Pot Noodle
A typical Pot Noodle. This one is of the "Hot Noodle" variety and as such is in black packaging and has had the Pot part of the name, changed to Hot for a pun. |
In the UK, Pot Noodle is a specific brand of cup noodles (ramen-style snack). It consists of a dehydrated mixture of wide noodles, textured soya pieces, and vegetables, available impregnated with a variety of seasoning powders (See Below) and accompanied by a sachet of sauce (Soy, tomato, curry). It is packaged in a plastic cup with a foil lid. The Pot Noodle Company also makes Pot Rice.
A childrens version 'Fun Pots' are also available. They are similar to standard Pot Noodle, but are smaller, contain no flavour sachet and have crunched noodle pieces.
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Preparation
The preparation of pot noodle is extremely simple (adding much to the snack's appeal), although many consider the correct preparation of Pot Noodle an art.
The outer foil seal of the Pot Noodle container is removed, and the sauce sachet is removed for later use. Boiling water is added, a 'fill line' is visable on the container to aid correct pouring. The noodles are then left to stand for two minutes. After this, the noodles are then stirred and again left to stand for two minutes. Finally, the noodles are stirred again and the sauce is added. Enjoy.
Media and Advertising
Pot Noodle is well known for its outrageous advertising campaigns. Recent advertising Campaigns:
- Big Dave – Advertising campaign for the 'King Pot Noodle' range, potraying a man and his imaginary friend 'Big Dave', which would share his noodle (not to make him seem "a fat bloater").
- Pot Noodle Horn Current advertising campaign. The 'Pot Noodle Horn' is the urge for Pot Noodle. This is shown from a large horn emerging from underneath a persons trousers, giving the impression of an erection.
Other advertising campaigns have tested the boundaries of acceptability.
- HHCL/Red Cell created a series of radio ads for Pot Noodle in which different voices were heard reading out instructions on how to prepare it. The straplines for the ads were saucy: "Pot Noodle. The curious cheerleader of all snacks; Pot Noodle. The lonely housewife of all snacks; and another, which featured a man and a woman with German accents, describing the food as the filthy fraulein of all snacks." The voices would become more excited as the proceeded, culminating in shrieks of "stir again, stir again". They were found to be in breach of the advertising codes by the Advertising Standards Authority, because they were unsuitable material broadcast at a time when children would be listening. There had been four complaints.
- A 2002 television campaign advertising Pot Noodle as "The Slag of All Snacks", was moved to be broadcast after 9pm after early complaints, but still attracted 300 compaints and was found to be offensive by the regulator, the Independent Television Commission, which said that the word slag was unsuitable to be broadcast in an ad at any time.
Commentary
Pot Noodles are considered by some (such as Red Dwarf character Dave Lister) not to qualify as a foodstuff. They are the traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner of stereotypical British university students.
Available Products
- Pot Noodle
- Beef and Tomato
- Chicken and Mushroom
- Sweet and Sour
- Chow Mein
- Nice 'n' Spicy
- Seedy Sanchez
- The Sizzler
- Hot Noodle
- Bombay Badboy
- King Pot Noodle (Extra Large)
- Chicken and Mushroom
- Chow Mein
- Sweet and Sour
- Beef and Tomato
- Pot Noodle Fun Pots
- Chicken and Mushroom
See also
- Cup Noodle
- Super Noodles
External links
Categories: Snack foods | Noodles | British cuisine | Unilever brands