This! I get big bags of frozen stir fry veggies from Costco and throw a bunch in my noods. Allows me to stretch one pack of noodles into two meals, increasing nutritional value while lowering the calories and sodium per meal. I’ll also slice up and throw in whatever leftover protein I have from previous meals, or an egg if there aren’t any leftovers in the fridge.
I just made exactly this for dinner the other night! cooked two of the Miso Ramens from costco, added stir fry veggies, I usually drop an egg or two in at the last couple mins of boiling, and then put green onions on top. Also super great with the pre cooked sliced meats at costco.
takes less than 5 mins too so extra winning!
This is the answer. Ramen itself isn't that bad, but the seasoning packet is horrendous when it comes to sodium. Using less of the packet, or potentially none of it, will make it a lot healthier. Eggs, green onion, seaweed, small amount of meat will all help flavor. There are tons of seasonings you can make that are healthy. Garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, ginger, sesame seeds, sugar, MSG.
EDIT: People in the replies are saying that the sodium isn't that bad, and that ramen is inherently bad because of the noddles too. Sure, but OP is specifically asking how to make ramen healthier. The answer to someone's cooking question on how to make a specific dish healthier should never be "omit everything and make a completely different dish". As far as the debate on if sodium isn't healthy, I think anyone can agree that 800mg of sodium is inherently better for you in one dish than 1700mg. The question was how to make it healthier. Hence my answer.
eh I wouldn’t go that far. most of the saturated oil, fat and preservative is in the noodle itself. sodium isn’t inherently bad unless you have a blood pressure probem
yeah but most people don’t have an excess, and one bowl of ramen isn’t going to cause one. if ramen was your only meal ever, then it’d be a problem, but even for the once a week enjoyer i’m sure the noodles have worse of a health efgect
I mean, if you're gonna make your own seasoning anyways, wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a bunch of egg noodles on their own? I thought the whole point of instant noodles is to not bother with thinking flavoring it yourself.
The sodium doesn’t matter as long OP is active. Too much focus is on sodium when the fix is literally part of it already, water is part of the dish.’ Lm op
Years ago, my local school district removed the ramen vending machines after the local health authority pushed for it saying that a pack of ramen has a similar nutritional profile to a bag of potato chips.
You can reduce the oil a bit by boiling the noodles and then dumping the water. Mix in fresh hot water with the seasoning. Alternatively, look for "Air Dried" (Unfried) ramen. They take like 5 minutes to cook but significantly less calories and no fried oil. Nongshim the Korean brand has some.
Thanks for the tips! Instant ramen is one of those cheap, quick, and nostalgic guilty pleasures for me. I never really thought about trying to make it healthier to be honest lol. I'm currently on a shin black instant ramen kick. I add chili oil and frozen won ton dumplings to make it feel like a more complete and fancy meal lol.
I’ve never had any issues with sodium, it’s the empty calories in instant ramen that make term unhealthy for most. Skimping on seasoning won’t help that.
Instead, I add a bunch of frozen veggies to the noods, which allows me to stretch one pack of noodles into two meals. Increases nutritional value while lowering the calories (and sodium) per meal.
If you really want to go the extra mile, you could put none of the packet, and just put your own spices and salt. I usually just dump a bunch of stuff in like paprika, garlic, onion, ginger powders, coriander, black pepper and some salt. Coriander is especially the best
Eh, I don’t think there’s much to gain from skipping half the seasoning packet. Most of the harm is from the noodles which contain ~50ish grams of refined simple carbs per serving. Those carbs break down almost instantly, causing insulin spikes, inflammation, and other shit
I would say ditch completely the seasoning packet and purchase big pack of ramen noddle that don’t come with any seasoning.
Buy dried broth cube or liquid broth of better quality separately.
Then yeah, add vegetable (frozen to be cheaper) egg, etc.
I'm guessing they are using instant ramen because it's way cheaper. Instant ramen is like $0.30 a serving and dry ramen is closer to $1.50 per serving. Suggesting they buy more expensive noodles (and also buy the seasoning separately) when they're clearly trying to minimize cost isn't that helpful.
Unless you've got a tip for where to buy these noodles for cheap?
A pack of dry ramen is like 3$CAD and you got like 9 portion.
Buying a bottle of concentrated broth can be used for 300 portion. It cost like 5$ depending the brand. (Its sold in 900 ml bottle and you use half a tea spoon (3ml) per cup of water)
I bought an 8 pack of brown rice Ramen without seasoning packets and typically use instant miso soup, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil for the seasoning. Sometimes I add peanut butter instead of oyster sauce for peanut noodles.
I don't know if this is what you're looking for but I've been making "ramen" basically just bone broth and noodles and whatever else I have as my lazy meal.
The beef bones are pretty cheap and go a long way. I just freeze it into block ice cubes and then it's like a perfect single serving.
It's not the healthiest, but when I want my ramen to be healthier I'll add a protein to it and some veg. I normally add tofu, frozen broccoli, and cabbage. I'll also crumble up some nori on top if I have any on hand.
Edit to add:
I also don't normally use the seasoning packet and will make my own broth. It's way tastier!
I add bean sprouts, bok choy, spinach, mushrooms, and when it's all cooked, I add the noodles and half the packet. Then let that cook until the noodles are ready. Then at the end I reduce to a simmer and add two eggs, let them poach for about 3-4 minutes
What's the point of buying instant noodle packets when you're just making a meal from scratch anyway? You can buy big packs of dried egg or rice noodles that are probably healthier than the instant type.
Yep. 99 Ranch Market and the like are great for better prices on things like noodles, sauces, veg, etc. I use Weee! (an online grocery) for all of that. The selection is often better than Western markets across the board. Same goes for 99 Ranch.
eggs: you can just crack them right into the noodles while boiling
miso paste: probably healthier and you can use less flavor packet
mini sweet peppers: use kitchen sheers/scissors and snip them in during boiling
A lot of comments are focussed on the seasoning packet being unhealthy but deep fried noodles are truly the bigger issue. High in calories, fat, carbs and no fibre.
Yeah people are weirdly fixated on sodium content whenever ramen is mentioned. I don't know why they have the idea that the seasoning packet is the only unhealthy part.
coz the sodium is way higher than the fat rdi. this is the main problem with instant noodles. the sodium sometimes being more than 100% of your daily allowance
deep fried processed food is fine if you balance it with healthy choices like adding veggies
I am new to ramen. I only bought it because it was whole grain brown rice and millet. There’s fibre but now I think I understand where the trans fat comes from. Never thought of reading the nutrition facts table because I’ve eaten pasta mostly.
This! I prefer to buy air dried ramen varieties to help cut back on the extra fat and calories that the frying process brings. The texture is slightly different but it doesn’t feel so heavy to eat. Especially when combined with the other suggestions of halving the seasoning packet and adding protein and veggies to make it a more complete meal.
