Hamburger Helper Wholesome Classics Stroganoff Review

Hamburger Helper for dinner was a staple of my childhood dinners. The blend of beef, pasta, and mysterious powdered sauce mix never failed to appease my brother and me. Still, the folks over at Betty Crocker, realizing that they might be losing revenue to the new disdain toward white flour products, and have launched a line of Wholesome (Whole Grain) Helpers.

I picked up the Stroganoff flavor, and upon looking at the ingredients, I realized that this contains no mushrooms, which is what makes a stroganoff. Well then, I went out and bought 8 ounces of mushrooms to slice and add to this, realizing full and well that I could be making this from scratch with only slightly more effort.

I sauteed my lean ground beef, mushrooms, and an onion until the meat browned and the vegetables softened. I then added the required milk and water, the whole grain noodles, and that mysterious flavored powder. I simmered it for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and let it sit for 2 mins. The noodles were tender but not mushy, and the sauce had thickened nicely. As for the flavor, I thought that it wasn't too shabby. It was a bit salty, but not overwhelmingly so. The sauce even had a bit of tang, like a real stroganoff should, and overall I enjoyed this walk down memory lane.