The quickest way to make instant noodles more balanced is to use less of the seasoning, add vegetables and include a protein food such as an egg, tofu or cooked beans. If you make soup noodles, season the broth gradually and leave some of it in the bowl if you are trying to cut down on sodium.
At the supermarket, compare similar packs using the same basis on the label. The sodium listed per serving can be much lower than the amount in the whole packet if the label counts more than one serving. Check whether the figure is for the dry product or for the noodles as prepared.
- Start with less seasoning and add flavour with ingredients such as ginger, spring onion or lime.
- Add a vegetable and a protein food you already have.
- Read sodium in milligrams and check how many servings are in one pack.
- Compare similar products and account for the portion you will actually eat.
In this guide
Section 1 of 5 · Start with the noodles, then add two things
Build a better bowl from what you have
The noodles provide a starch. Add a vegetable such as chye sim, cabbage or plain frozen peas, and a protein food such as a cooked egg or tofu. The Health Promotion Board’s My Healthy Plate uses wholegrains, protein foods, fruit and vegetables to guide balanced meals. If your noodles are made with refined flour, you can still use the guide to see what else the bowl needs and choose wholegrains at another meal. HealthHub’s guide to My Healthy Plate
| What you have | What to add | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Plain frozen vegetables | Tofu or egg | Cook the vegetables according to their pack directions |
| Cabbage and carrots | Cooked beans | Slice the vegetables finely and cook until tender |
| Chye sim and mushrooms | Fully cooked egg | Add the greens nearer the end if the recipe allows |
| Tomato and spring onion | Tofu | Use the tomato for a more flavourful soup |
| Leftover cooked chicken, safely stored | Plain vegetables | Reheat the chicken thoroughly and serve promptly |
If the meal is for more than one person, put the extra ingredients in before dividing the noodles. That way the last bowl gets vegetables and protein too. Give each person a portion that fits their appetite.
Section 2 of 5 · Decide what you want the bowl to taste like
Use less seasoning without losing flavour
Start with a smaller amount of the seasoning and taste the broth once all ingredients are cooked. Ginger, garlic, spring onion, pepper, chilli or a squeeze of lime can change the flavour without relying on more packet seasoning. The sodium content of the sachet may be unclear, and the noodles themselves can contain sodium. Using half the seasoning does not tell you the exact sodium in the meal. HPB’s guide to reading a food label
When the packet contains several sachets
Check which one is the powder, sauce, oil or garnish. A dry noodle sauce may contain sodium and an oil packet has a different role. If you reduce the salty sauce but replace it with a large splash of soy sauce, you may add sodium back. Use the amount of seasoning you need and see if aromatics or vegetables can make up the flavour.
Soup or dry noodles?
In soup noodles, some of the sodium remains in the broth you leave behind. Adding more water dilutes the taste, but it does not remove sodium if you drink all the soup. With dry noodles, there may be no broth to leave, so the quantity of sauce you mix through matters more. Give each bowl its sauce separately if people prefer different amounts.
Contents · Previous section · Next section
Section 3 of 5 · Use the same basis for both packs
Compare the sodium numbers on the label
Check the Nutrition Information Panel for sodium, usually shown in milligrams. If the packs give values per 100 g on a comparable dry basis, use that column for concentration. If you will eat a whole pack, calculate the amount in that pack separately. Values for products prepared with different amounts of water can be difficult to compare directly. HealthHub’s guide to the Nutrition Information Panel
An example with two invented labels
Pack A lists 620 mg per serving with two servings per pack. Eating the whole pack as labelled would provide 1,240 mg. Pack B lists 900 mg per pack. On those figures B contributes less sodium when you eat a full pack of either. Check the label wording for what components are included. You cannot infer exactly how much sodium is in the sachet alone unless the manufacturer gives a breakdown.
The Healthier Choice Symbol can help you find products that meet HPB criteria within their category. Read the specific tagline, check the nutrition panel and decide how you will prepare the product. Health Promotion Board’s guide to the Healthier Choice Symbol
Contents · Previous section · Next section
Section 4 of 5 · Keep a small set of ingredients ready
Make it work on a busy evening
For one person, keep plain frozen vegetables and a protein food you already use, such as eggs or tofu. Take out only the vegetables you need, return the rest to the freezer promptly and follow the bag’s cooking directions. For a household, chop cabbage or another vegetable for two meals and store it safely. A few reliable ingredients usually matter more than a long list of toppings.
A student cooking after CCA might boil noodles and chye sim, then add tofu and use a modest amount of seasoning. A parent making several bowls can cook the extras together and let people adjust the flavour individually. For a day when everyone wants the original recipe, keep the usual flavour and consider vegetables or fruit at another eating occasion.
Contents · Previous section · Next section
Section 5 of 5 · Make the next bowl easier
Instant noodle questions
Can I add an egg directly to the bowl?
Cook the egg thoroughly rather than relying on the heat left in a serving bowl. The method can be as simple as cooking the egg in the simmering liquid until fully cooked or preparing it separately. Singapore Food Agency guidance on eggs
Is a larger bowl with more water lower in sodium?
It is more dilute at the same amount of seasoning. If you consume all the liquid, the sodium from that seasoning stays the same.
Can I use a soup cube instead of the packet?
Check the sodium on the cube or stock and the amount you plan to use. A different source of salt still contributes sodium.
Do I need a particular brand?
Use comparable label numbers and choose a pack you enjoy, can afford and can prepare with the ingredients you have.