Ramen isn't so shameful...

Although fairly high in fat (yet there are lower fat versions, organic, and whole grain, but then you don't have the inexpensive part of the meal that ramen is known for), you can make ramen inexpensively more healthy and something that a kid can cook:

bring water to a boil.
Toss in a bag of whatever veggies your kids eat (mine perfer broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix)
bring to a boil again
add noodles
bring to a boil again
drain over chunks of savory chicken (usually we saute a breast and chop up)
add a dollop of olive oil and 1/2 seasoning packet per packet of noodles

And I don't worry about MSG. Besides tempory effects on blood sugar, I can't figure out what is so horrible about it. Seriously, it is a table condiment all over Asia, where some of the healthiest people in the world live and where the elderly are much sharper in general than the elderly here. I've discussed MSG with my Asian students, and they all keep it on their table in a salt shaker. So, I think that while some people may be sensitive, I don't think that there is any way it can be the evil that it is portrayed to be. We are probably more at risk from the toxins in our cars and homes than a little msg on ramen. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat it, but I also wouldn't get my knickers in a twist.

Glutamate is found in nearly all food. It seems to stimulate the "savory" tastebuds...it's what it in asiago cheese that makes it so good in bread, for instance, or what makes mushrooms enhance flavor.

Here's a list of ways we all consume MSG w/o being aware:

Some of the names MSG goes under
monopotassium glutamate
glutavene
glutacylglutamic
acidautolyzed yeast extract
calcium caseinate
sodium caseinate
E621 (E620-625 are all glutamates)
Ajinomoto
Ac'centGourmet Powder

The following may also contain MSG
natural flavours or seasonings
natural beef or chicken flavouring
hydrolyzed milk or plant protein
textured protein seasonings
soy sauce
bouillon
broth
spices

Free glutamate content of foods (mg per 100g)
roquefort cheese 1280
parmesan cheese 1200
soy sauce 1090
walnuts 658
fresh tomato juice 260
grape juice 258
peas 200
mushrooms 180
broccoli 176
tomatoes 140
mushrooms 140
oysters 137
corn 130
potatoes 102
chicken 44
mackerel 36
beef 33
eggs 23
human milk 22