What's the deal with Tuna Helper?

[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!

Which hamburger helper do they like?

I am someone who remembers liking some kind of cheesy hamburger helper (as in has cheese, not dissing the helper) and who likes tuna pasta salad and tuna melts. I don’t care for tuna casserole in any form.

I am the one who suggested Mac and cheese. For my kids, one emergency dish that got consistently eaten was mac and cheese, with canned tuna and frozen peas and carrots mixed in. I would probably try to figure out something that resembles the hamburger helper they like but has tuna.

[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!

Which hamburger helper do they like?

I am someone who remembers liking some kind of cheesy hamburger helper (as in has cheese, not dissing the helper) and who likes tuna pasta salad and tuna melts. I don’t care for tuna casserole in any form.

I am the one who suggested Mac and cheese. For my kids, one emergency dish that got consistently eaten was mac and cheese, with canned tuna and frozen peas and carrots mixed in. I would probably try to figure out something that resembles the hamburger helper they like but has tuna.

They like the cheeseburger one and the stroganoff one. As far as I can tell they're all either one of those two flavors no matter what the box says. Some say double cheeseburger, some say lasagna, I dunno... they like them.

They've objected to lobster mac and were outraged when we tried putting some cauliflower in with mac and cheese, which my wife and I thought was delicious and was just done to change things up.

I'm thinking the cold pasta is probably our best bet, and I might start with the canned salmon.

[Anonymous]

Serve them tuna melts and if they ask what they are, just tell them it’s a chicken of the sea sandwich: like shredded chicken, but with a salty brine.

[Anonymous]

Hah, I love tuna helper. It's a weird junk food to me, like KD. Got me on a weird craving now!

[Anonymous]

No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

So you disagree with the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Reports, the American Academy of Family Practice, the CDC, and others, but -- boy howdy, it's your opinion to save the day!

[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.

Nice troll. 6/10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

Do you worry about Thimerosal and other "preservatives" in shots as well?

[Anonymous]

OP, you might get lucky but I don't think liking the taste of Hamburger Helper will correlate with liking Tuna Helper. The tastes are very different, and hot tuna is just a no go for many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

Do you worry about Thimerosal and other "preservatives" in shots as well?

I note their presence, PP, but they get such few shots in their lives, at such a reduced heavy metal content, that it's not relevant. Serving tuna is a choice. Vaccines are not.

Did you think I was going to be an antivaxxer? Why wouldn't you try to reduce toxins and contaminants for your children when you can? I didn't even raise my eyebrows at Hamburger helper. Our environments are full of toxic chemicals we cannot easily decrease, such as air pollution or microplastics. Why would you mock people for trying to manage things they can control? Nobody's holding a gun to your head and force feeding your kid tuna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

Do you worry about Thimerosal and other "preservatives" in shots as well?

I note their presence, PP, but they get such few shots in their lives, at such a reduced heavy metal content, that it's not relevant. Serving tuna is a choice. Vaccines are not.

Did you think I was going to be an antivaxxer? Why wouldn't you try to reduce toxins and contaminants for your children when you can? I didn't even raise my eyebrows at Hamburger helper. Our environments are full of toxic chemicals we cannot easily decrease, such as air pollution or microplastics. Why would you mock people for trying to manage things they can control? Nobody's holding a gun to your head and force feeding your kid tuna.

Ah, yes, the toxins. *nods sagely*

[Anonymous]

You should make your canned tuna lightly fried and spiced.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty standard for kids to hate tuna. It's just one of those things that are gross to most kids. They'll probably like it when they grow up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No tuna for kids, OP. The heavy metals accumulate and over time can cause cancer. Maybe substitute a can of salmon? I don't know what you make with Hamburger helper (never tried it), but I sometimes make pasta with salmon, or make salmon sandwiches.

Do you worry about Thimerosal and other "preservatives" in shots as well?

I hope so. Everyone should be. I'm not the PP you are mocking but every educated, intelligent person should be concerned with what's in shots, and also concerned with the bullying that passes as intelligent debate about vaccines. See above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should make your canned tuna lightly fried and spiced.

Can you dig up a link to this thread?