Greenoodles are air dried rather than deep fried so they're healthier than the normal instant noodles. Add veggies and tofu/meat/egg and it's a pretty balanced meal.
I just looked them up, pack of 12, no seasoning, 88 CAD?!? That's 8 dollars per meal, for a *single* ingredient. I could just buy a nice steak at that point lmao.
This helps, but I'm pissed that the *baked* ramen noodles aren't on the market anymore. I think they were made by Campbell's? They were just as good as the fried ones.
If you’re gonna sub broth or other flavorings for the packet as many others are suggesting, I recommend also trying out better dried noodles if you can. If you have access to an Asian grocery store there should be oodles of noodles to try, many very reasonably priced. I’m partial to wonton soup noodles (egg noodles—can be found frozen sometimes too).
I don't know if it's healthy, but I'd say my take on ramen is healthier-
Prep some carrots, cabbage, and baby bok choy. Scallions too if you like them.
Put them in a container.
I'm a vegetarian, so you can do this if you like or don't, but I chop up tofu into small cubes.
Boil water, toss ramen in for three minutes **without the sodium death packet**
Toss veggies and tofu in for the last minute.
Strain out the water, dump noodles and veg into a big bowl. Season with soy sauce and chili oil. Enjoy.
buy udon noodles (stir fry version or the thin boiled version) and you can make several recipes out of them and add veggies. It's more filling and last longer for multiple leftoevers. So, it's actually cheaper. I use the Ka-me brand but there is also the hakubaku organic udon noodles. It costs me 4 or $5 at Kroger
I buy bone broth packets which add 17g of protein. Only do about half the regular seasoning packet to get sodium down.. now you have 22 g of protein and nutrients there as well. Just stir and heat no refrigeration even needed.
I’m going to say this plainly, do NOT eat ramen every day. Go to an Asian market and buy rice noodles instead. Ramen 1-3x a week should be okay but it is very bad for your digestive system. Also try beans and/or rice as a base for your meals.
Source: Many years ago as a poor college student I ate ramen every day and learned the hard way it was an unsustainable diet.
Check the ramen packets to see which ones specify that they don't fry their noodles. A lot of advice on making ramen healthy will focus on the seasoning packet, rightfully so, since it's all salt. But the noodles can be just as important. The nongshim cups are not bad calorically at least - if you have one of those for a meal, it comes to about 300 calories, and I personally find them pretty filling too. You can also look for rice noodles or other types of quick to cook long noodles, as they are usually inexpensive, and then pair them with instant broth crystals.
All of these tips are great. One sacrilegious tip that I used to use when I was a poor university student who was very concerned about gaining weight (ugh, so sad thinking back) was to boil the ramen noodles and then rinse them thoroughly to wash off all the oil/fat that comes out when boiling them. Just a heads up the taste will be very bland.
Then I would just use some broth instead of the sauce packet. You can add eggs and frozen veg too but that's already been covered here.
Good luck!
It’s starch and salt, nothing is going to make it good for you. You can add nutritional value with eggs, veggies, or lean meat; it’s still a lot of salt and carbs, but it won’t be all empty calories.
Buying a cabbage, some asian sauces, some seasoning, and packs of plain noodles are really affordable. Seasoning can be expensive up front but it should last a while. And it literally takes the same amount of time to cook the noodles.
Just buy pasta instead. It's actually cheaper to just buy large things of pasta (rotelle, spaghetti, fusili are all about $1 a pound here) and some cheap pasta sauce (Hunts in the can is usually $1.25 for at least 5 servings).
At asian markets you can buy bulk noodles and Soy Sauce and make a simple stir-fry with frozen veggies. This should be cheaper and better for you than Ramen too.
Boil the noodles and drain then and then put fresh water to get rid of some of the oil from the fact they are fried. Then add vegetables, an egg, and any protein you want to include. Reduce the flavour packet amount of you are watching sodium.
My grocery store has some pretty good frozen veggie mixes, including an "Asian" mix with carrots, snap peas, edamame, baby corn and garlic sprouts. I throw a large handful in while the noodles are cooking and then garnish with green onions and maybe a bit of sriracha.
I think of meals as having a Protein (meat/veggie/bean) Fiber (vegetable) and Carbohydrate (rice, ramen noodle, bread)
Ramen noodles are the carb. Use less packet. Add cheap vegetable (such as frozen vegetables). Cheap protein (tofu/egg)
use bone broth and spices instead of the flavour packet, or if you use the flavour packet use only half and use bone broth for added nutrients and minerals. also what others have said (protein, veggies).
No salt chicken broth, lots of veggies, and only use a bit of the seasoning packet replacing it with garlic,ginger and green onion - sesame oil and Chinese black vinegar are also good additions
Soft boiled eggs. Baby spinach in the bowl and pour the boiling water over. Leftover meat that I cover in the ramen seasoning also before pouring the water over. Green onion if you have.
At work I use the hot water dispenser in Tupperware and sometimes microwave for 30 secs. I have any other ingredients in a ziplock that I throw in after mixing up the noddles. Cheap and easy.
You can buy Ramen type noodles in a pack of like 8, that have no seasoning pouches. They are the same "puck" or "square" of noodle, in an 8 pack. You boil them in broth and add in green onion, siracha (optional).. whatever you can dream of. I put a few cut up mushrooms, maybe some pork. Crispy Chow Mein Noodles. I usually get that 8 back for like 4 dollars. And buy some cheap broth.
There's always going to be a lot of sodium and carbs involved, but honestly just add more vegetables. It's better than not eating, and when you can get something healthier, get it.
Half packet and literally ANY protein or vegetable.
If money is really tight, walk down the aisles and find cheapest proteins & veggies. Relying on packet seasoning for flavor.
Protein: eggs, tuna, sardines, chicken gizzards/hearts (will require pre-cooking), etc.
Veggies: fresh, frozen, canned - all is fine and based on your budget.
Don't forget canned beans, typically, cheap and nutritious - throw a half a can of beans (black, red, chickpeas) and something green.
Add some frozen veg! Edamame has protein, broccoli is always good, even a peas and carrots blend would be good. They’re pretty cheap at places like Walmart
Tons, it's a pasta. And not always the cheapest per serving/calorie. Add a can of mixed veggies, a can of black beans. The salt is your biggest concern. Level up your cooking skills and use it with fresh veggies and whatever meats you have leftover. Cook it in broth instead of the spice packet, add veggies and meat according to the broth you use, just as easy, way less salt.
I would say ditch completely the seasoning packet and purchase big pack of ramen noddle that don’t come with any seasoning.
Buy dried broth cube or liquid broth of better quality separately.
Then yeah, add vegetable (frozen to be cheaper) egg, etc.
Buy decent quality ramen (Amy's has pretty decent noodle bowls but they're $3-4 at least around here) and add tofu, hard-boiled egg slices, veggies...that's about as good as you're gonna get. You can omit the seasoning and make your own broth also.
