with a quarter of the American homes buying a box, according to General Mills. Many original flavors have been discontinued or updated.
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The brand’s appeal has grown over the years, with the number of flavors reaching 50, including versions known as Tuna Helper and Cheeseburger Macaroni. Ads emphasized the speed and ease of preparation.
Food also quickly entered the American pop culture. His mascot, Lefty, a white glove with a face in his palm, appeared in TV commercials. In the movie “Frustrated Holidays” (1983), the financially tightened character Cousin Eddie, played by Randy Quaid, said as he grilled “hamburgers” made entirely of Hamburger Helper: “I don’t know why they call it hamburger Helper. That’s good alone.”
And the term “Hamburger Helper Economy” has become synonymous with consumers facing economic difficulties. During the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, sales of hamburger Helper had brief peaks.
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“Today we see consumers coming back for many of the same reasons,” said Mala Wiedemann, Eagle Foods chief of marketing and R&D.
Still, over the decades, hamburger Helper has lost market share to competitors, and sales have fallen as consumers began to eat out more often and look for healthier alternatives. In 2022, General Mills sold Hamburger Helper to Eagle Foods, a Cleveland company best known for its condensed milk cans. Eagle Foods is controlled by the Private Equity Kelso & Co.
“This brand was not at the top of their list of priorities,” said Kreilmann, who has been working in the food industry for four decades. “But we had a clear idea how to revitalize the franchise.”
One of the first efforts was to find out how hamburger Helper could be prepared easier and faster for busy people.
“When this brand was created in the 1970s, a quick dinner took 30 to 45 minutes,” said Wiedemann. “Today, consumers want in 20 minutes.”
An important part of the solution was simple: the company reduced the amount of water and the cooking time.
“In the 1970s, when consumers cooked pasta, they cooked it too much, and she got very soft,” said Kreilmann. “Today we know that the dough should be more al dente.”
Eagle Foods has changed the hamburger helper line to attract changes and change needs. It added a variety Spicy Jalapeño Cheeseburger, launched small and microwaves of meals, and this month announced for breakfast with a Cheesy Hashbrowns option.
As part of the message that hamburger Helper helps stretch the budget in difficult financial times, Wiedemann pointed out that Eagle Foods has not increased prices or reduced the size of the box since it bought the brand in 2022.
In supermarkets, most boxes cost about $ 2. This means that with a ground meat pound, consumers can feed a family for about $ 10.
A sign of the brand’s lasting nostalgic appeal, hamburger Helper was included in an episode of the last season of “The Bear.” Chef Sydney, played by Ayo Edebiri, increases a Macaroni cheeseburger meal to a hungry prey, adding onion, tomato paste, panko breadcrumbs, herbs and fresh cheese.
The episode, which generated a series of videos on user tiktok making their own versions of the recipe, was an unexpected boost.
“This was not an advertisement,” said Wiedemann.
c.2025 The New York Times Company
