NY Times: Hamburger Helper Sales Rise as Americans Try to Stretch Their Food Dollars

[Prairie Gates]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/business/hamburger-helper-food-prices.html

In the 1970s, Hamburger Helper became a staple on American dinner tables as families, strained by inflation and soaring beef prices, looked to turn a pound of ground beef into an entire meal.

These days, those same pressures are why the flavored pasta mix is coming to the rescue again.

While most food companies are seeing declines in consumer demand for their products, sales of Hamburger Helper are up 14.5 percent in the year through August, getting an extra bump from its appearance on an episode of “The Bear” in June, according to the company that owns the brand, Eagle Foods.

And it’s not just Hamburger Helper. Sales of foods commonly purchased by consumers when financial times get tough are on the rise, according to industry analysts. Purchases of rice are up 7.5 percent this year. Distressed shoppers are also buying more cans of tuna, salmon and sardines. Sales of beans and boxes of macaroni and cheese are also strong, based on data from the research firm Circana.

Food prices are crazy right now. Can you imagine if this was Trump's sales pitch last year: next year, you'll be needing a lot more Hamburger Helper!

“Consumers are looking for foods that fill them up for the least amount of money.”

Good Lord!

[Henry203]

1. At Costco

Oranges are over $100.00 when it was 8>00 last monthe and coffee is $18.00 when it was $12.00 6 weeks ago.

[Traildogbob]

2. Just add Cats and dogs.

[BeyondGeography]

3. "Sales of Hamburger Helper to billionaires remain flat."

To quote a highly rated comment.

[Johnny2X2X]

4. It's simply stunning to me how little food we get for $250 now

Just my wife and I, we go shopping on Saturday mornings. Half full cart, $250 to $300 a week now. And we don't go crazy, we eat healthy and look for items on sale. $1200 a month to feed a family of 2.

[womanofthehills]

5. I'm buying less food because its so expensive

I only eat organic. I’m growing more vegetables and have my own chickens.

I weighed myself yesterday and without even trying to lose weight - lost 10 lbs.

[democratsruletheday]

8. Switch to Aldi Johnny....

bagging your own groceries is a pain, but it's worth it. We were at $1,400/month for family of 3 and now we're at about $1100/month. Switched from Meijer to Aldi. Haven't looked back and it's working out well.
Sidenote: we eat very healthy and don't buy too much red meat. When I do buy red meat it's from a local butcher that is a little more expensive but very high quality.

Bottom line; J2 is right....food is through the ROOF right now and along with Gas it's the two biggest inflationary items Americans simmer over. It pretty much won the election for tOrange Stain...he lied through his teeth and the sheeple believed he'd "lower" prices, and here we are.

[Historic NY]

6. Aunt Edna: "Hmm. I don't know why they call this stuff Hamburger Helper. It does just fine by itself."

[democratsruletheday]

7. I'd rather go hungry or go with no meat...

Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, etc.....is low grade dog food.