By Mike Mahardy

Maruchan ramen noodles stock the shelves of a local grocery store. As cheap as 10 for $1 when bought in bulk, Ramen noodles are a popular choice among college students. - Mike Norton Staff Photographer

Somewhere between the campus dining hall meals and late night fast food runs, it can be a relief for busy students to have a quick meal on standby in their dorm rooms or apartments. Proven year after year as a college staple, Maruchan Ramen Noodles combine a flavorful taste with a low price. In other words, Ramen noodles are the college student’s dream meal.

While Ramen noodles usually consist of Chinese wheat noodles, somewhere along the way this meal made its way into Japan. Toyo Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. made it their business to produce and sell cups of these noodles as instant meals across Japan, and accomplished this task very easily. In 1972, however, TSK wished to expand internationally, and opened a marketing company in the U.S. named Maruchan. Initially, Maruchan was a branch of TSK in charge of selling and shipping in North America. Three years after its founding, however, Maruchan became an independent company in charge of the product all on its own, becoming the leading vendor of Ramen noodles across most of the western hemisphere. The company currently produces and sells 3.6 billion packages a year, counting college student as their primary demographic.

Sold in bulk, Maruchan Noodles are about $1 for 10 cups. For such a filling meal, this is an unbeatable price, especially for the budget-oriented university student who jumps on a free meal as if they were starving. In fact, the price of Ramen noodles is so low that should a student eat them every day the whole year for lunch and dinner, that student would only spend $73.00 for food the whole year. That’s right, if you ate Ramen noodles almost every meal for the rest of the year, it would only amount to about half of what normal college students spend a month.

While the price aspect of this hot meal may sound appealing, the nutrition facts point in the other direction. Maruchan noodles consist of about 770 grams of sodium, half the total recommended allowance of salt for someone on the average 2000-calorie diet. Aside from the fact that Maruchan noodles are completely sugar and cholesterol free, there aren’t too many positive nutritional aspects to be gained. If the aforementioned student actually ate Maruchan two meals a day, no other nutrients could be consumed without grossly exceeding the daily allowance of salt. Excess amounts of sodium can lead to dehydration and fatigue, which doesn’t exactly place it among the top ingredients with which to overindulge.

For the serious Maruchan consumer, there are numerous herbs, spices, or vegetables that can add more flavors to an already delicious meal. Scallions, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, or bacon add a little more zing to the bland chicken or beef broths, while parsley and oregano can give it more spice. Pepper is also a small additive that can lend a lot of taste, while additional salt is not recommended due to the vast quantity already present.

For Brooks Rosson, a freshman, Ramen noodles are often a consideration for some of his meals.

“They’re inexpensive, they taste good, and they’re easy to make, especially since I’m living in a dorm room,” Rosson said.

Like the majority of students, Brooks purchases Maruchan noodles based on the price and ease factors rather than the nutrition benefits.

Austin Bolt, a freshman, is also a fan of the noodles.

“They are really cheap and we are honestly all cheapskates in college. Plus, they have so many different combinations, and they are really quick to make. We’re always on the go and wait until the last second to eat, so they’re pretty handy since we can take them on the go.”

Stevi Selby tries to avoid Ramen noodles. “I think they’re too salty in terms of taste and nutrition, but if I do happen to eat them then I just use half of a package. They’re definitely easy to make, though, which is a plus.”

Judging by the astounding sales numbers of Maruchan Ramen Noodles, it is no secret that a plethora of college students choose them as a quick and easy meal. The chief attractions of the product always seem to be the price and ease of preparation, but the nutrition facts don’t bode well for the health of constant consumers. Despite the negative aspects of the meal, however, it doesn’t appear as if Maruchan plans to relinquish its throne anytime soon.