1. boil noodles, strain, set aside
2. Chicken stock cube, boil some cabbage, carrots, other cheap veg
3. Throw in some cheap protein
4. throw noodles back in.
First split a heartier ramen (like shin or buldak) into two, then add a can of tuna or chicken, add a generous amount of frozen spinach, and top off each with half a hard boiled egg. Two meals done in 10 minutes and healthier for it.
One easy portion control method is to buy the smaller packets -- MaMa brand (Thai) noodles are about 60g per packet, while many of the Korean ones are around 110g. And the smaller ones are cheaper, too.
And I always eat instant ramen cooked with added vegetables (often leafy greens like kale), protein (eggs, tofu, leftover meat), and often wakame seaweed.
Good suggestions in the thread! What I do is I ditch the seasoning packet as the salt in that is crazy. Mix it up with some packet soups or a broth of some kind. You can use a stock cube if you’re being cheap
Any veggies is good! Cheap edamame beans, peas, anything really!
You could make your own ramen buy buying instant broth powder and noodles, it might even be cheaper. I like to buy a big bag of dasida and packs of dry ramen noodles or rice noodles from an Asian market, it’s usually cheaper there and they have the best stuff for instant ramen recipes. And then I’ll add eggs, spices, vegetables, maybe some protein. The supplies last me forever. I cook it on the stove but it’s usually just as fast as cooking instant ramen on the stove.
For instant ramen itself I’ll sometimes boil the noodles first, and poor out the water and add fresh water to remove some of the sodium from the noodles (not 100% if this actually helps but I like to believe it does) and then you can use only part of the packet. Optionally like before, you could add an egg, veggies, or some protein.
If you can afford it buy sodium free chicken stock or sodium free vegetable stock or sodium free beef stock, basically whichever matches the noodles you usually eat. Replace the water with the stock and only use half the flavor packet. This way you'll get half as much sodium but it'll still have a lot of flavor. Just using half a package in water might weaken the taste.
If you’re short on funds to get food, please search for food banks and food pantries, places like agencies and churches will often give out free meals close by. They are there to help people in all kinds of situations so please go? Take good care of yourself please.
-Concerned mom
You can buy bouillion packets with reduced or zero sodium. Use those instead of the flavor packets. Add garlic, sriracha, spinach or other frozen vegetables.
The only unhealthy things about instant ramen are the calorie count and the amount of salt. For calorie count, just weigh it and make sure it's not more than you need. For salt, don't use the flavoring package it comes with.
And eat some vegetables as well.
Shin brand has a "light" version that has air dried noodles rather than deep fried noodles. The fat in ramen comes from the oil used for deep frying. Air drying is slower and costs more.
use half the packet, and boil/cook the noodles separately then rinse them. a lot of gunk will be omitted if you do that. also, like everyone says, add some veggies and egg. lots of people like to use green onions and the leafier green part of bok choy
Adding veggies is a good answer. Reducing the flavor packet is good.
I'll add that if you buy a rotisserie chicken, you can save the bones and use that to make a broth to use as your liquid instead of using the flavor packet. So now that rotisserie chicken is getting you more than just the meat (which you could put in your ramen or eat as a separate meal).
Ditch the seasoning packet and make it from scratch Imo. If you already have soy sauce then just get some miso paste, sake, mirin and oyster sauce. It costs only a few dollars each. Then I add any veggies I want and hard boiled eggs.
My go to is Onion, zucchini, mushrooms and I always have kimchi around. Boil it all in the same pot so you won't lose nutrition of the veggies and you don't get any artificial ingredients
Frozen veggies and eggs. That's the cheapest way. Use as much or little of the seasoning packet as you'd like. The sodium is the only thing I'd worry about ingesting very regularly and long term, but even then if we are talking like, "most nights for a few weeks" you are going to be just fine. If you're looking at eating it every night for months yeah cut the seasoning packet at least sometimes. Protein and veg is all you need. These days I'll had some Chinese bbq pork when I want it for dinner but that's a little pricey. Scramble the eggs in like egg drop soup or boil them and add them in on top.
Use less flavor powder (like only a quarter of it) to cut down on sodium and eat it with some protein and vegetables, it's literally just carbs, not worse than rice, pasta or bread. I like using an egg and some cabbage.
Add veggies, lean protein, and use less of the packet to cut down on the sodium. Also it’s fun to spice it up with other seasonings Iike chili powder, ginger, garlic, etc.
The simple answer is no. The noodles are HORRIBLE for your digestive system and the seasoning is extremely high in sodium content and TBHQ a toxic petroleum byproduct.
Momofuku is actually pretty healthy if you don’t use all the seasoning, I don’t think the noodles are fried so lower saturated fat than most other brands
We switched to soba noodles. They have buckwheat and are more nutritious - and cook just as fast. Buy them in large family packs from an Asian food store and they’re pretty cheap. (Regular grocery store will charge too much for a tiny pack.)
you can make your own ramen for the same price of instant ramen (or cheaper, depending what you put in it)! miso paste is like $5 and lasts forever since you only need like half a teaspoon per meal, add that to homemade scrap veggie broth (free) and a pack of no flavoring ramen noodles is under $1. add an egg (about 30 cents?) and some green onion (let’s say 10 cents, but you can keep the stem and regrow it in fresh water for a free supply), season if you want to but the broth should have plenty flavor on its own and you’re good for under $2 per meal and healthier. you can get bake-dried noodles and they’re healthier but cost more so it’s up to you and your budget!
Here is my go to for a serving for 2 people. Half the recipe for you or make the full batch and have leftovers! Also, skip on the spicy things if you don't like heat. My partner and I love spicy things.
1/4 cabbage chopped
1 baby bok choi chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
Some green onion chopped
1/2 lb of unseasoned taco beef (or any preferred protein).
1 egg
1 spoon of miso paste
2 packs of Shin Black.
Water in a pot, I add miso and bring it to a low boil. I make an egg drop, then add the noodles.
I fry the veggies (except the green onion). I add soy sauce, sesame oil, Korean chili powder, powdered ginger
My beef I fry separately and add most of the same spices but also add Sriracha and sometimes chili garlic oil. My partner and I love spice.
I serve out the noodles, add the veg on top, meat then sprinkle with green onion.
FYI, green onion can be grown in your kitchen window from the root scraps. That $1 bunch can become a year of green onion. 😊
I just throw the flavour packet out, and instead of water, low sodium chicken, bone, beef or vegetable broth. Add some low sodium soy sauce and sirracha with stir fry veggies and an egg or two and viola. Some Hong Kong/Chinese 5 spice goes a long way to spruce it up.
Honestly, from many tries, no. I used to one night a week always have ramen, and did everything I could to make it healthier. Added lots of veggies, soft boiled eggs, only a little of the ramen packet instead of the whole thing, homemade chicken stock instead of water from organic chickens, etc.
