Item: Betty Crocker Tuna Helper

What you get: 5 servings

Cost: about $1.80

Preparation time: about 10 minutes on stove top, 16 to 18 minutes in microwave, 30 to 35 minutes in conventional oven

Review: I've never been a helper fan, but the sign said "improved," and the Creamy Pasta flavor looked like a quick version of the tuna casserole my 15-month-old loves. Results were mixed. The Creamy Pasta scored high even with the nontuna fan at lunch. The new Tuna Melt flavor was very cheesy, and the addition of chopped green onion and diced tomato complemented it. But the Creamy Broccoli was bland and offered no evidence of broccoli. Stove-top and oven preparation were equally successful. A word of caution: Leftovers do not fare well. Ours went to the dogs.

Pub Date: 5/27/98