The story
hamburger + helper; a genericized trademark; introduced nationally by General Mills' Betty Crocker brand in 1971.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
hamburger helper
Today it means: 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. Full definition →