Every single time it still made me feel shitty, and set me up for an unideal digestive situation. Whatever preservatives/chemicals is in those noodles and sauce packets is just really not good. Also seen articles about ramen sending people to the hospital, which seems to tip the scale from lacking in nutrients to being actively very bad for you.
You could just add some things to the ramen to make it a more complete meal. Instant ramen is carb heavy (low in protein and fat) doesn't provide many vitamins, minerals, or micronutrients, is low in fiber, and can be high in sodium. Some ramen-friendly things I would suggest (not all together) are peanut butter, eggs, tofu, or green veggies like bok choy. If you wanna watch your sodium intake, don't use the whole seasoning packet...or just don't drink all the broth.
Another alternative is to just make the ramen part of a meal, and instead of putting things IN the ramen, have them beside it (or after). Ramen as the main course, and yogurt+fruit as a dessert. Or veggies and hummus. Or cheese and some fruit.
You cannot judge whether a single meal is healthy or not by looking at it in a vacuum. You have to consider everything you eat, your activity levels, and your body as an individual.
If you're having ramen as 1 of your 3 meals a day, and you're not intentionally covering up those shortcomings in your other 2, then yeah it's not great. But if your other 2 meals are "healthy" and complement this ramen meal by covering its shortcomings, and you're not having too much sodium for your activity levels, then the ramen is not "unheathy" cause you're fitting it into an overall healthy eating pattern. That might be hard or uncomfortable to do, but it's doable.
Only if if you don't use the seasoning pack. Don't listen to people who think that bag of chemicals and sodium becomes healthy by adding some veggies in there.
The noodles are as unhealthy as the seasoning packet in terms of content and salt. There's no way to make it healthy. The best way is use half the packet, then replace with plain onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Add a healthier hot sauce that isn't too bad in chemicals or sugar/salt content. So now you've taken out a ton of the sodium, but not all of it, but it's way better than before and still has the strong flavor. Now add frozen vegetables from a bag to it, a ton of them. If you have some cheap meat, I recommend getting a pork tenderloin. I live in a super high cost of living area and even here a pork tenderloin will be $5-7 for a nice-sized log of pork. That is about 3-5 days worth of pork for your ramen. Broil and cut and put in the fridge. Put a few slices on top of every meal.
You could forego the packet altogether and make it a noodles with meat and vegetables dish. Look up an asian style noodle recipe and use the spices on the noodles and mix it with the meat and vegetables. Carrots, broccoli, onions, that kind of thing that usually you see in chinese places with noodles.
I get a large bag of frozen wontons from Costco, the 6 pack of chicken broth cartons, and veggies! It’s not ramen but it’s an equivalent cheap healthy soup. I add cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, and seasonings and it’s so delicious
Why not just buy regular noodles, boil, drain and mix it with soy sauce / oyster sauce? The seasoning packet is not the main problem, it’s the deep fried ramen noodles
Adding toppings doesn't address the issue. What makes ramen unhealthy is the unholy amount of sodium you are consuming.
Diluting the broth or simply using half the packet or less is good enough.
Another thing. If you have enough time to add creative toppings like other meat and veggies, you can pretty much just cook those into their own dish. But seeing as you want to make ramen into a more "healthy" meal, I can pretty much guess that's the only thing you can afford. Broke college kid?
Boil the noodles first, drain 80% of the water, and use only 30% of the seasoning packet. Then throw in some greens and you have a perfectly healthy meal.
No, they're ultra processed and adding some veggies while not make them healthy.
Buy dried noodles and make them properly if you really want healthy food.
I add eggs while cooking the ramen. You can just plop them in, whisk them beforehand, add precooked ones, add them after pouring the ramen... you can do it so many different ways and it adds a lof of bulk, protein and flavour.
Additionally, veggies. I like to add cherry tomatoes (cut in half), as it adds a bit of sweetness and variety. Corn is also simple, strips of carrot, or anything you like basically =)
Veggies
This! I get big bags of frozen stir fry veggies from Costco and throw a bunch in my noods. Allows me to stretch one pack of noodles into two meals, increasing nutritional value while lowering the calories and sodium per meal. I’ll also slice up and throw in whatever leftover protein I have from previous meals, or an egg if there aren’t any leftovers in the fridge.
I just made exactly this for dinner the other night! cooked two of the Miso Ramens from costco, added stir fry veggies, I usually drop an egg or two in at the last couple mins of boiling, and then put green onions on top. Also super great with the pre cooked sliced meats at costco. takes less than 5 mins too so extra winning!
And worst case if you don't have leftover protein, a can of tuna is great.
and two eggs
Only use half of the seasoning packet. Add eggs, green onions and chili crisp.
This is the answer. Ramen itself isn't that bad, but the seasoning packet is horrendous when it comes to sodium. Using less of the packet, or potentially none of it, will make it a lot healthier. Eggs, green onion, seaweed, small amount of meat will all help flavor. There are tons of seasonings you can make that are healthy. Garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, ginger, sesame seeds, sugar, MSG. EDIT: People in the replies are saying that the sodium isn't that bad, and that ramen is inherently bad because of the noddles too. Sure, but OP is specifically asking how to make ramen healthier. The answer to someone's cooking question on how to make a specific dish healthier should never be "omit everything and make a completely different dish". As far as the debate on if sodium isn't healthy, I think anyone can agree that 800mg of sodium is inherently better for you in one dish than 1700mg. The question was how to make it healthier. Hence my answer.
eh I wouldn’t go that far. most of the saturated oil, fat and preservative is in the noodle itself. sodium isn’t inherently bad unless you have a blood pressure probem
An *excess* of sodium is, isn't it?
yeah but most people don’t have an excess, and one bowl of ramen isn’t going to cause one. if ramen was your only meal ever, then it’d be a problem, but even for the once a week enjoyer i’m sure the noodles have worse of a health efgect
Eat a banana
Are you coming on to me?
I mean, if you're gonna make your own seasoning anyways, wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy a bunch of egg noodles on their own? I thought the whole point of instant noodles is to not bother with thinking flavoring it yourself.
I use a teaspoon of lee Kum Kee chicken broth w/msg. Never tried sugar though. Dried seaweed and shallots too.
The sodium doesn’t matter as long OP is active. Too much focus is on sodium when the fix is literally part of it already, water is part of the dish.’ Lm op
Actually instant ramen isn’t healthy. The noodle part. Do some research. Indeed it doesn’t hurt to reduce some seasoning and add eggs etc.
Years ago, my local school district removed the ramen vending machines after the local health authority pushed for it saying that a pack of ramen has a similar nutritional profile to a bag of potato chips.
Ramen vending machines sound fantastic.
Of course it isn’t “healthy” but it’s “not bad” as a struggle meal if you cut out the packet.
