decoding the microwave popcorn label

kkellam1

I used to consider myself a fairly smart guy, but I am really confused. I typically have no problem understanding food labels and portion size, etc. Am I the only one that can't seem to understand a label on microwave popcorn?

I tried reading the label on Kroger 94% fat free popcorn and my head just hurts (does that burn calories?). I don't want to know anything about the calories in UNPOPPED popcorn. Why would they bother telling me that info? I generally like to POP it before I eat it!

What I want to know it how many calories am I consuming if I eat the whole darned bag of popcorn. I understand that it's like 15 or 20 calories a cup, but nowhere does it say how many cups are in a bag. Am I going to have to take the time to pop it and fill a measuring cup over and over until I know? Why can't they just tell you what you really want to know.

I am starting to think that it's just me...maybe I have reduced my calories to a point where my brain function has ceased!

Liss1

multiply the # 0f caloris they give u by the # of servings and that will give u the total for the bag. Calories dnt change if the popcorn is popped just the size of the popcorn.

ChefJenn

normally a reg bag of popcorn POPPED is about 5 cups. but I never let mine finish popping in fear it will burn some and make the house smell to high hell..

next time just get the smart 100 cal bags.. I too got sick of trying to figure out the bigger bags.

tdonlin

I know how you feel. I got fed up and thew the popcorn box back into the pantry when I couldn't decipher the label. Wish they would just label the calories per bag. If I eat half the bag I can do simple math and subtract half the calories.

crysmiss86

That is a really good topic. I was often confused too. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Now I can actually eat popcorn, I've been avoiding it this whole time for the same reason, too confusing to figure out.

Katbaran

Thank Goodness it isn't just me!!!! I was craving popcorn the other night and gave up and shoved the box back into the cupboard. I'm just going to buy the 100 calorie bags next time I shop. At least it won't make me feel like an idiot.

stuartme123

It took me FOREVER to figure out popcorn! Here's the conclusions I've come to:

CALORIES: unpopped caloriese does not equal popped calories (even in higher volume). I'm looking at a Pop-Secret box that says 3 tbsp unpopped = 140 calories, but that amount popped = 120 calories (and 6 cups).

SIZE: Usually a normal size bag of popcorn is 10-12 cups. Look at the serving size for that info. It tells you the conversion from tbsp unpopped to cups popped and then tells you how many of those servings are in a bag (usually 2 - don't get fooled by this!). Orville Redenbacher claims 11 cups per bag and Pop-Secret claims 12.

For calories, it is 15-20 in a cup (with light butter or natural flavoring - I have NO clue what the movie theater butter ones are). That means that a bag can be from 150 - 250 calories given the variation in size and calories among brands.

Hope that helps!

kkellam1

Multiplying by the number of servings is good advice because that's what you usually do....but have you read this box? It's a bit more confusing that that.

Also, I think that the number of colories does change after popping. Not because the popcorn changed, but because some of the oil or whatever is in still in the bag. I think the unpopped measurement takes into account that it's sitting in oil or whatever they use while it's waiting to be popped.

ashleynicoleh04

Thank Goodness it isn't just me!!!! I was craving popcorn the other night and gave up and shoved the box back into the cupboard. I'm just going to buy the 100 calorie bags next time I shop. At least it won't make me feel like an idiot.

Me too! I never understand it and at least buying the bags that clearly state 100 calories will help me know exactly what I am eating!

currlygirrl

I have a bowl that I use for popcorn that actually has measurements on it. While the box says that there is something like 15 cups in it, I find that I average only 9-10 cups after I pop it. Maybe it is the generic popcorn I buy that doesn't pop all the kernels....

It does make me feel better about buying the buttered kind...I love popcorn!!

alison2429

Just beware..........I found out when I had already eaten popcorn at the cinema that it was over 900 cals (large bag). Microwave popcorn is about 400 for the whole bag (salted).

Enjoy!

kmeekhof

maybe you should try air popped or stove top since microwave popcorn has a ton of other crap in it that isnt good for you.

