Make Your Own Popcorn
Shelling out $10 each for a ticket to the movies can really strain the budget. Add those sugar-y, fatty snacks to that tally and you’re dipping into the retirement fund. Instead, gather the family for a stay-at-home movie night and serve up a bowl of healthy popcorn. It’s quick, easy and won’t disappoint your taste buds.
Popping Through History
Popcorn was very popular from the 1890s (when vendors sold it off carts) until the Great Depression. Then popcorn, which went for 5 to 10 cents a bag, became a luxury only a few families could afford. Once the 1950s hit, television became popular and attendance at the movies dropped — the biggest seller of popcorn at the time.
Microwave popcorn was introduced in the 1940s, and by the 1990s, it racked up $240 million in annual sales in the U.S. Growing up throughout the 1979s and 1980s, I remember the UFO-shaped Jiffy Pop and popping fresh kernels at home on the stove.
Nutrition Facts
Popcorn is a whole grain and a good source of fiber. It’s also low in calories — coming in at about 31 to 55 calories in a single cup (that’s without any butter or oil). Popcorn contains no cholesterol or saturated fat unless you add it in yourself. Beware of bagged microwave popcorn, which can contain as much as 180 calories per cup with artery-clogging saturated fat and some trans fat. Make sure you read the labels and pick up bag with less than 30 calories per cup and unbuttered and unflavored, if possible.
Pop ‘Em Up
Make popcorn on the stove or in the microwave — both are quick and easy. Air poppers are a third option. When using the stove, pre-heat 3 tablespoons canola or peanut oil over high heat in a large saucepan for about a minute. Add 4 ounces of popcorn kernels and cover. Lower heat and shake pot slightly until kernels stop popping.
Microwave-safe popcorn bowls are also available. Add 3 tablespoons of oil and 4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) of kernels to the bowl, cover and place in microwave. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes until popping slows. Take out of microwave carefully (the bowl may be hot!) and be careful not to burn the popcorn. You can also pop kernels in the microwave using a brown paper bag.
Kernels To Try
Various kernels are available to suit your preference. Bob’s Red Mill makes white and yellow kernels. Amish Country Popcorn kernels come in a variety of flavors and colors, including purple, blue, red and Lady Finger.
Spice It Up
Butter is the classic popcorn flavor enhancer, but each tablespoon adds 100 calories and 11.5 grams of fat. Packaged popcorn seasoning is available and contains few calories, no fat and is very low in sodium (75 milligrams per serving).
Make your own topping for popcorn. Try the traditional cheese-flavored popcorn or pizza-flavored. Grated Romano and Parmesan cheese work well, too, but a little sprinkle goes a long way. Is sweeter more your style? Try bittersweet chocolate-flavored popcorn. Other seasonings to try are fresh rosemary, thyme and lemon zest, basil-Parmesan or cinnamon and sugar.
- Popcorn recipes to try:
- Homemade Microwave Popcorn
- Pizza Popcorn
- Cheesy Popcorn
- Chocolate Orange Brown Butter-Flavored Popcorn
TELL US: What’s your favorite popcorn topping?
Our family loves stove top popcorn with vege-sal and nutritional yeast flakes. It gives the popcorn a cheezy flavor and a lot of extra B vitamins! Be careful though, some yeast flakes can be bitter!)
Favorite Popcorn Toppings: Lemon Pepper Seasoning or Cajun Seasoning if you like a bit of spice!
I use low fat microwave popcorn (Jolly Time, Orville or others). Then, I will spray with Store label butter spray. Very good!
I love kettle corn so to satisfy my cravings for it and save calories, I use butter spray and then sprinkle a bit of splenda on my popcorn (air-popped).
I pop it with canola oil and finish it off with sprinkles of parmesan cheese. yummy!
I like to pop 1 to 2 gals of popcorn on the stove using canola oil then melt 1 stick of butter(real) and pour on top and mix. It will leave you wondering why you never tried this before, It is great!
The best and only popcorn I use is Earl May’s white popcorn. I have an old, old pan that I have used forever and pop my corn in canola oil on the stove. I only use salt on it and it is sooo good. Sometimes, I will put sugar in the sizzing oil and corn and make kettle corn.