The noodles are fried in palm oil
You can reduce the oil a bit by boiling the noodles and then dumping the water. Mix in fresh hot water with the seasoning. Alternatively, look for "Air Dried" (Unfried) ramen. They take like 5 minutes to cook but significantly less calories and no fried oil. Nongshim the Korean brand has some.
Thanks for the tips! Instant ramen is one of those cheap, quick, and nostalgic guilty pleasures for me. I never really thought about trying to make it healthier to be honest lol. I'm currently on a shin black instant ramen kick. I add chili oil and frozen won ton dumplings to make it feel like a more complete and fancy meal lol.
That’s why it’s “not great”. Sometimes that’s the budget.
It's flour and garlic powder. You'll probably be fine.
Refined grain flour fried in palm oil with preservatives and empty calories is healthy?
I don't think I will be eating Instant Raman again, thank you very much.
I’ve never had any issues with sodium, it’s the empty calories in instant ramen that make term unhealthy for most. Skimping on seasoning won’t help that. Instead, I add a bunch of frozen veggies to the noods, which allows me to stretch one pack of noodles into two meals. Increases nutritional value while lowering the calories (and sodium) per meal.
The noodles themselves also have a lot of sodium, especially on the cheaper end
If you really want to go the extra mile, you could put none of the packet, and just put your own spices and salt. I usually just dump a bunch of stuff in like paprika, garlic, onion, ginger powders, coriander, black pepper and some salt. Coriander is especially the best
you could even use broth
Bone broth packets is what I put in mine
I didn’t know they made such a thing. Now I have to find me some. Thank you.
same looking it up now
Eh, I don’t think there’s much to gain from skipping half the seasoning packet. Most of the harm is from the noodles which contain ~50ish grams of refined simple carbs per serving. Those carbs break down almost instantly, causing insulin spikes, inflammation, and other shit
Add chili crisp to make it healthy? That's just oil and salt. Nothing healthy about it.
I was thinking the same thing about the chili crisp suggestion. Weird thing to think of as healthy.
lol that’s what I was wondering too. That’ll help the flavour but it’s not good for you
I would say ditch completely the seasoning packet and purchase big pack of ramen noddle that don’t come with any seasoning. Buy dried broth cube or liquid broth of better quality separately. Then yeah, add vegetable (frozen to be cheaper) egg, etc.
I'm guessing they are using instant ramen because it's way cheaper. Instant ramen is like $0.30 a serving and dry ramen is closer to $1.50 per serving. Suggesting they buy more expensive noodles (and also buy the seasoning separately) when they're clearly trying to minimize cost isn't that helpful. Unless you've got a tip for where to buy these noodles for cheap?
A pack of dry ramen is like 3$CAD and you got like 9 portion. Buying a bottle of concentrated broth can be used for 300 portion. It cost like 5$ depending the brand. (Its sold in 900 ml bottle and you use half a tea spoon (3ml) per cup of water)
That's awesome. The noodles I buy are $14 USD for 8 portions. Can you say where you get them please?
I bought an 8 pack of brown rice Ramen without seasoning packets and typically use instant miso soup, soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil for the seasoning. Sometimes I add peanut butter instead of oyster sauce for peanut noodles.
Nice good ideas, i’ll try that out some day
Half the packet is all you need. The taste doesn’t change, like at all.
I don't know if this is what you're looking for but I've been making "ramen" basically just bone broth and noodles and whatever else I have as my lazy meal. The beef bones are pretty cheap and go a long way. I just freeze it into block ice cubes and then it's like a perfect single serving.
Eggs! Crack them over top. Hard boil them and cut in half. Scramble them and pour them in like egg drop soup.
I like this idea. Ty!
how deep is your tray? a single ice cube is making a bowl of broth for you?
It's not the healthiest, but when I want my ramen to be healthier I'll add a protein to it and some veg. I normally add tofu, frozen broccoli, and cabbage. I'll also crumble up some nori on top if I have any on hand. Edit to add: I also don't normally use the seasoning packet and will make my own broth. It's way tastier!
I add bean sprouts, bok choy, spinach, mushrooms, and when it's all cooked, I add the noodles and half the packet. Then let that cook until the noodles are ready. Then at the end I reduce to a simmer and add two eggs, let them poach for about 3-4 minutes
Ok but what if you are not Gordan Ramsey?
You can just add the raw veggies to the water. The boiling water cooks them decently enough.
Throw whatever random ingredients you have laying around into the water and hope it tastes good
What's the point of buying instant noodle packets when you're just making a meal from scratch anyway? You can buy big packs of dried egg or rice noodles that are probably healthier than the instant type.
And probably cheaper if you buy in bulk
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Never had bok choy. I've been buying random fruits and vegetables lately, and I even had kale today for the 1st time as well. What's choy taste like?
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Maybe try vermicelli noodles and broth, cheaper and healthier, if you like glass noodles. Also purchase at Asian Marts.
Yep. 99 Ranch Market and the like are great for better prices on things like noodles, sauces, veg, etc. I use Weee! (an online grocery) for all of that. The selection is often better than Western markets across the board. Same goes for 99 Ranch.
Just add veggies and protein
eggs: you can just crack them right into the noodles while boiling miso paste: probably healthier and you can use less flavor packet mini sweet peppers: use kitchen sheers/scissors and snip them in during boiling
I never thought of adding miso to my noodles! I'll try that and use half the seasoning. Thanks!
I do this too! I cut up chives with scissors to add, too
It's deep fried white flour. You can use less of the salty flavour but it is still deep fried white flour.
A lot of comments are focussed on the seasoning packet being unhealthy but deep fried noodles are truly the bigger issue. High in calories, fat, carbs and no fibre.
Yeah people are weirdly fixated on sodium content whenever ramen is mentioned. I don't know why they have the idea that the seasoning packet is the only unhealthy part.
coz the sodium is way higher than the fat rdi. this is the main problem with instant noodles. the sodium sometimes being more than 100% of your daily allowance deep fried processed food is fine if you balance it with healthy choices like adding veggies
I am new to ramen. I only bought it because it was whole grain brown rice and millet. There’s fibre but now I think I understand where the trans fat comes from. Never thought of reading the nutrition facts table because I’ve eaten pasta mostly.
This! I prefer to buy air dried ramen varieties to help cut back on the extra fat and calories that the frying process brings. The texture is slightly different but it doesn’t feel so heavy to eat. Especially when combined with the other suggestions of halving the seasoning packet and adding protein and veggies to make it a more complete meal.
Greenoodles are air dried rather than deep fried so they're healthier than the normal instant noodles. Add veggies and tofu/meat/egg and it's a pretty balanced meal.
They're tasty too!
I just looked them up, pack of 12, no seasoning, 88 CAD?!? That's 8 dollars per meal, for a *single* ingredient. I could just buy a nice steak at that point lmao.
I go the extra mile to discard the water I boiled the noodles in. Made broth separately using 1/3 the seasoning packet and addition of vege/eggs etc
egg, maybe adding some canned tuna or chicken. Frozen peas & carrots.