To me... the label is just telling you what is in the package as is... your serving size is 1/3 the bag (or whatever it is) regardless.... if you eat the entire bag multiply the calories, fat, etc... by however many servings are in a bag. As long as you dont add anything additional to it it should be right.

lockedonna

I eat air-popped popcorn instead and then I'm in full control of how much I'm eating and how many calories are in it.

kkellam1

OK, so I feel a little better now. It's not just me. Look at the variety of answers so far...one is even from a homicide detective and HE can't figure it out!

I still am leaving it in the pantry but at least I know my brain didn't stop working!

dwarfer22

last time I busted out my calculator and measuring cups, I found a bag of popcorn was around 340 cals. Again, it depends on how long you let it go b4 you stop it. I under cook mine a bit cuz I don't like a hint of smoke in there. If you're off a little bit you should be ok. I would average 300-350 cals for the whole bag. (That was for a light butter option although even regular butter kinds are not that different in terms of cals. Extra butter kinds maybe take on an extra 40 cals or so.) Happy popping!

LuckyLeprechaun

It's NOT just you. The label is ridiculous. For Orville Redenbacher's movie theater butter, for the whole bag, it's about 450.

bstamps12

I've seen these threads before too. I gave up trying to figure it out long ago. Luckily, some genius out there has figured the calories in the brand I buy and it is listed "Pop Weaver Extra Butter (280 cals)" or something. I figure that even if it is a few more, I never let it pop all the way at all because I also hate even a tint of burnt popcorn.

mandib2010

My personal, hopefully semi-correct, approach isn't too difficult. The stupid label on the box doesn't make life simple. They give the information I want in grams on the useless part of the popcorn (the data on the unpopped popcorn) but only show the % of daily values for the popped popcorn

I am currently eating Hill Country Fare (HEB Brand) light butter popcorn. I prefer the Act II 94% fat free type, but I didn't see any in a large box and popcorn is my favorite snack.

A bag is approx. 7.5 cups popped.
Serving is 2tbsp unpopped or 1 cup popped.
unpopped - 130 calories
popped - 25 (entire bag = 187.5)

Total fat - 5g (unpopped) which is 8% of daily value.
Popped it just says 1% of daily value.
**my guess here is that if 5g = 8% then __g = 1% so the total fat once popped is less than 1g
(which would be less than 7.5g in the entire bag)

Carbohydrates - 20g (unpopped) which is 7% of daily value
Popped it just says 1% of daily value
**my guess here is that if 20g = 7% then __g = 1% so the total carbs once popped is about 2.9g
(which would be 21.75g in the entire bag)

For the Protein, it just says 3g...the % of daily value is not listed under either column so whether accurate or not, I have to presume it doesn't change (which is kinda hard to believe - I seriously doubt there is 22.5g protein consumed in an entire bag of popcorn)

I may be way off in my calculations...but I hope not.

kkellam1

My personal, hopefully semi-correct, approach isn't too difficult. The stupid label on the box doesn't make life simple. They give the information I want in grams on the useless part of the popcorn (the data on the unpopped popcorn) but only show the % of daily values for the popped popcorn

I am currently eating Hill Country Fare (HEB Brand) light butter popcorn. I prefer the Act II 94% fat free type, but I didn't see any in a large box and popcorn is my favorite snack.

A bag is approx. 7.5 cups popped.
Serving is 2tbsp unpopped or 1 cup popped.
unpopped - 130 calories
popped - 25 (entire bag = 187.5)

Total fat - 5g (unpopped) which is 8% of daily value.
Popped it just says 1% of daily value.
**my guess here is that if 5g = 8% then __g = 1% so the total fat once popped is less than 1g
(which would be less than 7.5g in the entire bag)

Carbohydrates - 20g (unpopped) which is 7% of daily value
Popped it just says 1% of daily value
**my guess here is that if 20g = 7% then __g = 1% so the total carbs once popped is about 2.9g
(which would be 21.75g in the entire bag)

For the Protein, it just says 3g...the % of daily value is not listed under either column so whether accurate or not, I have to presume it doesn't change (which is kinda hard to believe - I seriously doubt there is 22.5g protein consumed in an entire bag of popcorn)

I may be way off in my calculations...but I hope not.

