Because Only the Lazy Eat Ramen

I mean, it's not like you're broke as fuck, living from paycheck to paycheck, eating this crap once a day because it's all you can afford! No way, it couldn't be that!

Look at all that crap around the noodles. Dude, if you can afford to add eggs, shrimp, diced chicken breast, leafy lettuce and grated carrots to your ramen, you could probably afford to eat something better than Ramen in the first place. Just saying.

Comments

[セラ]

"安くて美味しい！" means "Cheap and delicious!" in Japanese. Just a fun fact.

Why is it that we never see people complaining about the Lazy Boy couches? "Wow, you couch potato motherfucker! Nice choice in ass-rests! You go! Dig in that butt groove!"

It's ramen. You make it when you're either a) really broke, b) want ramen (people who like ramen because of the taste despite the unhealthiness do exist), or c) don't feel like making something more elaborate.

I don't think the carrots, chicken, lettuce, eggs and shrimp are part of the meal, so you don't really have to rag on them. Just because it's a cheap, quick meal doesn't mean they can't make it look more appetizing.

[CharlieWhiskyMike]

Paper is patient and so are the pictures on wrappings. If there are eggs, carrots, chicken, shrimps in these product then only a few little crumb which deaddried.
Imho Ramen is healthier than french fries or other cheap but fat food.

[Skittles]

Ramen is awesome in that you can add many different things to make it more of a variety cheap meal. I love it with broccoli and pearl onions that have been caramalized.

[The Last Archimedean]

I have been broke enough to have to live on Ramen. It's not as bad for you as most forms of fast food.

[Kikzilla]

Are you really sure it's more healthier than other sorts of bad food?

I extremely *doubt* that.

Ramen has ZERO nutritional value. It's nothing but empty calories. You're eating some deep fried noodles and MSG laden, fake broth. Seriously. That's how they preserve the noodles, they deep fry them and then you can just nuke them. That's why the ramen 'broth,' is oily.

In my opinion, there's nothing more unhealthy. At least when you're eating at McD's, you're getting a wee bit of protein in that mystery meat.

My suggestion? Go to a little asian market. Pick up some blocks of tofu, some wakame or other sort of seaweed, some noodles, maybe some miso stock, and whatever else, then go to your local grocer and pick up some chicken broth and green onions or some other cheap veggies. I guarantee it'll cost you in all less than $30 and provide you with quite a few meals that ARE healthy. Most Asian markets will carry packages of noodles like soba, udon, etc, for very cheap. I'm talking like 2lb bags of noddles for around $6. They're at least not deep fried if but still a cheap carb. In terms of portions, they may very well come out as more affordable than ramen, since those noodles are fairly light. It's like, what, 4oz of noodles?

Don't buy tofu from a grocery store, they generally mark it up insanely. I've seen places sell it for $3 for an 8oz block, which makes it more expensive than chicken or even beef for that matter. Which makes it fucking pointless. I mean if I'm going to eat tofu, it's mainly going to be for the reason I can't afford to eat meat.

I can get a block of tofu for about $1.15 from my Asian market, and it I can stretch for about four meals.

Wakame is the kind of seaweed they serve with miso soup generally, and a bag of that will last you forever and cost a few bucks. I have the same bag I bought 5 years ago. It's dried so it lasts forever. Throw some in whatever soup, and it's a cheap, healthy protein. If you're watching your sodium intake ( if you're eating ramen, your sodium levels are going to be psychotic ) rinse the wakame and reconstitute it first.

Miso paste is delicious, cheap and goes far and most markets will carry some form of it. I get a pound pot of it for $6 and it'll last around 8mos and I eat a lot of miso. It's not just for soup, you can use it for all sorts of marinade. Put some paste in your stir fried veggies, mix it was some soricha for an amazing marinade on just about anything. It's high in sodium, but you can get MSG free miso which helps. Try to stick with a white or red miso. Marukome makes a variety that pretty much tastes like what most Japanese restaurants serve. Apparently, you can get squeeze bottle miso now too, but they water it down so it mixes easier, thus is diluted, and marked up with the packaging. Despite the sodium content, miso is incredibly healthy. Mix miso paste in your chicken soup next time you're sick, especially with a tummy ache. Trust me, you'll thank me.