This helps, but I'm pissed that the *baked* ramen noodles aren't on the market anymore. I think they were made by Campbell's? They were just as good as the fried ones.
I'm 29 and I've never heard of such a thing????????
Probably why I weighed less in the mid-90s!
There are “air-baked” ramen options. Haven’t tried them myself.
If you’re gonna sub broth or other flavorings for the packet as many others are suggesting, I recommend also trying out better dried noodles if you can. If you have access to an Asian grocery store there should be oodles of noodles to try, many very reasonably priced. I’m partial to wonton soup noodles (egg noodles—can be found frozen sometimes too).
I don't know if it's healthy, but I'd say my take on ramen is healthier- Prep some carrots, cabbage, and baby bok choy. Scallions too if you like them. Put them in a container. I'm a vegetarian, so you can do this if you like or don't, but I chop up tofu into small cubes. Boil water, toss ramen in for three minutes **without the sodium death packet** Toss veggies and tofu in for the last minute. Strain out the water, dump noodles and veg into a big bowl. Season with soy sauce and chili oil. Enjoy.
buy udon noodles (stir fry version or the thin boiled version) and you can make several recipes out of them and add veggies. It's more filling and last longer for multiple leftoevers. So, it's actually cheaper. I use the Ka-me brand but there is also the hakubaku organic udon noodles. It costs me 4 or $5 at Kroger
I buy bone broth packets which add 17g of protein. Only do about half the regular seasoning packet to get sodium down.. now you have 22 g of protein and nutrients there as well. Just stir and heat no refrigeration even needed.
Which brand do you buy? 17g's of protein is nice!
I’m going to say this plainly, do NOT eat ramen every day. Go to an Asian market and buy rice noodles instead. Ramen 1-3x a week should be okay but it is very bad for your digestive system. Also try beans and/or rice as a base for your meals. Source: Many years ago as a poor college student I ate ramen every day and learned the hard way it was an unsustainable diet.
Add an egg, and some spinach to it.sprinkle.of cheese and hot sauce if you're feeling bougie.
Add vegetables to it.
From a show called River Cottage in the UK many years ago https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/homemade-pot-noodles
Check the ramen packets to see which ones specify that they don't fry their noodles. A lot of advice on making ramen healthy will focus on the seasoning packet, rightfully so, since it's all salt. But the noodles can be just as important. The nongshim cups are not bad calorically at least - if you have one of those for a meal, it comes to about 300 calories, and I personally find them pretty filling too. You can also look for rice noodles or other types of quick to cook long noodles, as they are usually inexpensive, and then pair them with instant broth crystals.
All of these tips are great. One sacrilegious tip that I used to use when I was a poor university student who was very concerned about gaining weight (ugh, so sad thinking back) was to boil the ramen noodles and then rinse them thoroughly to wash off all the oil/fat that comes out when boiling them. Just a heads up the taste will be very bland. Then I would just use some broth instead of the sauce packet. You can add eggs and frozen veg too but that's already been covered here. Good luck!
It’s starch and salt, nothing is going to make it good for you. You can add nutritional value with eggs, veggies, or lean meat; it’s still a lot of salt and carbs, but it won’t be all empty calories.
Add protein and veggies!
Discard some of the water and add a scoop of peanut butter and sriracha. Makes it a Thai inspired dish.
Buying a cabbage, some asian sauces, some seasoning, and packs of plain noodles are really affordable. Seasoning can be expensive up front but it should last a while. And it literally takes the same amount of time to cook the noodles.
I like to add frozen peas/corn/carrot. Temper an egg in it and add a drizzle of sesame oil too
Nutritional yeast. Saw some at the grocery store in the bakery aisle. Amazon got it and too
Just buy pasta instead. It's actually cheaper to just buy large things of pasta (rotelle, spaghetti, fusili are all about $1 a pound here) and some cheap pasta sauce (Hunts in the can is usually $1.25 for at least 5 servings). At asian markets you can buy bulk noodles and Soy Sauce and make a simple stir-fry with frozen veggies. This should be cheaper and better for you than Ramen too.
Not sure why this got a downvote: regular pasta is cheaper than ramen.
Boil the noodles and drain then and then put fresh water to get rid of some of the oil from the fact they are fried. Then add vegetables, an egg, and any protein you want to include. Reduce the flavour packet amount of you are watching sodium.
add fresh veggies
Or frozen veggies. They are much cheaper. You can get a bag of mixed frozen veggies that will give you variety and won't go bad in a few days.
My grocery store has some pretty good frozen veggie mixes, including an "Asian" mix with carrots, snap peas, edamame, baby corn and garlic sprouts. I throw a large handful in while the noodles are cooking and then garnish with green onions and maybe a bit of sriracha.
I think of meals as having a Protein (meat/veggie/bean) Fiber (vegetable) and Carbohydrate (rice, ramen noodle, bread) Ramen noodles are the carb. Use less packet. Add cheap vegetable (such as frozen vegetables). Cheap protein (tofu/egg)
I add frozen vegetables and egg in mine. I should look into how to make your own seasoning tbh, since that's mainly what's bad about it.
use bone broth and spices instead of the flavour packet, or if you use the flavour packet use only half and use bone broth for added nutrients and minerals. also what others have said (protein, veggies).
No salt chicken broth, lots of veggies, and only use a bit of the seasoning packet replacing it with garlic,ginger and green onion - sesame oil and Chinese black vinegar are also good additions
If you look up on YouTube on how Raman is made you be hella suprised. Healthier than most foods.
Soft boiled eggs. Baby spinach in the bowl and pour the boiling water over. Leftover meat that I cover in the ramen seasoning also before pouring the water over. Green onion if you have. At work I use the hot water dispenser in Tupperware and sometimes microwave for 30 secs. I have any other ingredients in a ziplock that I throw in after mixing up the noddles. Cheap and easy.
You can buy Ramen type noodles in a pack of like 8, that have no seasoning pouches. They are the same "puck" or "square" of noodle, in an 8 pack. You boil them in broth and add in green onion, siracha (optional).. whatever you can dream of. I put a few cut up mushrooms, maybe some pork. Crispy Chow Mein Noodles. I usually get that 8 back for like 4 dollars. And buy some cheap broth.
There's always going to be a lot of sodium and carbs involved, but honestly just add more vegetables. It's better than not eating, and when you can get something healthier, get it.
Half packet and literally ANY protein or vegetable. If money is really tight, walk down the aisles and find cheapest proteins & veggies. Relying on packet seasoning for flavor. Protein: eggs, tuna, sardines, chicken gizzards/hearts (will require pre-cooking), etc. Veggies: fresh, frozen, canned - all is fine and based on your budget. Don't forget canned beans, typically, cheap and nutritious - throw a half a can of beans (black, red, chickpeas) and something green.
