The Boxed Meal From Childhood That I Still Make On Repeat. (It's That Good)

When I think back to the meals that defined my late '80s, early '90s childhood, a few things come to mind, like my dad's grilled cheese, my mom's chicken cordon bleu, and Domino's delivery (even though I was a bit weirded out by the Noid). One dinner, though, holds a special place in my heart: My beloved Hamburger Helper. "The Bear" recently brought Hamburger Helper back into the spotlight, but truth be told, it's never left my kitchen — I was always psyched when I saw the box come out of the pantry and onto the countertop alongside a plastic-wrapped pound of ground beef, and it's still a delicious go-to dinner in my home today. 

While life looks a little different today (I'm the one whipping up dinner, and, thankfully, the Noid has gone the way of the Hamburglar), I still get out a box of Hamburger Helper from time to time. My 7-year-old son can't get enough of the stuff, and asks for a box of "Helper" more often than not when we work our way through the grocery store. We sometimes stray from the Cheeseburger Macaroni flavor and explore the variety that Hamburger Helper has to offer (Lasagna isn't half bad, and the Tuna Helper offshoot is a nice change of pace), but we always come back to my — and his — childhood favorite. While Hamburger Helper certainly isn't winning any health food contests, it's easy, it tastes great, and it's on the table in less than half an hour from start to finish.

While Hamburger Helper is great exactly the way that it is, I've played around with the directions on the back of the box a bit and found some modifications that make it even better. First of all, if you're an uber-carnivore like my kiddo — or you're simply looking for a high protein meal — try adding an extra half-pound of beef. You'll still get plenty of pasta and cheesy flavor while also getting a little bit closer to hitting your protein goals for the day. 

The directions on the box call for 2 ½ cups of water and 1 cup of milk, but I like to go all-out and add 3 ½ cups of milk to the mix. Cheesing it up is also a delicious option — you can be creative and use whatever you have on hand. Adding a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes is another way to put a twist on a classic (and a bit of spice). 

Finally, it can be fun to add some extra crunch on top of each bowl of burger-loaded noodle-heavy goodness you're serving up at the dinner table. Crumbled bacon is a great choice, but it's not your only option. We also love topping our bowls off with fried onions and fried red peppers to create an unexpected crunch. Cheez-Its (especially the Extra Cheesy variety) would also be a fun way to add some flavor and textural variety. The bottom line: Hamburger Helper is nostalgic, versatile, and, most importantly, just as tasty as it was a few decades ago.