It’s the question that is breaking friendships, splitting up couples and creating conflict between families. Ramen or Cup Noodles?  In a non-noodle eaters eyes they may seem like the same thing, but for all the noodle lovers the difference is staggering.

Ramen and Cup Noodles were made from the same company, Nissin. The goal of Nissin was to create a product where there is no hassle to make and is ready in less than 7 minutes. In today’s world everyone is husstling and sometimes dont have time to make a proper dinner. Nissin took that concept and created instant noodles, the industry is booming with a network worth over 191 million USD.

The instant noodle world has been divided between Ramen and Cup noodles, junior Maryann claimed that “Ramen packets are better than Cup Noodles because it has more flavor,” some may disagree saying that Cup Noodles have more flavor and they are easier to make. 

Ramen                                                                                                                                                                                   

Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup that was first known as a Luxury item. It’s typically made of hand pulled noodles in chicken or pork stock, topped with either barbecue pork or scallion. Now when we hear Ramen we think of the one that comes in a packet ready to make that comes in many different flavors, including shrimp and beef noodles.

“My favorite flavor is chicken,” sophomore Katie Witowski explained. “It has a lot of flavor to it and taste like the noodles my mom makes.”

The real question is how do you “properly” cook instant Ramen noodles? There are many ways to cook the noodles, the most popular way being to just put the noodles in boiling water and let them soak for a little, then add the flavoring in stir for a couple minutes. Another popular to make instant noodles is to add a whole bunch of extra ingredients to it, like salmon or sliced tofu to spice it up. Another way that is quicker is simply adding water to a bowl and adding the noodles and flavoring then popping it into the microwave for about three minutes. There are many ways to make Ramen noodles, you just have to see what fits your taste best.

Cup Noodles

Late for something and need a quick bite before you leave? Cup Noodles is the way to go. Creator Momofuku Ando has created a quick and easy way to snack. Packaged in microwable styrafoam cups, this instant noodle is very easy to enjoy. You just pop it into the microwave with some water and boom dinner’s ready, you can even add any ingredient you want to make your noodles unique. We surveyed 25 Utica students and asked them which one they prefer and more than 75% of them said they like Ramen over Cup Noodles.

“It’s easier to make and tastes better than Ramen,” junior Ryan VanHeusden said.

Even though Ramen is the most popular, Cup Noodles is slowly moving in for the number one spot. 

Recently the Utica school store has started to sell cup noodles at lunch for $1.25. The inspiration to bring Cup Noodles into Utica’s lunchroom was from a conference that marketing teacher Dana Boice had attended.

“It was a very good way to make a profit,” Boice said, “and bring something new to lunch.”

This turned out to be very successful, with kids getting tired of eating pizza every day. The noodles brought a new taste to the table, and made the school store a lot of money.

Affect of Instant Noodles

Even though they may be yummy, instant noodles do have their bad qualities, too. The high levels of sodium, lack of fiber and protein can cause many health problems including cancer. They may also trigger obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart problems.