Honestly, I have just given up on popcorn. Pretty depressing when I think about it. I am a well educated, reasonably intelligent guy and it just frustrates me that I can't read a label and know for sure how many calories I am consuming. I control my calories very strictly so guesswork just isn't in the cards for me right now. While I miss popcorn, I figure I am better off missing a few things than to guess and slow down progress.

What confuses me (and I am doing this from memory 'cause I don't have a box nearby) is that the servings per bag and the servings per box don't seem to add up. It should be as simple as x amount of servings per bag times the number of bags in the box equals the total number of servings in a box. I like the Act 94% as well, but I know that if I pop a bag, I will eat the bag. And I don't want to accidently down 200 or 300 calories in a snack...that's just WAY too many out of my daily budget. I can just eat a salad or a stir-fry and be even more full for longer and only invest 100 calories or less.

Anyway, 35 more pounds to go and I will be able to allow myself a little wiggle room and enjoy some popcorn.

Losingitin2011

This, among other reasons, was why I forked out the $20 and just got an air popper! So frustrating!! :-)

csamples955

Wow so glad I'm not the only one! It would make so much more sense to list the nutritional info per bag. Even if it was just an approx. amt. I think I'll be changing to the 100 calorie bags too.

Sunitagt

If anyone is making popcorn at home, I recommend a Wabash stovetop popper. I add a tsp or two of olive oil, coconut oil, or butter and then 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of unpopped kernels, and then season when done. Then you know exactly how much you're getting, and no strange additives, and I've never had it burn. It's really good from the stove!

AmberleyAngel

I was confused about the labelling for a while, too. I don't know why they put the unpopped values on the bag. If you want corn kernels for grinding you wouldn't buy microwave popcorn to do it with. So sometime back I did a bit of research on the internet.

Unpopped corn has a much higher energy content and when it is heated a lot of that energy is released to make it go "pop!" Hence popped corn has a lower kilojoule/calorie value. So take 3 tablespoons of unpopped corn in one bowl and 3 cups popped in another. 3 tablespoons produces 3 cups approx - it's the same amount in both bowls, but in different forms. The unpopped has more than double (possibly triple...without running to check in the pantry) the calories of its 3 cups popped counterpart.

I hope that helps and not confuses more. :ohwell:

My advice - ignore the unpopped values.

The brand I use (Family Time) says there are 3 cups in 1 serving and 2 servings per bag. It's not too hard to work out calories and carbs from there. If the brand you are using does not specify quantities ... perhaps change brands???????

Most of all; enjoy your popcorn. :happy:

SuzyQ390

I'm sitting here trying to figure it out also. I believe I will take the advice of others and only by the 100 calorie BAGS from now on!! LOL!! It will make eating popcorn so much more enjoyable......

babyj0

I love movie theater popcorn. Good lord...! But I know it has TONS of calories with all that delicious butter. :sad:

gothchiq

If it's regular it's about 500 cals per bag. If it's lite it's "only" 300 cals per bag.

Get an air popper. These bags are not worth it.

gothchiq

And the reason it's hard to decipher is because they're required by law to put the info on there, but they still don't want us knowing that what they tout as a healthy snack is in fact jam packed with fattening grease and calories. So they present the information in as obfuscating a way as possible in order to make the most sales by, essentially, tricking people.

bpetrosky

gothchiq

Necromancy for the win.

mmariev14

This thread is old, but still so relevant! I buy the same popcorn the OP buys, kroger fat free, and cannot figure it out. And as someone else said, I do think the servings per bag/ box/ amount In a serving don't all add up. It shouldn't be this hard. I just want popcorn

Crafty_camper123

IT LIVES!!!!



Doesn't it say how many grams is in a serving? so.. 36g of whole kernels would still be the same as 36g of popped popcorn?? Not by volume of course, but by weight. So if you dump your bag into a bowl and weigh it, shouldn't you know how many servings you are consuming??