# What is a pot noodle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572 "2003-04-28T01:49:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/21 "2003-04-28T15:26:19Z")
Had Pot Mash? Ewwwww. Pot Noodle (particlarly the spicy ones) are nasty, but Pot Mash. Yuck. ---
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/22 "2003-04-28T15:29:33Z")
I’ve had the Canadian versions of Pot Noodle and they’re no where near as bad. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/23 "2003-04-28T15:30:40Z")
I eat ramen all the time (well, not _all_ the time; I have to stop once in a while to breathe), but Pot noodle is like ramen’s evil twin - remember that time you went swimming in the sea; you dived in, from the rocks, but you misjudged the depth and ended up taking a mouthfull of silt and seaweed, washed down with half a pint of brine? Remember that? What do you mean you never did that? OK, well try a Pot Noodle then, it recreates the whole experience quite authentically. ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/24 "2003-04-28T15:40:00Z")
Oh dear, am I the only doper who likes Pot Noodle? It would seem so! Honestly, I have at least two a week. Nothing better for the lazy bachelor about town! None of that cooking and washing up malarkey! Just pour and eat and throw away… food of the gods, I tell ya! ---
**Author:** ![Daftbugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Daftbugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daftbugger)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/25 "2003-04-28T15:49:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*I eat ramen all the time (well, not _all_ the time; I have to stop once in a while to breathe), but Pot noodle is like ramen’s evil twin - remember that time you went swimming in the sea; you dived in, from the rocks, but you misjudged the depth and ended up taking a mouthfull of silt and seaweed, washed down with half a pint of brine? Remember that? > > What do you mean you never did that? > > OK, well try a Pot Noodle then, it recreates the whole experience quite authentically. \*\* Quite an accurate desciption I’d say! ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/26 "2003-04-28T15:52:19Z")
\>\> “Pot Noodle - it’s dirty and you want it” Yup, nothing better than a couple of hookers and a pot of ramen noodles. I’ll go for that any time. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/27 "2003-04-28T15:54:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brainfizz \* > \*\*Just pour and eat and throw away… food of the gods, I tell ya! \*\* Or just pour and throw away… food for the dogs. Hey Pot Noodle – it’s not poodle! I’ll have to drop Unilever a line for their next campaign. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/28 "2003-04-28T19:29:53Z")
So it’s got the cachet of Spam over there? ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/29 "2003-04-28T19:43:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by XWalrus2 \* > \*\*What is a pot noodle? I’ve never seen one, just heard about them on Red Dwarf and in the Artificial Intelligence for beginners thread in GD. Could you describe what’s so terrible about the taste? \*\* I remember that episode! > [@](#): > > **Lister:** We’re going to die, aren’t we? How much food is there? > **Rimmer:** There’s half a bag of soggy Smoky Bacon Crisps, a tin of mustard powder, a brown lemon, three water biscuits, two bottles of vinegar and a tube of Bonjella gum ointment. > **Lister:** Gum ointment? > **Rimmer:** Yes, it was in the first-aid box. It’s that minty flavour. It’s quite nice. > **Lister:** It’s quite nice if you smear it on your mouth ulcer, but you can’t sit down and eat it. > **Rimmer:** You may have to. > **Lister:** That’s it? There’s nothing else? > **Rimmer:** Just a Pot Noodle. Oh, and I found a tin of dog food in the tool cupboard. > **Lister:** Well. It’s pretty obvious what gets eaten last. I can’t stand Pot Noodle. It’s so funny… when I was over there, I popped into one of those Pakistani convenience stores and picked myself up a Pot Noodle (for $1.25 - not exactly cheap!) just because of the reference in that episode. It’s still sitting right here on my desk. I also had a couple of Topic bars as well… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/30 "2003-04-28T21:58:24Z")
Has anyone tried both Pot Noodle and the things we have in the US (Cup Noodles / Instant Lunch / etc.)? How do they differ in taste/texture/whatever? I’m curious, because I’m definitely seeing a lot of derision for the PN, and most people I know really like Cup Noodles here in the US. Yeah, you get sick of them after a while, but they’re pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/31 "2003-04-28T22:32:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by everton \* > \*\*Or just pour and throw away… food for the dogs. Hey Pot Noodle – it’s not poodle! I’ll have to drop Unilever a line for their next campaign. \*\* I thought they had already done the ‘not poodle’ thing in a previous ad. **occ** - I expect that pot noodle is heavier on the seasoning and thickening than other ‘cup ramen’ products - there are quite a few imported cup noodle products available here, particularly in cheapie off-brand stores like Netto and the ubiquitous pound stores - all of these that I have tried give you a cup of regular ramen noodles( not unlike those that you would get in the square blocks) with a few chuinks of vegetable - Pot Noodle is something entirely _other_ - the powdered ingredients in the cup with the noddles make up to a very deeply-coloured, highly-seasoned(way over-seasoned, IMO), thickish sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/32 "2003-04-29T14:57:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > **What I find slightly curious is that pot noodle seems to be something people like to make fun of in the UK, while ramen, which is in the same general league, is something most people in the US view with a certain fondness. In both cases, they are something people generally consumed a lot of in their student days because it was very cheap.** Ramen is “in the same general league” as pot noodle the same way that cheap hamburger is “in the same general league” as unwashed beef colon. Yes, both are of similar origin and molecular makeup. Both are still cheap and certainly not high-class. Yet one is still preferable to the other. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/33 "2003-04-30T22:16:18Z")
I’ve bought a _Posh_ Noodle. Anyone care to warn me before I eat it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/34 "2003-04-30T22:36:25Z")
Yes. WARNING! WARNING! OK? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/35 "2003-04-30T22:45:07Z")
Add me to the list of those who have tried Pot Noodle ONCE. I rather like the chicken or veg ramen noodles in little square ppacks, but Pot Noodle is just not nice. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/36 "2003-04-30T23:01:12Z")
OK, you did as I asked. Perhaps I should have added the condition - “…If I should be warned” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/37 "2003-04-30T23:09:55Z")
It may be that they have got the balance of seasoning and ingredients just right in ‘Posh Noodle’, it may be that it is a culinary delight that will thrill your every sense, it may also be that monkeys will fly out of my ass. Be sure to report back when you’ve eaten it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/38 "2003-05-01T01:59:34Z")
The warning was justified afterall. It’s like eating a jellyfish (or how I imagine eating a jellyfish might be like) Do not buy a _Posh_ Noodle. Just don’t. Don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572/39 "2003-05-01T03:41:44Z")
Well, I like jellyfish (or rubber bands, as I’ve called them since childhood), but I suspect that eating a whole buncha them like ramen might not be the best even for me. F\_X [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-pot-noodle/171572.md?page=1)