Cinema Snack Dilemma

sharonfincher1

For me part of this journey is learning to live with eating the foods I enjoy. Theatre popcorn is one of them... I handle it one of a few ways. buy a small popcorn and make sure I get a good work out in to account for the extra calories... or use it as one of my splurge days where I know I am going to go a little over. I also take in a measured bowl if I am going with ppl and we normally share a large so I can portion mine out...I also have popped my own popcorn and brought that with me along with my diet drink....not only was I able to enjoy a nice snack, I saved myself about 15 bucks!

LastSixtySix

I don't ever buy snacks because they're absurdly expensive. Bring a big bag or wear something with big pockets and smuggle in some healthy snacks. I do it all the time.

Like that and have been doing the same for years. Don't like "why don't you buy the pocorn-eat in moderation." Just do a check of cinema popcorn - it is calorie-for-calorie sooo unhealthy, why even put that crap into your body anymore? You are doing all this work to clean up your body, you want to keep it clean.

Spend $27 and buy yourself a hot air-popcorn popper. You can then use the fat-free spray butter on it and sprinkle to taste your non-sugar sweetner of choice and voila! Stuff that in your big bag and you are set to enjoy your normal routine at the movies, albeit with more cash in your pocket and less sodium and fat in your body.

-Debra

Jellyphant

I just went last night and had a skinny cow ice cream sandwich and a small mr. pibb. didn't put me over and it was satisfying.

dmpizza

Almost anything is better than movie popcorn. It has a lot of oil and salt.
We sneak in our own little bags of M&Ms. Much smaller portions than what is sold, and much much cheaper.

sunkisses

You can go 2 hours without eating snacks.

When you are looking for snack ideas these comments don't really help. They are more criticism than answer ( or at least looks that way). It seems this person is just starting out and would like a way to help her skip over her usual goodies. Some people on this journey are at the point where they can skip a snack but, others are not. And most people make room for healthy snacks during the day which is what it seems she is doing. It is nice to have an alternative when the people next to you are munching away on less healthy treats. If it fits into the calories for the day why not have a snack at the movies like everyone else?

on another note to the OP- I once took a bag of green beans to the movies. Not too loud and very good.

Not everyone considers that NOT snacking is, indeed, an option. But thanks for patrolling the thread and deciding who will be helped by what comments. You read WAY too far into one simple sentence.

missimperfect

air pop your own popcorn..and if you feel bad sneaking movie in still buy the diet coke. That's what I usually do. If I have the calories or am doing a spike day I go for the popcorn (medium) and split it with a friend.

My friend has taken apples..I've taken pistachios...

And if I want some candy I get fruit snacks because I LOVE fruit snacks.

mrzpeep1

I get the $5 kids' snack pack. It's a treat, but it's cheap & small. Yes, you can go 2 hours without eating, but who WANTS to go see a movie without food? Good luck!

I agree. Its part of the fun. You can still have taste of what you what just smaller portion. & you are already getting diet coke so you are fine

sara709

bring your own snacks in.

I alllllllllllllways do this! Bring a big purse and stuff it. I like high volume foods that I can keep snacking on for the entire movie. Pop some popcorn you have at home and is within your limits. Bring dark chocolate! Bring sugar-free candy! Whatever you can stuff in that purse is fair game.

You'll feel awesome - and a little scandalous

iuew

get the smallest popcorn available and a diet soda, and don't finish the bag. budget calories elsewhere. that's what i do.

it's almost funny how hard they try to push the massive bag on you. i usually have to reiterate twice that i just want the small bag.

ixnaytheigloo

At trader joes they have individually wrapped packages of kettle corn with I belive 2.5 cups of kettle corn for just 110 calories! It's delicious too, and much cheaper than movie theatre popcorn.

orodee

I'm gonna have to go find the 100 calorie bag of popcorn asap!! I've never seen them....
Almost cinema time, sticking with the weight watchers cookies and a handful of hubby's popcorn...I hope!
That's not too bad is it?

cressievargo

Another tip for making your own - my husband does "microwave popcorn" using reg. popcorn and 2 brown paper lunch sacks. He uses the sacks more than once (for those environmental folks), and they take up much less space than an air popper.

We also use one of those mister things where you add your own olive oil and spritz it on...

Overall, it's pretty cheap doing it this way, too. Throw some in a ziploc baggie, throw in your purse and you are good to go.

IvoryParchment

I'm not a snack during the movies kind of person (I can't hear the dialog), but eating during a movie is the whole point of going to a movie for my husband. If you're the same way, you'll have to work it into your routine so it's something you can live with. Get to know the calories of everything you like to get, so at least you're making informed choices. Try to share with people. Sneaking in food is one possibility, as long as waiting in line and making a choice isn't part of the experience for you. You can burn off calories by exercising before you go. You can go less often.

You may also consider organizing a regular movie night for your church or community group, where you sell your own treats in smaller sizes and have healthier choices available for those who want them.

soccerella

I'm gonna have to go find the 100 calorie bag of popcorn asap!! I've never seen them....
Almost cinema time, sticking with the weight watchers cookies and a handful of hubby's popcorn...I hope!
That's not too bad is it?

not at all!

IronSmasher

You can go 2 hours without eating snacks.

"Dilemma" solved.

kaelawilliford

i make my own popcorn before i go and package it in baggies - 3c. portion. I take my own bottle of water w/ a mix in. And I need a little chocolate, so I take 3 peppermint hershey kisses....they usually do the job for me. If i do buy anything there, it's just a pickle.... My hubby and I just got home from a matinee and this was smuggled into my "big" purse! (all of that was only around 300 cals - worth it to me, especially since before the first of this year, I would get a large popcorn, a large DP, and chocolate almonds!)

sblueyez

I bring my own. I feel sick if I don't eat every 4 hours or so, so I will commonly bring some string cheese or an apple. If they ever say anything I will have to make the argument that they have no healthy options for me. I don't think they mind so much as long as I'm not bringing in a giant meal from McDonalds or something like that.

With that said, why can't you have the popcorn you like, in moderation? Or perhaps work out more to make up for it? When I deprive myself of something, I want it more.