Thoughts on... Top Ramen

We've all eaten it at one time in our lives. You know what I'm talking about... that prepackaged, noodle meal with seasoning powder. Ramen noodles have little, if any, nutritional value and don't really satisfy our wolf-like hunger. The ironic thing about the noodles is that they are what most people eat when they don't have anything else to eat. Whether it's a poor college student living on a tight budget or a lazy teenager with no culinary options, we have all participated (and probably even enjoyed) in making Ramen noodles. Why do we eat these noodles? I wish that I could actually answer that question...

It's been clinically proven that there are more ways to cook Ramen noodles than there are ingredients in the package. I've eaten them raw, cooked, with an egg, in casserole form, etc... The possibilities of this noodle delight are endless. Let's not be hasty and forget about all the varieties of flavorings as well. You have beef, chicken, pork, oriental, shrimp, teriyaki, and so forth. For some extra crazy experimentation I've even tried doubling up packets of two different flavors (like pork and shrimp). Sometimes it works; sometimes it just fails miserably. Regardless of our proclaimed distaste, and avowal to never eat it again, it seems that we will never rid ourselves of this noodled nemesis. As long as poverty (and student loans) persist, so will the wonder of Top Ramen.