Using coconut oil instead of canola oil is much healthier as our bodies cannot process canola oil. Using Herbamare (which is an organic sea salt seasoning)adds great flavor to the popcorn and again much healthier. You can also take stevia (herbal sweetener) and sprinkle that on your popcorn with vanilla powder sprinkles for a sweeter popcorn flavor. Using splenda or other such artificial sweeteners only continues the craving for other sweets. Keep in mind that Splenda is made from sugar in a chlorinated process. There’s a new sugar substitute being imported from Japan called Lakanto. Zero-glycemic so good for diabetics, children with ADD/ADHD, those with candida challenges . . . or anyone recognizing the importance of limiting or eliminating refined sugar in their diet. It’s a bit more expensive than certainly regular sugar but it’s worth the investment.
COCONUT OIL is the all time worst oil you can use. It is an artery clogger. Very unhealthy.
At Christmas I purchased a hot-air popcorn popper for about $15 at Walmart, and use Jollytime’s Organic Popcorn in it. It is the best fully popped popcorn I have ever had. I use extra-virgin olive oil on top and Lawry’s seasoned salt.
I read that there is packaged popcorn seasoning that is available and has fewer calories. I have never heard of this. How will I recognize it at the supermarket. Thanks!
The popcorn seasoning is called “Popcorn Seasoning” by Kernel Season’s. There is several flavors available. I have only been able to find it at Super Walmart.
I concur with Johanna, COCONUT OIL IS BAD FOR YOU WHERE EVER IS USED AND WHATEVER IT IS IN. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT SUSAN WITH ALL HER KNOWLEDGE DIDN’T NOT KNOW THIS.
MAYBE THE RULES HAVE CHANGED AGAIN AND I DIDN’T HEAR ABOUT IT!
help, my husband got a popcorn maker for christmas and we are eating popcorn everyday. Told to use coconut oil. Is it bad or good for the arteries? Where do i find out?
Hi Elizabeth,
Using your own popcorn maker is a great idea and knowing which oil to use and how much is also important. Freshly popped popcorn is about 30 calories per cup, but use a heart-healthy oil like peanut or canola — and only 1 teaspoon worth. Coconut oil is a saturated fat and can increase cholesterol and shouldn’t be eaten daily. Check out the American Heart Association website — scroll down to the middle of the page and it explains more about which types of oils are a healthier choice.
I love tamari sauce on popcorn. You could probably try teriaki sauce on popcorn too.
I love the comment from another poster that “our bodies cannot process canola oil”… Very funny. Anyway, I use the PrestoPop microwave popper, which you can use with or without oil. I use it without oil in the popper, but I melt a very small amount of real butter in another dish to pour on top. A little popcorn salt on top makes it delicious and very natural-tasting. (I like to add a little chili powder too.) The only trick with the PrestoPop is to remove the lid immediately when it’s done popping to let the steam out; otherwise it gets too chewy.
I use Parkay as it dosen’t turn the popcprn to mush like some butter subs do, then I sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese. I used to use Molly Mc Butter but it all sank to the bottom of the bowl.
My favorite is stove popped and I sprinkle with parmeson/romano, cayenne pepper, and garlic salt…..sooo good!
I use a stove stir-type popcorn popper I bought at Goodwill and pop the corn in Canola oil with Johnny’s Grub Rub. It’s a rub made to be used on steaks, chicken etc. We love it!
My husband makes an amazing popcorn by melting butter, tabasco sauce, chili powder, garlic salt and some splenda. It sounds funky, but its great!
For all natural foodstore-goers-Try a little shake or 3 of Nutritional Yeast!
It’s a nutty/cheezy taste and takes your snack from low cal to healthy!
Okay… I am not a huge health nut, however I don’t understand how everyone is on the “Canola Oil” kick; when, if they researched it, they would find that it comes from Rapeseed and is toxic. Canola oil is the less toxic form that was made and has been approved for human consumption. It is cheap and is passed on as if it is healthy for us, but it’s really not that healthy! I’d stick to olive oil.
I want to know if Weavers Popcorn w/butter is unhealthy for you. I purchased from Walmart?
Try a few drops of fresh lemon juice on your popcorn….it’s great!
coconut oil is made up of medium chain triglycerides; it is indeed quite a healthy oil (just do a little research for more details).
Why is that funny? Canola oil is a highly-refined, dangerous oil.
A bit more expensive you say, it costs around 45 dollars per kilo then you have the postage.
I am just now reading these postings, so on yours Sharon,I would like to know, does husband pop the corn in the butter mix and it does not have a scorched butter flavor?
Yeah… I don't know that it is toxic, persay… But my dad always gets really sick when he eats anything with canola oil… So I tend to avoid it. Olive oil is WAY better. Sunflower oil isn't bad, too, as long as it's high or medium oleic.