When he heard that incoming UMR freshmen received Ramen noodles in their welcome packages this fall, Matthew Fischer, CSci’99, was a little jealous. “Too bad they never did that when I was in school,” says Fischer, who edits a blog dedicated to the economical and belly-filling noodles.

Eating flavored Ramen noodles, like taking dirty clothes home to mom and skipping the occasional class, are part of the college experience. Fischer says he became a Ramen fan when he was at UMR. Now a computer programmer in Fort Collins, Colo., he devotes some of his free time to keeping the tradition alive by operating the blog he calls “The Official Ramen Homepage.”

“It really doesn’t take that much time to run the page,” says Fischer.

Nonetheless, the blog is filled with recipes submitted from everywhere the Internet reaches. From Ramen Noodle Salad to Garlicky Thai Stir-Fry Ramen with Tofu, there are apparently all kinds of things cash-starved folks can do with the versatile and very cheap noodles. Among the Ramen-friendly ingredients endorsed by the blog’s readers are chili, eggs, chocolate, and Girl Scout cookies.

In a recent posting, Fischer discusses the going rate for a package of Ramen – about 39 cents. “Man,” he says, “I remember when it was 19 cents.”

For a more detailed look into Fischer’s frugal world of squiggly noodles, check out the blog at www.mattfischer.com/ramen.