What's the deal with Tuna Helper?

[Anonymous]

My kids love Hamburger Helper and it's a smash-the-glass emergency dinner... If they're after that, I typically make something hamburger helper-esque from scratch that doesn't have all the sodium and weird color additives... I certainly never ate it as a kid but am not opposed to them eating it occasionally now.

But they also hate tunafish—and I love tuna sandwiches, particularly tuna melts. Truthfully, they've never really had tunafish (from a can) and just object to it because they object to all sorts of things... if you like hamburger helper are you likely to enjoy tuna helper? could it be a way to lure my kids into accepting that canned tuna isnt' automatically evil?

My mother used to make a cold pasta salad when I was a kid with tuna in it which was a good summer dinner that didn't require a hot kitchen and had lots of protein, but the tuna was also very visible and I figure the tuna helper might hide the main ingredient.

[Anonymous]

Canned tuna really is not healthy. The mercury levels are off the charts. But, if you are one to feed your children something called Hamburger Helper (shudders) then by all means go right ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Canned tuna really is not healthy. The mercury levels are off the charts. But, if you are one to feed your children something called Hamburger Helper (shudders) then by all means go right ahead.

A@@hole.

-not OP

[Anonymous]

I think if I was going to use food chaining with something familiar to accustom my kids to tuna, I'd do mac and cheese, however you usually prepare it, and add a small amount of tuna, shredded fine and stirred in well.

If your kids don't eat mac and cheese, obviously that changes things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Canned tuna really is not healthy. The mercury levels are off the charts. But, if you are one to feed your children something called Hamburger Helper (shudders) then by all means go right ahead.

A@@hole.

-not OP

👏🏼

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if I was going to use food chaining with something familiar to accustom my kids to tuna, I'd do mac and cheese, however you usually prepare it, and add a small amount of tuna, shredded fine and stirred in well.

If your kids don't eat mac and cheese, obviously that changes things.

This is a good suggestion.

Would they perhaps try tuna casserole (without realizing it is tuna?

Cold tuna pasta salad?

[Anonymous]

I think you're out of luck, OP. I grew up loving my mom's tuna melts, curried tuna sandwiches, and tuna macaroni salad, but I just don't think this next generation is as into canned tuna. My kids are great eaters (including fresh tuna) and love ground beef stroganoff (which is basically like hamburger helper) but would definitely be put off by tuna noodles. DH also is not a tuna person, so it's not something I buy much, and I think the ship has sailed on getting my kids to acquire the taste (they are elem/middle ages).

That said, I have not tried tuna helper specifically.

Buzz off to the pearl clutcher, btw.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with a mock hamburger helper made from scratch? I used to eat the box kind as a kid, but now, as an adult, I make my own from scratch.

My ingredients are lean ground beef, almond milk, pasta, spices, cheddar cheese, freshly chopped garlic, onions, fresh chopped parsley, and olive oil. Wonder what other foods the pp would "shudder" at.

[Anonymous]

Here are some actual facts, not judgement:

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/all-around/Pages/Protecting-Your-Children-From-Contaminated-Fish.aspx

[Anonymous]

My kids love tuna, specifically cold tuna pasta salad. I add celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, green onions and a dill-lemonade-mayo dressing. They request this every week in summer.
In winter I make a hot version of Tuna Helper from scratch only I actually use canned salmon and call it tuna.
One of my kids also likes sashimi though the other won't eat it. I get it from the grocery store for a treat.
Our pediatrician wants kids to eat seafood at least once a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with a mock hamburger helper made from scratch? I used to eat the box kind as a kid, but now, as an adult, I make my own from scratch.

My ingredients are lean ground beef, almond milk, pasta, spices, cheddar cheese, freshly chopped garlic, onions, fresh chopped parsley, and olive oil. Wonder what other foods the pp would "shudder" at.

Nothing wrong at all. Basically all scratch cooking is good for growing kids (not necessarily middle aged ladies though).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids love tuna, specifically cold tuna pasta salad. I add celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, green onions and a dill-lemonade-mayo dressing. They request this every week in summer.
In winter I make a hot version of Tuna Helper from scratch only I actually use canned salmon and call it tuna.
One of my kids also likes sashimi though the other won't eat it. I get it from the grocery store for a treat.
Our pediatrician wants kids to eat seafood at least oce a week.

