Are Supernoodles as tasty as they used to be?
Posted by BarbarianAtHeart@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 82 comments
Hi,
Back in my college days I used to tuck away quite a lot of Supernoodles. In particular the chicken flavour ones. It was quick and easy, and at the time affordable on a college budget. I also really enjoyed them.
I still enjoy the odd bowl now but, to me at least, they seem a lot more bland than I remember. Is it just me, or has something changed since early 00s?
ComposerEmpty9291@reddit
Those are by far the worst tasting instant noodle you can buy - I haven’t bought them since I discovered basically any other noodle lol.
PurpleTofish@reddit
To be honest I don’t think they have ever been great but I feel like we have more choice when it comes to instant ramen now so we have realised that super noodles are a bit meh.
That being said I quite like the BBQ beef flavour. I am not really a fan of the chicken flavour though.
G_UK@reddit
I used to love them until I found out how many calories were in a packet 😱
ChelseaMourning@reddit
Don’t waste your money on super noodles. Go to your nearest Asian supermarket and marvel at the many instant ramens on offer for a quid.
Vivid-Combination-74@reddit
Koka noodles remain superior
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
I’ll check them out. Thanks
JoeDaStudd@reddit
If you want to take them to the next level look at indomie.\ You can normally find singles in the supermarkets at the world section, but if you like them they are cheaper buying a box.
c0tch@reddit
Indomie are my goto, and they are relatively cheap from Asda and you can definitely get them at their actual store in boxes.
I literally just threw out 5 boxes of shin and buldak 15 mins ago which are meant to be more premium definitely more expensive.
Indomie are just exactly how I want my noodles.
Charming-Objective14@reddit
I stopped buying them when they doubled in price, just stick to the own brand ones now so much cheaper and you get 100g.
you_aint_seen_me-@reddit
My contribution to the convo.
rafterman1976@reddit
Lidl all the way
alevei@reddit
Glad you asked this as I had some recently for nostalgia purposes and they didn’t taste even close to the same. Very bland, mushier. Assumed I’d cooked them wrong.
Maybe I am just getting old.
MrTripperSnipper@reddit
Indoe mi mi goreng.
EuroSong@reddit
I used to love Super Noodles. However, several years ago I was persuaded by my Vietnam-born wife to try Indomie Noodles. I did, and now I find them far superior.
LopsidedLegs@reddit
Four things:
They were never great.
Food standards have improved, so what ingredients can be used has changed which may result in a change in the taste/flavour.
As you age your taste buds loose effectiveness, which results in a perceived change in the flavour. This is one reason that old people complain everything is bland.
Possible Enshitification. The company behind them may have changed hands (or not) and the drive for more profit has resulted in a cheaper or poorer quality ingredients.
Pedantichrist@reddit
They are much blander. The trick is to buy the cheaper ones.
TSC-99@reddit
They’re shit compared to what I remember
miklovesrum@reddit
Super noodles and any other British brands are utter shite. Asian or African noodles are the way to go!
lovebloomycandy@reddit
They definitely taste more bland now, it’s not just you. Either recipes changed or our taste buds just got used to better food, but they don’t hit the same as early 2000s Supernoodles 😭
Notaturtleitsabug@reddit
Honestly I don’t think supernoodles were ever good
Cheap basic noodles are far superior - Maggis are great but a bit small, and Lidl own brand are genuinely excellent.
Competitive_Pen7192@reddit
I've always found them the worst. Pot Noodle was and is still better. The various Far Eastern brands are all superior but that's obvious as they're the original. Super Noodle and Pot Noodle etc are just local ones someone created to cash in over here.
PokeyBum_Wank@reddit
I wouldn't touch maggis, owned by nestle and have a history of excess lead in the seasoning
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Maybe lead is what’s missing from mine. Haha
Notaturtleitsabug@reddit
I didn’t know that, thank you for the info! I’ll avoid them from now on
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
I’ll give Lidl ones a try. Cheers.
Notaturtleitsabug@reddit
You’re very welcome :) I’d recommend chicken and curry flavours but really it’s whatever floats your boat
SkipsH@reddit
Did anyone else read supermodels?
luffyuk@reddit
I used to make poverty sandwiches when I was a student. Supernoodles in between two slices of bread.
PeterG92@reddit
I remember Pot Noodles used to be a lot better but they've changed the recipe and it's rubbish now.
vertigo90@reddit
Get buldak of shin if you want instant noodles. Buldak if you like it spicy, shin if you want it milder
smithykate@reddit
Add half a chicken or veg stock cube and thank me later x
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Def trying this
death-in-tipton@reddit
My eyes saw supermodels….then I read it again.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
An interesting topic. I’m not lucky enough to have tasted supermodels in the 00s or now so I can’t comment either way I’m afraid.
Grouchy-Nobody3398@reddit
Everyone in my household thinks the flavour seems to be more intense in the standard size vs the kingsize pots.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Are you thinking of Pot Noodles? If so I’ve heard rumour the ‘noodle’ section is the same size in both, there’s just more water put into the Kings. May explain the kingsize blandness
Jetstream-Sam@reddit
I actually examined both, taking the noodle puck out and the king is noticeably slightly bigger. But it's only like, 10 grams or so. The noodles are dehydrated so they can't really be an increase in water weight, if they had water in they could go off.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Interesting to know, thanks. By water I meant the water you add as the pots a little bigger. But got to know the puck is actually a little larger.