If you're real smart with those green onions and stick them in a glass in your window, and just snip off the greens, you probably won't need to replace those for MONTHS.

And this is all pretty easy and quick to make. Throw a couple cups of chicken stock in a pot, with two cups water. Bring to boil. Put in your noodles. I prefer rice noodles since I'm a celiac these days. It's fun. Let the noodles become al dente. Throw it whatever. Diced green onions for me, dried shiitake ( get that at the Asian market. The mark up on them in western grocery stores is disgusting ) if you're feeling particularly rich that week, fresh portabellas are amazing. Mix up some of the miso paste with soy sauce, and soricha, thin it with water so it dissolves into the water easily, but don't bung it in until the soup has come off the boil or you'll ruin the miso.

[Damn Yankee]

I make "super ramen" (I didn't name it, my roomie did!) that has chicken thighs, bok choy, bean sprouts, carrots, and celery in it. It's tasty, and surprisingly filling, for soup. It's my go to when I have a leftover rotisserie chicken.

[perky]

@Kikzilla, that is nice and all but the closest Asian market is a 30 minute drive from me.

[lamer]

It's great for picky kids. It's how I got my son to start eating everything (and no, he's not fat). I'd start with ramen, then ramen and broccoli, then just broccoli. We like ramen in our house and after my c section, it was the only thing I could cook (I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes).

[Mollywobbles]

I love ramen! One of the first things I would do on a trip to Japan is look for a ramen shop, so I can see what it's really supposed to taste like. I wish I was brave enough to add an egg to mine, though.

[Kikzilla]

Perky, the closest one to me is an hour's drive away. Your point? I stock up every couple months. Most of the stuff I get from the asian market lasts months, with the exception of the tofu. In which case I have a tofu month, and then I have a chicken month.

And actual Japanese ramen served from a ramen shop is literally nothing like the stuff that comes out of the packages.

[MahiMahi713]

I freaking love ramen. And that is why I eat it. Occasionally because I'm lazy, but mostly because it is some tasty stuff. And I like to add stuff to it, too. I'd like to try REAL ramen one day. I know I live near a big Asian Market, they have good prices on fresh fish, cheap fresh veggies and all that.

[Mason]

@Kikzilla Why the MSG hate? MSG is a low-sodium alternative to salt, AND it's delicious. I keep a shaker of it in my kitchen and add extra MSG to food all the time.

[The Last Archimedean]

Maybe Kik is allergic, Mason. Some people do have an allergy to MSG -- back in the '70's it was known as "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome" becausde most Chinese restaurants in America use MSG in just about all of their dishes.

[Nocturnesthesia]

I'll have to look around for miso paste, I've only ever seen the instant soup mix and don't buy it since it's $8.

I eat tons of ramen though. Partly because I'm poor but mostly because I'm incredibly lazy, no problem with truth in advertising.

[ThatManagerBastard]

When I'm Ramen broke I like to pick up a pack of minute steaks. ( Really thinly sliced sirloin, like 1/8th inch thick.) Fry the steak while the ramen is cooking, slice it into strips. Drain the raman, add flavor pack, mix, put steak on side. Spear steak, twirl noodles, eat. You can generally get a pack of 6 minute steaks for about 3 bucks, and at one steak per raman that's not a bad little deal.
For chicken raman, same deal, kind of. Most stores sell packs of chicken tenders for a buck or a buck fifty.
I'm one of those freaks who, now and then, eat raman because I do like it. Quick, easy, and fills you up.

[maya marie]

my favorite? make the noodles, throw out the spice packet and mix a bit of fish sauce, sracha and peanut butter in the bottom of the bowl with a bit of the hot water. best ramen sauce ever.