OP here, that's more or less what my mother made -- just mayo and salt and pepper instead of a dressing. My kids adore pasta, love celery, cucumbers and sometiems peppers, but adamantly refuse to eat salad dressing of any kind. They eat mayo--but only when they don't know it.

They're very difficult, but, in general, the things they eat are very healthy (raw fruits and vegetables, grilled chicken, salmon)... they'll eat salmon, so maybe that's an idea of how to ease them into it. I haven't tried tuna steak, but they like swordfish.

I guess my problem is they're very unpredictable in their pickiness, and I'm just trying to steer them towards somethings that are predictable and easy -- like a can of tuna!

I assumed that Tuna Helper is basically a boxed version of Tuna Casserole, and was thinking maybe they'd be convinced by the Helper logo... if they eat I can maybe work up a tuna casserole and then we'll be on to tuna sandwiches!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Canned tuna really is not healthy. The mercury levels are off the charts. But, if you are one to feed your children something called Hamburger Helper (shudders) then by all means go right ahead.

I would not give them large quantities of it, just as I don't give them large quantities of lunch meat, but the occasional tuna sandwich or ham sandwich will not hurt them but will make my life easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids love tuna, specifically cold tuna pasta salad. I add celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, green onions and a dill-lemonade-mayo dressing. They request this every week in summer.
In winter I make a hot version of Tuna Helper from scratch only I actually use canned salmon and call it tuna.
One of my kids also likes sashimi though the other won't eat it. I get it from the grocery store for a treat.
Our pediatrician wants kids to eat seafood at least oce a week.

OP here, that's more or less what my mother made -- just mayo and salt and pepper instead of a dressing. My kids adore pasta, love celery, cucumbers and sometiems peppers, but adamantly refuse to eat salad dressing of any kind. They eat mayo--but only when they don't know it.

They're very difficult, but, in general, the things they eat are very healthy (raw fruits and vegetables, grilled chicken, salmon)... they'll eat salmon, so maybe that's an idea of how to ease them into it. I haven't tried tuna steak, but they like swordfish.

I guess my problem is they're very unpredictable in their pickiness, and I'm just trying to steer them towards somethings that are predictable and easy -- like a can of tuna!

I assumed that Tuna Helper is basically a boxed version of Tuna Casserole, and was thinking maybe they'd be convinced by the Helper logo... if they eat I can maybe work up a tuna casserole and then we'll be on to tuna sandwiches!

Honestly I would focus more on trying to introduce the tuna in cold dishes, like the pasta salads others have mentioned. Do they like egg salad at all? If so you can try adding some tuna to that. As someone who loves tuna, I cannot stomach tuna casserole, from scratch or from a box. I don’t think it’s the best way to make tuna appealing to already picky eaters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids love tuna, specifically cold tuna pasta salad. I add celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, green onions and a dill-lemonade-mayo dressing. They request this every week in summer.
In winter I make a hot version of Tuna Helper from scratch only I actually use canned salmon and call it tuna.
One of my kids also likes sashimi though the other won't eat it. I get it from the grocery store for a treat.
Our pediatrician wants kids to eat seafood at least oce a week.

OP here, that's more or less what my mother made -- just mayo and salt and pepper instead of a dressing. My kids adore pasta, love celery, cucumbers and sometiems peppers, but adamantly refuse to eat salad dressing of any kind. They eat mayo--but only when they don't know it.

They're very difficult, but, in general, the things they eat are very healthy (raw fruits and vegetables, grilled chicken, salmon)... they'll eat salmon, so maybe that's an idea of how to ease them into it. I haven't tried tuna steak, but they like swordfish.

I guess my problem is they're very unpredictable in their pickiness, and I'm just trying to steer them towards somethings that are predictable and easy -- like a can of tuna!

I assumed that Tuna Helper is basically a boxed version of Tuna Casserole, and was thinking maybe they'd be convinced by the Helper logo... if they eat I can maybe work up a tuna casserole and then we'll be on to tuna sandwiches!

Honestly I would focus more on trying to introduce the tuna in cold dishes, like the pasta salads others have mentioned. Do they like egg salad at all? If so you can try adding some tuna to that. As someone who loves tuna, I cannot stomach tuna casserole, from scratch or from a box. I don’t think it’s the best way to make tuna appealing to already picky eaters.

Yeah, I was thinking because of how much they like Hamburger Helper... I may try the cold pasta with some light dressing/mayo, cucumbers and celery...