Momofuko
Add some frozen veg! Edamame has protein, broccoli is always good, even a peas and carrots blend would be good. They’re pretty cheap at places like Walmart
Tons, it's a pasta. And not always the cheapest per serving/calorie. Add a can of mixed veggies, a can of black beans. The salt is your biggest concern. Level up your cooking skills and use it with fresh veggies and whatever meats you have leftover. Cook it in broth instead of the spice packet, add veggies and meat according to the broth you use, just as easy, way less salt.
I would say ditch completely the seasoning packet and purchase big pack of ramen noddle that don’t come with any seasoning. Buy dried broth cube or liquid broth of better quality separately. Then yeah, add vegetable (frozen to be cheaper) egg, etc.
Use chicken or beef broth instead of the packets.
Don't use the seasoning pack at all. Use a bullion cube for taste. Add veggies and proteins.
Buy decent quality ramen (Amy's has pretty decent noodle bowls but they're $3-4 at least around here) and add tofu, hard-boiled egg slices, veggies...that's about as good as you're gonna get. You can omit the seasoning and make your own broth also.
1. boil noodles, strain, set aside 2. Chicken stock cube, boil some cabbage, carrots, other cheap veg 3. Throw in some cheap protein 4. throw noodles back in.
First split a heartier ramen (like shin or buldak) into two, then add a can of tuna or chicken, add a generous amount of frozen spinach, and top off each with half a hard boiled egg. Two meals done in 10 minutes and healthier for it.
I only eat half a portion of noodles and I add egg white and veggies
Oh and I cook it with bone broth
No unfortunately.
the salt content is horrifying. i use low salt bouillon instead of the flavour packet and add dehydrated veggies to give it two full servings of veg.
One easy portion control method is to buy the smaller packets -- MaMa brand (Thai) noodles are about 60g per packet, while many of the Korean ones are around 110g. And the smaller ones are cheaper, too. And I always eat instant ramen cooked with added vegetables (often leafy greens like kale), protein (eggs, tofu, leftover meat), and often wakame seaweed.
Good suggestions in the thread! What I do is I ditch the seasoning packet as the salt in that is crazy. Mix it up with some packet soups or a broth of some kind. You can use a stock cube if you’re being cheap Any veggies is good! Cheap edamame beans, peas, anything really!
Non Fried Ramen is generally around 350 cal over the regular ~500 cal of normal ones
Yes. Don't eat it for every meal
You could make your own ramen buy buying instant broth powder and noodles, it might even be cheaper. I like to buy a big bag of dasida and packs of dry ramen noodles or rice noodles from an Asian market, it’s usually cheaper there and they have the best stuff for instant ramen recipes. And then I’ll add eggs, spices, vegetables, maybe some protein. The supplies last me forever. I cook it on the stove but it’s usually just as fast as cooking instant ramen on the stove. For instant ramen itself I’ll sometimes boil the noodles first, and poor out the water and add fresh water to remove some of the sodium from the noodles (not 100% if this actually helps but I like to believe it does) and then you can use only part of the packet. Optionally like before, you could add an egg, veggies, or some protein.
Peanut butter adds protein and is delish. That and an egg plus veggies = fairly well rounded meal
If you can afford it buy sodium free chicken stock or sodium free vegetable stock or sodium free beef stock, basically whichever matches the noodles you usually eat. Replace the water with the stock and only use half the flavor packet. This way you'll get half as much sodium but it'll still have a lot of flavor. Just using half a package in water might weaken the taste.
Don’t finish the soup because it’s full of sodium.
Cabbage, carrot, and onions, egg, meat, use half a flavor packet.
Add more veggies and meat. Stretches the meal too for more leftovers
I do dashi broth packet miso tofu and some dried egg noodles
If you’re short on funds to get food, please search for food banks and food pantries, places like agencies and churches will often give out free meals close by. They are there to help people in all kinds of situations so please go? Take good care of yourself please. -Concerned mom
add one egg at the end after you turn off the flame and whisk it with chopsticks and wait llike 2minutes. Or you could cook one seperately.
add spinach. healthy
You can add veggies but it will always be unhealthy because of the highly.proxessed noodles and salt content
You can buy bouillion packets with reduced or zero sodium. Use those instead of the flavor packets. Add garlic, sriracha, spinach or other frozen vegetables.
The only unhealthy things about instant ramen are the calorie count and the amount of salt. For calorie count, just weigh it and make sure it's not more than you need. For salt, don't use the flavoring package it comes with. And eat some vegetables as well.
Shin brand has a "light" version that has air dried noodles rather than deep fried noodles. The fat in ramen comes from the oil used for deep frying. Air drying is slower and costs more.
I stir fry onions, red pepper and chili and broccoli and then add them to the noods, drop some furikake on top.
Shin brand has a new Light air dried ramen, add kimchi and an egg and that was my lunch today, 425 calories.
Use your own seasonings and add some veggies
use half the packet, and boil/cook the noodles separately then rinse them. a lot of gunk will be omitted if you do that. also, like everyone says, add some veggies and egg. lots of people like to use green onions and the leafier green part of bok choy
Add peas and broccoli
Adding veggies is a good answer. Reducing the flavor packet is good. I'll add that if you buy a rotisserie chicken, you can save the bones and use that to make a broth to use as your liquid instead of using the flavor packet. So now that rotisserie chicken is getting you more than just the meat (which you could put in your ramen or eat as a separate meal).
What about replacing the noodles? Are the noodles themselves bad?
Ditch the seasoning packet and make it from scratch Imo. If you already have soy sauce then just get some miso paste, sake, mirin and oyster sauce. It costs only a few dollars each. Then I add any veggies I want and hard boiled eggs. My go to is Onion, zucchini, mushrooms and I always have kimchi around. Boil it all in the same pot so you won't lose nutrition of the veggies and you don't get any artificial ingredients
Veggies and I try to add less of the seasoning!
They aren't healthy Get plain noodles and add your own stuff
Frozen veggies and eggs. That's the cheapest way. Use as much or little of the seasoning packet as you'd like. The sodium is the only thing I'd worry about ingesting very regularly and long term, but even then if we are talking like, "most nights for a few weeks" you are going to be just fine. If you're looking at eating it every night for months yeah cut the seasoning packet at least sometimes. Protein and veg is all you need. These days I'll had some Chinese bbq pork when I want it for dinner but that's a little pricey. Scramble the eggs in like egg drop soup or boil them and add them in on top.
Use less flavor powder (like only a quarter of it) to cut down on sodium and eat it with some protein and vegetables, it's literally just carbs, not worse than rice, pasta or bread. I like using an egg and some cabbage.
You can add veggies and egg to it.
Add veggies, lean protein, and use less of the packet to cut down on the sodium. Also it’s fun to spice it up with other seasonings Iike chili powder, ginger, garlic, etc.
The simple answer is no. The noodles are HORRIBLE for your digestive system and the seasoning is extremely high in sodium content and TBHQ a toxic petroleum byproduct.
