ground beef substitute?

bethalicia
bethalicia Posts: 7
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
My family loves hamburger helper meals, so I am trying to make them a little healthier.
I purchased ground beef substitute from Morning Star. What I am wondering is, how would you count the calories of the meal? The total on the box says when prepared as directed.
So, does anyone know the difference in calories between beef and beef substitute?

Thanks!

Replies

  • jraps17
    jraps17 Posts: 179 Member
    Does the hamburger helper have the nutritional information of it self before its prepared?
  • MommyofBoys
    MommyofBoys Posts: 75
    A healthier way of doing hamburger helper is to use ground turkey, it's healthy and tastes great!
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
    You would have to use the amount on the box that is for the mix only. Then add in your ground beef substitute and your milk. Be aware that this might change the number of servings. This does for me when I use ground turkey. When you finish cooking it, and are serving it, measure it out by a 1 cup measurer and see how many you get, then divide appropriately. :smile:
  • skinnyhappy
    skinnyhappy Posts: 152 Member
    Use the little recipe calculator MFP provides. First you may want to add the bag of Morningstar crumbles to your list of foods, so you can use it as an ingredient. Anyway, the cals in beef are from fat/protein...the crumbles are the same, but the protein and fat are from soybeans and are much easier on your stomach!
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    Actually, not to be Debbie Downer here, but I'd keep the beef and find a better substitute for the Hamburger Helper mix.
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
    If it doesn't have the nutritional information for just the mix, I'm stumped here. Sorry.
  • nyctraveler
    nyctraveler Posts: 305 Member
    Try ground turkey or group bison for a healthier option than beef
  • phenrichs
    phenrichs Posts: 102
    Ground Buffalo or Ground Venison.

    Learn to love the leanest red meats. Buffalo and venison can't be beat.
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    Ground Buffalo or Ground Venison.

    Learn to love the leanest red meats. Buffalo and venison can't be beat.
    Im complelely open to eating both but where am I going to find them? Im not much for hunting (I like the beer drinking; chewing tobacco and guns. I just dont like the getting up at 4 am on a Saturday in the cold)
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
    oooh....I've got an idea!!

    Look at the calories (and/or other nutrients) on your usual ground beef- or look it up in the data base. Then find the difference between that and your morning star product. Then subtract these differences from the Hamburger Helper box.

    Viola! Does that help?
  • Rurouni_Kou
    Rurouni_Kou Posts: 180 Member
    Ground bison (Not buffalo, buffalo is from Africa and a completely different species, I hate it when folks call it "buffalo"...) is a good lean substitute. My local HEB sells it. Also you can find grass fed beef, which is much healthier (and more ethical) than factory farm beef. This you can try and find via eatwild.com
  • phenrichs
    phenrichs Posts: 102
    Ground bison (Not buffalo, buffalo is from Africa and a completely different species, I hate it when folks call it "buffalo"...) is a good lean substitute. My local HEB sells it. Also you can find grass fed beef, which is much healthier (and more ethical) than factory farm beef. This you can try and find via eatwild.com

    I live in South Dakota and everyone calls it buffalo. Either way it is very tasty and in many dishes better than beef.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    Nothing is healthy about Hamburger Helper. Make your own homemade version with noodles and spices. Use ground sirloin instead of hamburger. Leanest you can find. Much less fat.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
    Ground bison (Not buffalo, buffalo is from Africa and a completely different species, I hate it when folks call it "buffalo"...) is a good lean substitute. My local HEB sells it. Also you can find grass fed beef, which is much healthier (and more ethical) than factory farm beef. This you can try and find via eatwild.com

    Same family so who cares about origin?
  • bethalicia
    bethalicia Posts: 7
    Thanks for the ideas.
    To those who said that hamburger helper isn't healthy itself: I know that. And I will try to work to cut out things like that. I have already quit buying premade foods and frozen meals for the family. I have a full time job and 5 kids aged 6 and under (along with a husband-so you could say 6). It's hard to make a full 'from scratch' meal at the end of the day, and I am new to this healthy eating stuff. It was hard enough breaking them from chips and snack cakes. Oh, and pop-tarts. It's been almost 2 months, and they still ask for pop-tarts. lol. I do serve fresh veggies and fruit, to keep the meal healthier. If you have any suggestions for quick-like 20 mins-recipes that are family friendly, that would be great.
    Again, thank you guys!
  • Rurouni_Kou
    Rurouni_Kou Posts: 180 Member
    Ground bison (Not buffalo, buffalo is from Africa and a completely different species, I hate it when folks call it "buffalo"...) is a good lean substitute. My local HEB sells it. Also you can find grass fed beef, which is much healthier (and more ethical) than factory farm beef. This you can try and find via eatwild.com

    Same family so who cares about origin?

    Antelopes and Yaks are in the same family (hell some even in the same subfamily). Should we label them as "buffalo" since they're in the same family, too?

    Buffalo != bison, Bison != Buffalo no matter what common vernacular misnames it.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    My family loves hamburger helper meals, so I am trying to make them a little healthier.
    I purchased ground beef substitute from Morning Star. What I am wondering is, how would you count the calories of the meal? The total on the box says when prepared as directed.
    So, does anyone know the difference in calories between beef and beef substitute?

    Thanks!
    You could simply add the calories for the Morningstar . I have to ask though? What's the deal with hamburger helper? Isn't it just basically noodles, plus a salty little seasoning pack and some imitation cheese? It might be cheaper and healthier to make it yourself.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    Thanks for the ideas.
    To those who said that hamburger helper isn't healthy itself: I know that. And I will try to work to cut out things like that. I have already quit buying premade foods and frozen meals for the family. I have a full time job and 5 kids aged 6 and under (along with a husband-so you could say 6). It's hard to make a full 'from scratch' meal at the end of the day, and I am new to this healthy eating stuff. It was hard enough breaking them from chips and snack cakes. Oh, and pop-tarts. It's been almost 2 months, and they still ask for pop-tarts. lol. I do serve fresh veggies and fruit, to keep the meal healthier. If you have any suggestions for quick-like 20 mins-recipes that are family friendly, that would be great.
    Again, thank you guys!
    I spend one hour on Sunday's prepping food for the week. Buy some ziplocs, and a crock pot. (I have a cheapie $10 one). Every week I make a pot of beans and a starch (brown rice/quinoa/pasta)
    I pre-cut veg for salads and put in tupperware. I freeze, veg I've either blanch or roasted, onions, peppers, etc... My meat eating friends buy family packs of meat and cook and separate into serving sizes to fit their families and freeze. For me dinner never take more than 15 mins and I get to control the salt and sugars added.
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