Cup noodles

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cup Noodles (or Cup o' Noodles) are a type of instant-noodle, ramen snack in a styrofoam or hard plastic cup. Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando who also created the Japanese food company Nissin. The First Ramen noodle introduced in Japan was Chikin Ramen (Chicken Ramen). In 1970 Nissin established Nissin Foods (USA) Co., Inc bringing Instant Noodles to the United States. In 1971, Nissin introduced Cup Noodle. Generally prepared for meals on-the-go, cup noodles contain a pre-cooked (fried) slab of noodles that only requires the addition of hot water and sometimes the addition of flavour packets. Cooking time varies but is usually around 3 minutes. Better results are yielded when boiling water is added to the Cup Noodle instead of adding cold water to the Cup Noodle followed by cooking in the microwave.

Cup Noodles come in a variety of flavors, currently numbering 15. Common flavors include shrimp, chicken, and beef. New additions to the lineup include spicy picante flavors and a spicy cheese variant.

Cup Noodle is also a specific brand of cup noodles made by Nissin.

From 1996 to 2006, a 60-foot (18 meter) Nissin Cup Noodle sign was installed in Times Square, New York City. It was located prominently near the top of the One Times Square building, the location of the Times Square Ball drop on New Year's Eve. The sign was the most recent example in a tradition of steaming signs in Times Square, which started with an A&P coffee cup in 1933. [1]

Supermarket chain Lidl use the "cup noodle" name on their version of the product.