Every once in a while, you try something new from the grocery store, and are surprised at how good it is for the price.  In a completely backwards age where people think that the "Dollar Menu" at a fast food restaurant is a good deal, an actually solid bargain is difficult to find.  Now, proponents of the big food industry would disagree and attempt to choke out anyone who mentioned "ramen noodles" by immediately spouting off how much sodium they contain and how quickly they will kill you, which has merit, but, let's be honest... a box of sugar coated cereal in milk is probably amongst the top reasons that America is obese anyway.

So, while we spiral into fatness and unhealthiness, why should we also drive down poverty lane?  Why not simultaneously get fat, reduce our lifespan, and save money, instead of just getting fat and reducing our lifespan?

Enter Ramen Noodles 2.0:

(Sorry for the small image, photography wasn't going to happen tonight for the sake of a noodle article).

This is the Nissin Foods "Chow Pasta" offering known as Tomato Basil.  With a retail cost of about $1 (One US Dollar), it comes in quite heftily above the price of ramen noodles... but, it's really good and there are actually a couple of qualitative differences.  In the United States, we tend to believe that an increased price is indicative of improved quality, even when there's literally no difference, sometimes.  This is not the case with this product.  

The taste is very strong and much better than your average pack of ramen noodles, and, the amount of food seems to be maybe just a bit more than regular ramen packets, though I'd have to examine the net weight to be sure.  If you haven't had the other "Chow" bowls, they generally have a couple packets that you mix in, instead of the usual one powder packet.  They take 6 minutes in the microwave, and are dead simple to make.  These noodles are filling and delicious, and this very different take on ramen should be very welcome to the kitchen of anyone who subsists on foods like this frequently.

The Chow Mein series of noodles by Nissin are tried and true.  All varieties of the "Chow Mein" series include: Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Spicy Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, Chicken, Thai Peanut, Chinese Chicken Vegetable, and Shrimp. 

Of the available "Chow Mein" Noodles, I can recommend Chinese Chicken Vegetable, Chicken, and maybe Spicy Chicken, but the last isn't so great.  They're a buck, so, give them all a try if you get a chance, I've only tried those three. 

So, eat the Tomato Basil and Chow Meins, save some money, and consider how actually tiny those $1 menu offerings at a fast food restaurant are.  

As far as health is concerned, Nissin's ramen generally comes in at a little less sodium count than the other varieties available, but, don't expect to grow skinny eating stuff like this on a daily basis.  These are cheap, quick, and delicious meals, designed to save time and money.  Buy one of these for every 4 or 5 ramen packs, and you'll be addicted to the variety in no time. 

I also havent tried the Alfredo variety, but they are pretty good, too.