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Maruchan Instant Lunch, 6 Pack, Chicken
Canned & Packaged Goods
📊 NOVA 4

Maruchan Instant Lunch, 6 Pack, Chicken

Maruchan
13.50 oz
Available at Foodtown
290
Calories
7g
Protein
2g
Sugars
1190mg
Sodium
2g
Fiber
94
Ingredients

What You Should Know

Maruchan Instant Lunch 6-pack (Chicken) is a ubiquitous grocery-aisle staple: look for it in the dry soup & ramen aisle, often stacked near other instant noodles, cup soups, and quick microwave meals, and sometimes shelved near college- and pantry-friendly convenience foods. It is designed for grab-and-go moments — a student’s late-night study snack, a quick solo lunch at the office, or a simple addition to a storm-prep or road-trip pantry. The Maruchan brand leans into budget-friendly, nostalgic positioning: familiar bright cups and logo-driven packaging signal fast, dependable comfort food aimed at students, young adults, and time-pressed households. Labels emphasize flavor and convenience rather than health; there are no organic or natural-certification claims, and the product relies on fortified/enriched flour and small-print ingredient lists. Shoppers may perceive a mild “easy” health halo from words like “chicken,” but the package lacks wholesome claims such as organic or non-GMO. In processing terms, these are highly processed, shelf-stable instant noodles and powdered broth mixes. Sensory cues: dry, tightly coiled wheat noodles that soften quickly in hot water; a savory, salty chicken-flavored broth with pronounced umami from flavor enhancers; occasional dehydrated vegetable flecks for texture. The consumer ritual is straightforward — peel, add boiling water, cover, wait a few minutes, stir — which reinforces its role as a quick, ritualized comfort snack. Overall, Maruchan’s chicken Instant Lunch is an accessible, inexpensive convenience food that fits into everyday American grocery culture as a fast, familiar solution for hunger between meals.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1.0 cup
Servings per Container: 6
Calories290
% Daily Value*
Total Fat12g15%
Saturated Fat6g30%
Sodium1190mg52%
Total Carbohydrate39g14%
Dietary Fiber2g7%
Total Sugars2g
Protein7g
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

Enriched, Wheat, Flour, (Wheat, Flour,, Niacin,, Reduced, Iron,, Thiamine, Mononitrate,, Riboflavin,, Folic, Acid),, Vegetable, Oil, (Contains, One, or, More, of, the, Following:, Canola,, Cottonseed,, Palm), Preserved, by, TBHQ,, Salt,, Dehydrated, Vegetables, (Carrot,, Corn,, Green, Peas,, Garlic,, Onion,, Celery, Stalk),, Contains, Less, than, 2%, of:, Maltodextrin,, Monosodium, Glutamate,, Sugar,, Hydrolyzed, Corn,, Wheat, and, Soy, Protein,, Chicken, Fat,, Powdered, Cooked, Chicken,, Spices, (Celery, Seed),, Yeast, Extract,, Dehydrated, Soy, Sauce, (Wheat,, Soybeans,, Salt),, Potassium, Carbonate,, Sodium, (Mono,, Hexameta,, and/or, Tripoly), Phosphate,, Sodium, Carbonate,, Turmeric,, Disodium, Inosinate,, Disodium, Guanylate,, Silicon, Dioxide, (Anti-Caking, Agent),, Lactose,, Chicken, Broth,, Soya, Lecithin..

Flagged Ingredients:

  • canola - Seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids
  • cottonseed - Seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids
  • palm - Seed oil high in omega-6 fatty acids
  • soy lecithin - Processed emulsifier
  • TBHQ - Synthetic preservative
No Seed OilNo EmulsifierNo Preservative

Dietary Labels

This product is not vegan, is not gluten-free, and is not organic.

Ultra-Processing Assessment

NOVA Score:4 / 4

Ultra-Processed

Why this score?

Contains industrially formulated ingredients (maltodextrin, hydrolyzed proteins), flavor enhancers (MSG, disodium inosinate/guanylate), preservatives (TBHQ), and dehydrated/extruded components, consistent with an ultra-processed classification.

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Common Questions about Maruchan Instant Lunch, 6 Pack, Chicken

The Chicken Instant Lunch can be a quick and satisfying meal, but calling it 'healthy' depends on your perspective. With 290 calories per serving, it’s relatively low in sugar and has some protein, but it's also high in sodium and contains preservatives. If you're looking for a convenient meal on a busy day, it can definitely fit into a balanced diet, just maybe not as a daily staple.

Perfect For

back-to-school
movie-night
road-trip

Vibe:

nostalgicconvenientcomfortingpractical
$NaN
per package