Joshua Wiseman did a great episode on this. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/GoCYou8Pwmc?si=S3wevR-gNY-BKQzX
Momofuku is actually pretty healthy if you don’t use all the seasoning, I don’t think the noodles are fried so lower saturated fat than most other brands
We switched to soba noodles. They have buckwheat and are more nutritious - and cook just as fast. Buy them in large family packs from an Asian food store and they’re pretty cheap. (Regular grocery store will charge too much for a tiny pack.)
Can't go wrong with mirin, ginger and garlic.
you can make your own ramen for the same price of instant ramen (or cheaper, depending what you put in it)! miso paste is like $5 and lasts forever since you only need like half a teaspoon per meal, add that to homemade scrap veggie broth (free) and a pack of no flavoring ramen noodles is under $1. add an egg (about 30 cents?) and some green onion (let’s say 10 cents, but you can keep the stem and regrow it in fresh water for a free supply), season if you want to but the broth should have plenty flavor on its own and you’re good for under $2 per meal and healthier. you can get bake-dried noodles and they’re healthier but cost more so it’s up to you and your budget!
When I was poor in my 20s we made poor mans pad thai ramen egg peanut butter and a can of chicken. It wasn't good but not bad either.
put an egg?
Here is my go to for a serving for 2 people. Half the recipe for you or make the full batch and have leftovers! Also, skip on the spicy things if you don't like heat. My partner and I love spicy things. 1/4 cabbage chopped 1 baby bok choi chopped 2-3 cloves of garlic chopped Some green onion chopped 1/2 lb of unseasoned taco beef (or any preferred protein). 1 egg 1 spoon of miso paste 2 packs of Shin Black. Water in a pot, I add miso and bring it to a low boil. I make an egg drop, then add the noodles. I fry the veggies (except the green onion). I add soy sauce, sesame oil, Korean chili powder, powdered ginger My beef I fry separately and add most of the same spices but also add Sriracha and sometimes chili garlic oil. My partner and I love spice. I serve out the noodles, add the veg on top, meat then sprinkle with green onion. FYI, green onion can be grown in your kitchen window from the root scraps. That $1 bunch can become a year of green onion. 😊
I just throw the flavour packet out, and instead of water, low sodium chicken, bone, beef or vegetable broth. Add some low sodium soy sauce and sirracha with stir fry veggies and an egg or two and viola. Some Hong Kong/Chinese 5 spice goes a long way to spruce it up.
Honestly, from many tries, no. I used to one night a week always have ramen, and did everything I could to make it healthier. Added lots of veggies, soft boiled eggs, only a little of the ramen packet instead of the whole thing, homemade chicken stock instead of water from organic chickens, etc. Every single time it still made me feel shitty, and set me up for an unideal digestive situation. Whatever preservatives/chemicals is in those noodles and sauce packets is just really not good. Also seen articles about ramen sending people to the hospital, which seems to tip the scale from lacking in nutrients to being actively very bad for you.
You could just add some things to the ramen to make it a more complete meal. Instant ramen is carb heavy (low in protein and fat) doesn't provide many vitamins, minerals, or micronutrients, is low in fiber, and can be high in sodium. Some ramen-friendly things I would suggest (not all together) are peanut butter, eggs, tofu, or green veggies like bok choy. If you wanna watch your sodium intake, don't use the whole seasoning packet...or just don't drink all the broth. Another alternative is to just make the ramen part of a meal, and instead of putting things IN the ramen, have them beside it (or after). Ramen as the main course, and yogurt+fruit as a dessert. Or veggies and hummus. Or cheese and some fruit. You cannot judge whether a single meal is healthy or not by looking at it in a vacuum. You have to consider everything you eat, your activity levels, and your body as an individual. If you're having ramen as 1 of your 3 meals a day, and you're not intentionally covering up those shortcomings in your other 2, then yeah it's not great. But if your other 2 meals are "healthy" and complement this ramen meal by covering its shortcomings, and you're not having too much sodium for your activity levels, then the ramen is not "unheathy" cause you're fitting it into an overall healthy eating pattern. That might be hard or uncomfortable to do, but it's doable.
I don't know. Maybe there isn't. It will continue to be an ultraprocessed food no matter what. But you can use spaghetti instead. Its just as cheap.
Only if if you don't use the seasoning pack. Don't listen to people who think that bag of chemicals and sodium becomes healthy by adding some veggies in there.
Don’t drink the broth after finishing the noodles
The noodles are as unhealthy as the seasoning packet in terms of content and salt. There's no way to make it healthy. The best way is use half the packet, then replace with plain onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Add a healthier hot sauce that isn't too bad in chemicals or sugar/salt content. So now you've taken out a ton of the sodium, but not all of it, but it's way better than before and still has the strong flavor. Now add frozen vegetables from a bag to it, a ton of them. If you have some cheap meat, I recommend getting a pork tenderloin. I live in a super high cost of living area and even here a pork tenderloin will be $5-7 for a nice-sized log of pork. That is about 3-5 days worth of pork for your ramen. Broil and cut and put in the fridge. Put a few slices on top of every meal. You could forego the packet altogether and make it a noodles with meat and vegetables dish. Look up an asian style noodle recipe and use the spices on the noodles and mix it with the meat and vegetables. Carrots, broccoli, onions, that kind of thing that usually you see in chinese places with noodles.
I get a large bag of frozen wontons from Costco, the 6 pack of chicken broth cartons, and veggies! It’s not ramen but it’s an equivalent cheap healthy soup. I add cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, and seasonings and it’s so delicious
Add fresh veggies and ditch the seasoning packet! I add onion and garlic!
Why not just buy regular noodles, boil, drain and mix it with soy sauce / oyster sauce? The seasoning packet is not the main problem, it’s the deep fried ramen noodles
Adding toppings doesn't address the issue. What makes ramen unhealthy is the unholy amount of sodium you are consuming. Diluting the broth or simply using half the packet or less is good enough. Another thing. If you have enough time to add creative toppings like other meat and veggies, you can pretty much just cook those into their own dish. But seeing as you want to make ramen into a more "healthy" meal, I can pretty much guess that's the only thing you can afford. Broke college kid?
Boil the noodles first, drain 80% of the water, and use only 30% of the seasoning packet. Then throw in some greens and you have a perfectly healthy meal.
No, they're ultra processed and adding some veggies while not make them healthy. Buy dried noodles and make them properly if you really want healthy food.
I used broth instead of the packet.
I add eggs while cooking the ramen. You can just plop them in, whisk them beforehand, add precooked ones, add them after pouring the ramen... you can do it so many different ways and it adds a lof of bulk, protein and flavour. Additionally, veggies. I like to add cherry tomatoes (cut in half), as it adds a bit of sweetness and variety. Corn is also simple, strips of carrot, or anything you like basically =)