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[i2amroy]

Remarkably, they're the only item I've seen where it's more expensive to buy a convenient package of 8 (12?) packs instead of individual packs.  Last time I checked.  They literally marked it up for a sheet of plastic around all the sheets of plastic.

Supply and demand creates some crazy things at time. At the walmart in my town (which is a college town) it's literally cheaper for you to buy the single pack of silverware (with like 8 of each utensil) then it is for you to buy the double pack. The single costs like $2.50 and the double only costs like $1.75.

[Frumple]

... it's almost always more expensive to buy the smaller quantity packs. Like... it's so incredibly rare for that to be reversed I almost never see it happen. The raw dollar amount is usually more, obviously, but the per unit is pretty much always lower, usually pretty significantly. It certainly doesn't happen with ramen -- the 12 pack ones are a pretty significant percentage less per ounce than the individual packages.

Might be different in your area Ro, but it's not here.

... as for that silverware, you, uh. That's got me confused, eyetwo. Two fiddy is way more than 1.75. Even if you flipped it, the double would have to be at least 3.50 for the per unit to break even, nevermind the single being cheaper.

[Yoink]

I just had instant noodles for the first time.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

It's not like I've never eaten noodles before or anything, I've just never eaten the twelve-cent kind before.

Who eats noodles that aren't the cheap, instant variety? 

I repeat: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

Edit: On that note, time for lunch.

[Frumple]

*raises hand*

Occasionally, anyway. Actual non-instant noodles are usually even cheaper by the ounce than the instant stuff, amazingly. Uncooked spaghetti is freaking cheap, only a little more expensive than rice, 'least around here.

Still do plenty of the instant stuff, though. Is good when you're feeling lazy and want to add some weight to something else. Also you can stretch the seasoning packets over two or three separate dishes and make some tasty stuff.

[Lord Shonus]

... it's almost always more expensive to buy the smaller quantity packs. Like... it's so incredibly rare for that to be reversed I almost never see it happen. The raw dollar amount is usually more, obviously, but the per unit is pretty much always lower, usually pretty significantly. It certainly doesn't happen with ramen -- the 12 pack ones are a pretty significant percentage less per ounce than the individual packages.

Might be different in your area Ro, but it's not here.

Around here, the 6 packs of ramen are more expensive. A 6 pack costs $3 (50¢ each), while the exact same packs sold individually sell for between .25¢ (4/$1) and .33¢ (3/$1). The reason is that the individual packs are priced to make an attractive "impulse buy", while the bulk packs aren't (and the "buying in bulk is always cheaper" mindset is so ingrained that quite a few people just assume it works out better without checking.)

[penguinofhonor]

.

[Frumple]

... wow, that's, like. Two to three times as expensive as it is here. Ouch. 25c/oz is meat or fancy noodle territory in these parts -- the actual ramen's usually around 13c/oz, little less for the 12 pack. Unless the price has risen fairly sigificantly since the last time I bought some (which was... probably a couple months ago? I tend to get four or five 12 packs in one go and use them up over the course of a month or four).

Not sure on the six packs, I never really pay attention to them unless they're actually cheaper per oz (basically never, here). Individual ones definitely aren't cheaper per ounce compared to the 12 packs 'round here, though. Be interesting to know what the difference is.

E: Wait, wait. That was per pack, not per ounce. Bloody head. Also that 13c was for the individual packs, not the per ounce. Frumple is sleepy, I think.

@ poh: What is says on the tin? Some stuff is borderline enough you're not entirely sure if it's body horror or not, or coming at it at an angle some people would disagree on.

[Orange Wizard]

What the fuck does "maybe body horror" even mean

"It might be so horrific that it causes thousands of children to weep uncontrollably from its mere mention, but we're not sure."

[Lord Shonus]

... wow, that's, like. Two to three times as expensive as it is here. Ouch. 25c/oz is meat or fancy noodle territory in these parts -- the actual ramen's usually around 13c/oz, little less for the 12 pack. Unless the price has risen fairly sigificantly since the last time I bought some (which was... probably a couple months ago? I tend to get four or five 12 packs in one go and use them up over the course of a month or four).

You misunderstood. One 3-Ounce pack cost .25, .33, or .50 cents.

For a visual reference on what that .25-.50 cents gets you




EDIT: You corrected yourself while I was writing this. The price difference may be that Toledo is a giant college town - our prices on convienience foods tends to be a bit high.

[Frumple]

Yeah, the edit covered it. M'a bit out of it, heh. Like that said, here, that's 13c for the individual. Per ounce is even less with the 12 pack, though it's been long enough since I last hit the grocery store I've forgotten exactly how much.

E: And then your edit covered that. Is this like forum phone tag or somethin'?

[FearfulJesuit]

This makes me feel kind of proud of myself for having only used the microwave so far in college to thaw butter. Of course, I live on rice and knock-off feijoada, which have at least as much salt as ramen, but, you know...

[penguinofhonor]

.

[Yoink]

*raises hand*

Occasionally, anyway. Actual non-instant noodles are usually even cheaper by the ounce than the instant stuff, amazingly. Uncooked spaghetti is freaking cheap, only a little more expensive than rice, 'least around here.

Still do plenty of the instant stuff, though. Is good when you're feeling lazy and want to add some weight to something else. Also you can stretch the seasoning packets over two or three separate dishes and make some tasty stuff.

I generally don't think of spaghetti as 'noodles', personally. I guess it technically is, but in my mind it doesn't fall into the same class of 'junk food'.

[FearfulJesuit]

Someone tried to make a weeaboo boy band and failed miserably. The cringe is real.

[Frumple]

This makes me feel kind of proud of myself for having only used the microwave so far in college to thaw butter. Of course, I live on rice and knock-off feijoada, which have at least as much salt as ramen, but, you know...

Cooked all my rice in the microwave when I was in the dorm, too. And the pasta. And the meat. And the pizza. And the tea. Potatoes, dessert. Basically everything. Mostly because that's all we had access to. Still microwave a lot, but very grateful for ongoing access to stove. Stoves are grand. Think we've had this conversation before, though.

And @ poh, I couldn't really tell you -- I'm not exactly versed in the intricacies of the field, either. Also too out of it to recall instances that could be called borderline (or unintentional, because that definitely happens), though I've encountered 'em.

And @ yoink, just as meat is meat, noodle is noodle. Several of the instant brands actually have pretty decent noodles in them -- at least as quality as your average angel hair or whatev' -- and even the really cheap stuff doesn't really have terrible noodles (their terror comes from the seasoning). I can see how you'd develop a mental categorization where they're distinct, though, especially if you don't regularly use the instant stuff as the noodles for other dishes.

I've actually made spaghetti using ramen noodles before. And not just the culinary horror I indulge in occasionally by boiling a pot of ramen and then cooking in canned pasta (or just nuking them both and then stirring the two together). Real spaghetti, tomato sauce and meats and everything. Just have to go easy on the seasoning package, or leave it out entirely. Could have been better, but it wasn't bad. They're not the worst noodles in the world.