The short answer: Yes—but ramen and mac and cheese work better nutritionally when they become the starting point for a meal rather than the entire meal. Checking sodium and saturated fat on the Nutrition Facts label and adding vegetables and affordable protein can make both comfort foods more balanced.
Mandy Katz, Director of Healthy Living at Giant Food and a Registered Dietitian, does not believe foods such as ramen and packaged mac and cheese need to be banished from the table. Instead, she recommends considering why someone chooses them and identifying realistic ways to increase their nutritional value.
In this installment of our interview series, Katz explains how to make ramen and mac and cheese healthier without giving up the familiar foods people enjoy.
Can You Eat Ramen or Mac and Cheese for Every Meal?
FTN: Can I just eat Ramen or Mac’n’cheese for every meal? Are there healthy alternatives?
Mandy: Sure – you can absolutely eat Ramen or Mac’n’cheese for every meal. Are you surprised? So often people vilify foods that offer us comfort, but the truth is all foods provide nourishment and have a place at our table. As a dietitian my first question would be “are you choosing these foods because of budget, taste preference, cooking ability – or something else?”
Each of these answers could receive a different response and, to be candid, both foods were staples in my house for all these reasons. Not long ago I was a single parent, working, completing my internship and in grad school to be a dietitian. These were fast, easy foods that my kids enjoyed and could make unassisted; but not without some nutrition guidance.
How Can You Make Ramen Healthier?
FTN: I have friends whose son has ketchup on almost everything he eats. They travel with it to make sure he’s never without. I get a sense that they aren’t thrilled about it, but it helps their child eat.
Mandy: I like to tell customers that cheese on your broccoli doesn’t make the health of the broccoli go away but it may get you to eat more broccoli! The same idea applies here: what can you add to these favorites to boost nutrition while balancing sodium and saturated fat?
My preferred ramen is the trusty 49-cent pack, but there is something for everyone these days, including upscale varieties from Momofuku and big bowls from Buldak.
No matter which version you choose, check out that Nutrition Facts Panel for sodium which is often the nutrient most associated with ramen. To keep within the nutrition guidelines, strive for 500 mg or less. If there is a spice packet, you can easily cut the seasoning in half to lower the sodium.
Next, think about how to add more protein. Rotisserie chicken or low-fat ground chicken/turkey/beef are good options. Poached Eggs or soybeans (found in the frozen section) are also easy add-ins. Bagged spinach, shredded carrots, canned corn, or mushrooms are easy nutrient boosters.
Ramen bowls are not just a great way to eat on a budget; they’re the perfect meal for entertaining on a budget! Create a toppings bar and let your guest customize their ramen bowl. This is one of my go to solutions for feeding a crowd with a variety of taste preferences.
How Can You Make Mac and Cheese Healthier?
FTN: I do love some Ramen bowls, and adding ingredients to the basic kit seems like an easy way to jazz up an ordinary cup of noodles. What about my favorite mac-n-cheese?
Mandy: There are two types of packaged mac and cheese people – those that like the traditional powdered cheese packs and those that like the squeeze packs.
Like ramen, I will ask you to check out that Nutrition Facts Panel for sodium and saturated fat which are the nutrients most associated with mac and cheese. To keep
within the nutrition guidelines, strive for 500 mg or less of sodium and 6 gm or less of saturated fat.
If your mac and cheese requires milk, switching to a high protein, low fat milk is an easy first step to boosting nutrient density. Next add protein. One of my family’s favorite options is canned tuna! It provides a dose of Omega 3s and is affordable and shelf stable. Frozen peas and broccoli are great vegetable add-ins or sides that pair well and are fast and easy to prepare.
Ultimately, my goal as a dietitian is to help you eat the foods you love in a way that increases nutrition density. If you want to try something new, there are a lot of new ramen and mac and cheese options that offer added nutrition through pureed vegetables and plant-
based protein.
There are even recipes that offer ‘better for you’ ramen recipes and ‘better for you’ mac and cheese recipes using plant-based ingredients. While these won’t necessarily taste like your favorites, they may become your new, better for you favorites, so be adventurous and try something new.
Or maybe they won’t. So just add more protein and vegetables to your current favorites. Either way, you are doing great!
The Bottom Line on Ramen and Mac and Cheese
Ramen and mac and cheese can remain part of a healthy eating pattern, particularly when budget, time, cooking skills or family preferences make them practical choices. The simplest approach is to check the Nutrition Facts label, use less seasoning when appropriate and add protein and vegetables.
The goal is not to turn a favorite comfort food into something unrecognizable. It is to make the meal more nutritionally complete while keeping it affordable, convenient and enjoyable.
About Mandy Katz
Mandy Katz, Director of Healthy Living at Giant Food brings a wealth of knowledge as a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN) with a background in pediatrics. Born and raised in the DMV, she received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Morgan State University and a Master of Science from SUNY Oneonta. She’s passionate about all things food and shares the inside scoop on all things that affect healthy living. You can learn more at giantfood.com/healthyliving.