Dictionary — ontologydriven

Hamburger Helper en · NOUN

hamburger + helper; a genericized trademark; introduced nationally by General Mills' Betty Crocker brand in 1971.

(uncountable) Any quick, one-pan meal made by combining ground beef, a starch (like pasta or rice), and a seasoned sauce; applies to generic store-brand versions or recipes made completely from scratch.
- “I ordered lumber for a new one,” Hopper told her while she handed him a bowl of last night’s reheated hamburger helper. 2016, Crystal Kei, We're Gonna Have to Hide the Body:
- It’s a good opportunity to try new dishes, and Bill is very appreciative of some real food in the apartment that isn’t a microwaveable meal or hamburger helper. 2019, cheekaspbrak, Run While You Still Can:
(broadly, figuratively, uncountable) Anything that extends, enhances, or bulks up a limited resource.
- Barter is basically a marketing tool. It is the "hamburger helper" of business. It stretches cash while bringing in new customers [...] 1995 November 14, Canada Computer Paper Inc., The Computer Paper, page 43:
- UNE is also very smartly made, polished, captivating, and cohesive, with no perceptible cinematic hamburger helper; there are no wasted words. 2025 May 26, The New America, The New America 2012-Current, page 43:
- In many cases the diminished seventh chord is the in-between, the hamburger helper of ascending harmonic movement. 2003, Alan de Mause, Mel Bay's Complete Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Book, page 120:

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hamburger helper		alternative	lexicographic

hamburger + helper; a genericized trademark; introduced nationally by General Mills' Betty Crocker brand in 1971.

(US) A boxed, one-pot meal product consisting of dried pasta, rice, or potatoes and a packet of powdered seasonings; to prepare it, home cooks combine the dry ingredients with browned ground beef ("hamburger") and water or milk.

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
hamburger helper		alternative	lexicographic