Just in time for college students gearing to return to campus, Trader Joe's has released its own version of a dorm room staple. Yesterday, the grocery chain announced that it will now carry instant ramen.
Trader Joe's new Ramen Soups will be available in Chicken and Miso. According to the descriptions in TJ's official announcement of the new offerings, the Miso Ramen's seasoning packet adds flavors of miso and garlic, as well as a hint of seaweed. The miso flavor is also vegan. The Chicken Ramen's seasoning packet, on the other hand, brings flavors of chicken stock, garlic, onion, and soy sauce.
The soups come in cups that can be stuck in the microwave or simply filled with boiling water for an easy meal that's ready in about six minutes. The cups are the perfect size for being transported to a dorm common room or squeezed onto a crowded desk during an all-night cram session.
Though Trader Joe's take on instant ramen come in familiar-looking cups and contain pretty standard seasoning packets, they set themselves apart from other instant ramen brands by including an additional packet, one that contains a blend of sunflower and sesame oil. The packet of oil is meant to give the noodles a "silky-smooth texture" and preventing them from drying out once they're heated. This new innovation is a departure from the Top Ramen cups and packets some of us survived off before we had proper kitchens.