"Honestly, do you know just how good some of these ramen noodles are when you add a little meat and fresh herbs?"
Love these noodles! They can be the basis of a darn good soup or stew. Not just Spam but imitation crab added to shrimp or oriental flavored noodles.
I buy them by the crate from Vifon. Yummy!
Raman noodles can be a great side dish as well. Drain all of the water and simply mix the seasoning packet in. Add whatever leftovers you have and you have a tasty filling meal, for really cheap as well.
Not being on welfare and having a paycheck that varies, raman noodles have carried me through several times.
It's amazing how cheaply you can eat well, if you use your imagination a little.
As for rice, what is wrong with it? Raised in Florida back in the 50's, we often ate rice. In fact, I still prefer it to potatoes. Chili over rice is one of my favorites and also cheap to prepare.