How to Make Your Own Hamburger Helper

Dinner at my house is nothing short of a three ring circus.  Sure I meal plan with the best of intentions, but I have one kid that can’t have gluten, and one that can’t have dairy.  Those nights of throwing caution to the wind and ordering a pizza just don’t exist.   Then there are those nights where I am trying to pull something together last minute and end up making 3 different things just to appease everyone.

We sit down in the evenings and see commercials for all of these “convenience foods”: Hamburger Helper, Bird’s Eye Voila, basically anything I can just throw on and serve.  Oh to have the ease of heat and eat, but wait…I can.  I just have to prep a little to have that convenience.  I am on a mission to make my not so “heat and eat” life a little more convenient.  I have been doing more prepping ahead and more freezer cooking.

Today was another step in my journey.  Why couldn’t I make my own Hamburger Helper type meals, but healthier?  I totally can! I mean they are just a starch, seasonings, and a meat with tons of preservatives and chemicals I don’t want my family eating anyway.  Plus, we are a family of 5 and 1 box would never be enough to feed this crew. So, I can totally double these recipes to have enough to feed this crowd.

I decided to sit down and put together my own “Short Cut Helper meals”. These are versatile enough to mix and match to make them something your family will love.  Ground Beef, Turkey, chicken, even leftover turkey (you know thanksgiving is coming). All you need is a side salad, or veggie and you are good to go.  Also make sure you have plenty of this Homemade Pancake/Biscuit Mix on hand you can have fresh biscuits with dinner for pennies.

So here are my “Short Cut Helper Meals” these are just a base.  Taste them as they are cooking, add flavors your family will love.  Play with them, and even make new ones.  These are two of our favorites!

And there’s….