It's the College Student's gourmet meal.  Ramen Noodles.  As much as we all 'make fun' of this simple food item, they are comfort food to some.  They are known for quick and inexpensive and can give you your sodium intake RDA in one serving (well almost).  I usually add a little chili oil to mine to spice it up.  I was able to find the '6-pack' packages at Dollar General and Publix, but the Target I went to only sold them separately.  In the data below, I will give Target's cost using the total of 6 individual packages.



Item: Top Ramen, Noodles.  Chicken Flavor.
Category: Food
Size: 6 pack. (6 3oz. packages).


Store in 3rd Place: Publix (Grocery Store). 
Size: 1- 6 Pack (includes 6 separate 3 oz. packages.)
Cost: $1.09 total.

Store in 2nd Place: Target (Discount and Grocery Store). 
Size: 6 separate 3 oz. packages.
Cost: $1.02 total (or $.17 each package).

The WINNING Store with the least expensive cost: Dollar General (Dollar Store) 
Size: 1- 6 Pack (includes 6 separate 3 oz. packages.)
Cost: $1.00 total.

So it looks like the 'Dollar Store' is the winner!  Finally!  And they lived up to the 'Dollar' in their name!  I could see Target taking this one too if they offered a 6-pack option.  I thought they would since the Target I visited was a Super Target. 

I heard that the reason 'Ramen Noodles' can be cooked so quickly is that they actually 'deep fry' the noodles a bit prior to drying them out and packaging.  Hmmm...maybe that's why the fat content is a bit higher than regular pasta...and maybe that's why they are so good late at night!