REVIEW: Betty Crocker Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper

I tried. I really tried. But, I think it’s impossible to overdose on whole grains. I picked up as many products with whole grains as I could, which were all over the place. No, seriously. If I were to piss blindfolded in a grocery store, it’s hard not to hit a product that has whole grains.

In one day, I ate a bowl of Froot Loops made with whole grain, consumed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with whole wheat bread, snacked on Tostitos tortilla chips made with whole grain, inhaled a plate of pasta with whole grain noodles, chomped on whole grain Wheat Thins and ate a hearty serving of Betty Crocker’s new Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper.

That’s easily 100 grams of whole grain, which is twice the recommended 48 grams of whole grain one should eat daily. Whatever happened to “too much of a good thing can be bad”? I’ve eaten enough prunes in one sitting to know the effects of having too much of a good thing. If it had been 100 grams of cocaine, I’d be dead, unless I was Keith Richards. With that many grams of whole grain, I though I would at least have hallucinations of grain fields or giant spiders trying to eat me.

You know what? Maybe I didn’t try hard enough. I could’ve had more whole grains if I had brunch, linner, and Taco Bell’s Fourthmeal. That would’ve taken me to around 175 grams of whole grain. Or even better, I could’ve hung out near the feederhouse or cylinder of a combine grain harvester. I would’ve easily gotten 1,000 grams of whole grain. Or maybe I should’ve eaten the entire skillet I prepared of Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper, which would’ve given me 80 grams of whole grain.

Although, I don’t know whether I could eat the entire skillet, because Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper looks weird. It’s like staring at Renee Zellwegger without any makeup on or me with a drag queen’s-worth of makeup on. It looks unappetizing and drab, like something that would be served in a Siberian prison for kids.

I blame the bronzed 100 percent whole grain elbow macaroni for making this Whole Grain Hamburger Helper look weird, and for giving the dish a grainy texture. Although, the grainy texture was expected since the whole grain noodles I had earlier, during my attempt to OD on whole grains, had the same texture.

But it’s not only the bronzed elbow macaroni that brings this Hamburger Helper down, it’s also the cheesy sauce, which wasn’t very cheesy. Some bites I took didn’t have any cheese flavor, and instead all I could taste was the ground beef I added. If I just wanted to taste the ground beef, I would’ve made myself a hamburger without the helper.

The Betty Crocker Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper may sound like a healthier Hamburger Helper, but there really isn’t anything healthier about it beyond the whole grain pasta. Okay, it also has 240 milligrams less sodium than regular Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper, but it has the same amount of calories, saturated fat and trans fat as the regular version.

If you’re desperate to get whole grains, I guess it could be an option, but again, there are many other ways to get whole grains. To find out, just go to your favorite grocery store, blindfold yourself, pull down your pants, and pee.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 cup prepared – 310 calories, 120 calories from fat, 13 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 670 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, 23 grams of protein, 4% vitamin A, 10% calcium, and 10% iron.)

Item: Betty Crocker Cheeseburger Macaroni Whole Grain Hamburger Helper
Price: $2.29
Size: 4.8 ounces
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Easy to prepare. Provides 16 grams of whole grain per serving. Less sodium than regular Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper. Cheap meal. Good source of protein. No artificial flavors or preservatives.
Cons: Looks like something that would be served in a Siberian prison for kids. Not very cheesy. Grainy texture of macaroni. Same amount of calories, saturated fat and trans fat as regular Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper. Elbow macaroni looks like it’s been hanging out by the pool with George Hamilton. Eating too many prunes.