Jamz3k@reddit
The diabolically small size of the soy sauce packets in pot noodles now, compared to the 90s anger me greatly.
Jetstream-Sam@reddit
It's at the point where it's not even worth bothering for the single mililiter you get. I guess it's to lower the salt content? Either way I just use my office condiments if I've resorted to my emergency pot noodles
Sadiesausage1@reddit
I think they’re a lot mushier these days, not sure why. Are you thinking of Pot Noodle?
BunglefromRainbow@reddit
You wanna get yourself some Nissin Big Soba, or Buldak ramen.
IndividualCurious322@reddit
They taste way worse now.
Matterbox@reddit
Get into your local Chinese supermarket or Asian store and rummage in the mountain of instant noodles. They’re usually really well priced. Some are so spicy your balls will rotate. Others just chickeny goodness. I’ve had some that are just plain odd in a good way and some odd in an odd way.
Jetstream-Sam@reddit
If you're willing to spend a little more than usual on some noodles, These Laksa noodles are the best instant noodles I ever had. Also I wouldn't buy them from amazon, that's just an example. They're available for £3 from my local asian market
Matterbox@reddit
I love spending 65p on noodles just like I love spending £3 on noodles. All have their place.
I’ve taken a screenie of the Laksa noodles and will keep and eye out for them.
Jetstream-Sam@reddit
They're genuinely great, I'd try the prawn one first if you get the chance. The crab one is good too but not everyone likes that stronger seafood flavour in my experience.
WinkyNurdo@reddit
They used to do great ads.
Cops Supernoodles advert
cankennykencan@reddit
They're wank
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Naa, I’ve had a wank, that was much better than these noodles.
MerlinOfRed@reddit
Probably almost as salty too
ChimpyChompies@reddit
It's a sad thing, but our senses can diminish as we grow older..
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Yea, this was kinda the reason for the question. Wondering if it’s me lol
ChimpyChompies@reddit
It's not just you. Geriatrics unite!
EverybodySayin@reddit
The bacon flavour ones are still bangin'. The rest don't taste the same.
Head_Lie_1301@reddit
Uses to love them, but they're terrible now.
Reasonable_Blood6959@reddit
No. They aren’t.
Find your local Asian supermarket. Buy some MSG. Everything tastes better with MSG
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Wondering if Supernoodles + MSG may help haha.
Reasonable_Blood6959@reddit
It will definitely help.
But Tbf you’re better off visiting that Asian supermarket, and finding one of their many equivalents of Supernoodles/Pot Noodles, they’ll have MSG, and they’ll taste much much better
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
I’ll check them out cheers. Got a decent Asian market in the next town over.
Less_Instruction_345@reddit
Where did the prawn ones go? Does anyone ever see them anywhere? Help a girl out.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
They do seem to have vanished off the face of the earth! Maybe they contained an unrescuable amount of the flavouring and salt that was removed from chicken to make them so bland.
Less_Instruction_345@reddit
I'm gutted to this day as I ate them fairly regularly as a quick lunch on busy days and nothing quite ever replaced them. I also enjoyed Wicked Kitchen Mac n cheese pasta pots but those also seem to be discontinued. 😞
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
I’ll hold a moments silence for our diminishing salty lunch options.
HotCommunication1696@reddit
I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed! The chicken ones in particular definitely had some sort of big adjustment to the ingredients in the last 10 years or so. A lot less flavour and a more soggy/mushy consistency
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Absolutely!
PoolRamen@reddit
Salt = flavour if your taste buds have been obliterated by high-sodium content over the years.
Batchelors would undoubtedly have revised their formulations to lower sodium content for stuff like Supernoodles over the years.
As for the noodles, probably changes to the binder oil. Now most stuff like this uses palm oil, which is another can of worms (and not for transfat concerns).
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the detailed response.
Smashcannons@reddit
Always been naff.
Boil the noodles.
Whilst waiting make your own sauce. I like Soy sauce, honey, garlic, hot sauce. Once noodles are soft, put them in a pan and fry them and add the sauce you made. this only takes a few minutes longer but the flavour is much stronger and you can make it however you wish.
petulantkid@reddit
The ones from the Asian supermarkets are way better
TheBristolBulk@reddit
Soba >>>
dinkidoo7693@reddit
They’ve changed the packaging and the flavour
_Monsterguy_@reddit
They've *always* been shite.
Misskinkykitty@reddit
They're bland and grim now. Shame really.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
I agree.
Sadiesausage1@reddit
I think they’re a lot mushier these days, not sure why.
BarbarianAtHeart@reddit (OP)
Yes definitely
GeggingIn@reddit
Think there was more salt and our standards were lower.
Comfortable-Pear-973@reddit
Jokes on you my standards get lower the older I get
GeggingIn@reddit
I was only really talking about Chicken Supernoodles.
Intelligent-Ant-5770@reddit
Probably a lot more salt and flavorings which either are expensive or unhealthy that the flavorings had to be reduced.
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