Popcorn help?

AliciaBeth78
AliciaBeth78 Posts: 437 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My self-control collapsed yesterday when I was at Publix and saw Buy 1 Get 1 Free Pop Secret this week.... 12 bags of Movie Theater Butter just seemed so good at the time. Well now I'm going through buyers remorse and wondering if I should keep it or trash it.

It boils down to me being SUPER confused about the calories per bag.

According to the package...

Serving Size is 2 tbsp (unpopped) which makes about 4 cups popped
Servings per bag: "about 3"
Calories per serving: 2 tbsp (unpopped) = 170 calories
Calories (part 2) per serving: 1 cup popped = 35 calories

Now, I realize that I'm not going to eat unpopped popcorn, but according to the packaging 170 calories per 2 tbsp of unpopped popcorn/4 cups popped = 42.5 calories per cup not 35.

But if I just take 35 calories per 1 cup of popped popcorn and multiply that times "about 3" - I'm only looking at 105ish calories a bag, which doesn't seem right either.

Can someone please explain this to me!

Replies

  • AliciaBeth78
    AliciaBeth78 Posts: 437 Member
    Anyone? Anyone?
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    That is confusing, this is why we just buy the 100 calories bags and do not have to think about it :bigsmile:

    But seriously, I would just figure it high to cover all the oil they put in there.
  • danaweston
    danaweston Posts: 82
    Hi I cannot help with the package calorie count...but if you are anything like me..then just eating any popcorn is dangerous. Once I start, I can eat one of those huge buckets by myself. I personally think that popcorn is not all that great as a "diet food". All the air pop corn taste like paper to me.
    What kind of oil did they make it with? That may be reason enough to trash it.
  • flyingpurplemonkey
    flyingpurplemonkey Posts: 105 Member
    It looks to me like there are about 12 cups of popped popcorn per bag.

    4 cups per serving and 3 servings per bag.

    12 times 35 is 420.


    So my thought is that there is 420 cals per bag. I'm not really sure though, it does seem a bit confusing to me.
  • Drussander
    Drussander Posts: 266 Member
    I would guess that the bag itself contains corn and some kind of cooking oil (hydrogenated soybean oil) to make it pop, which accounts for the unpopped calories. However, once popped, I am guessing it doesn't pick up all the oil calories. Some is invariably left in the bag on the bag surface. So you only get part of those calories if you eat just the popped corn.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Ditch the store bought microwave stuff and microwave your own kernels in a brown paper bag! None of the junky stuff they add, and it's much, much cheaper. I use 1/4 c popcorn (serving size on the bag o' kernels), toss it in the bag, fold the top down twice and pop it on my microwave's popcorn setting.

    When it's done, dump it in a bowl and toss it with some coconut oil and a shake of salt - delicious, cheap, and waaaay better for me than the store bought fake butter stuff. And I control how much I pop, and what goes on it.

    :bigsmile:
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
    My friend almost burned down her home doing that. But in popcorn's defense she used a DSW bag.
  • Coach_Simon
    Coach_Simon Posts: 254 Member
    It looks to me like there are about 12 cups of popped popcorn per bag.

    4 cups per serving and 3 servings per bag.

    12 times 35 is 420.


    So my thought is that there is 420 cals per bag. I'm not really sure though, it does seem a bit confusing to me.

    What she says is correct. Took me a while too to get those calories straight, but that's how you count it.
  • perpetual98
    perpetual98 Posts: 90
    I noticed the discrepancy the other day when I was popping corn in our Stir Crazy popper. I forget what I logged for calories, but it sure was good!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    My friend almost burned down her home doing that. But in popcorn's defense she used a DSW bag.
    I've made countless batches of popcorn that way - not a single flame. :) As with any micro popcorn, I stay by the oven to listen for the pops, and to stop the oven if necessary when the pops slow down. No burnt popcorn or kitchens.
  • bchgrl8
    bchgrl8 Posts: 55 Member
    I would take it back to Publix, this time, and exchange it for the 100 calorie bags so you know for sure what your consuming!
  • SoonerVet
    SoonerVet Posts: 65
    420 is right. I fell for that "1 cupped pop" as 1 serving but it's not. 1 serving is 4 cups popped. So yes you do 35 x 4 to get one serving, and then x 3 to get per pag. It's pretty crappy that they do that because it was causing me to put in WAY less calories than I was actually eating. Also, don't overlook the trans fat per serving. It's like 5 grams then x 3 = 15 grams. Ridiculous. ALSO, the fat is high too.

    so yeah, I was so excited when I thought I could eat an entire bag of popcorn for so few calories. I hate to say it, but I'd say trash it or give it away. You'll be tempted otherwise.
  • Bookreadercraze
    Bookreadercraze Posts: 1
    i would get rid or it, my father told me that you know what they feed pigs to make them fat...corn...in other words...resemblance of popcorn..;/ so with this knowledge ( i guess its knowledge..or mostly fear....) iv stopped eating popcorn, only once a month when i go to the movies..or rather:smile: ...once every two to three months...and when i do..i try a small to medium bag. :smile:
  • WriterIzzy
    WriterIzzy Posts: 14
    Ditch the store bought microwave stuff and microwave your own kernels in a brown paper bag! None of the junky stuff they add, and it's much, much cheaper. I use 1/4 c popcorn (serving size on the bag o' kernels), toss it in the bag, fold the top down twice and pop it on my microwave's popcorn setting.

    When it's done, dump it in a bowl and toss it with some coconut oil and a shake of salt - delicious, cheap, and waaaay better for me than the store bought fake butter stuff. And I control how much I pop, and what goes on it.

    :bigsmile:

    That's awesome advice! I never thought of using coconut oil as a substitute for butter! Popcorn is one of my weaknesses. I have one of those nifty air poppers. They're about 20 bucks at Walmart, which isn't so bad. You might be able to get one at the thrift store for cheaper. I think I'm going to try the coconut oil the next time I'm having a craving!
  • skinnylove00
    skinnylove00 Posts: 662 Member
    Ditch the store bought microwave stuff and microwave your own kernels in a brown paper bag! None of the junky stuff they add, and it's much, much cheaper. I use 1/4 c popcorn (serving size on the bag o' kernels), toss it in the bag, fold the top down twice and pop it on my microwave's popcorn setting.

    When it's done, dump it in a bowl and toss it with some coconut oil and a shake of salt - delicious, cheap, and waaaay better for me than the store bought fake butter stuff. And I control how much I pop, and what goes on it.

    :bigsmile:

    we have a winner. i've been doing this for years and it's the only way i prefer my popcorn!
  • mjbell642
    mjbell642 Posts: 229 Member
    And if any of you can eat just ONE cup of popcorn, butter or not, you deserve a medal !! I think my whole bag was 350, but it was not movie butter.

    Don't stress about it. If you can exchange it, great, if not and you don't want to eat it (even a little at a time), then donate it to a church youth group or something.

    My problem this weekend was cookies for the church bbq. I ate one and hoping hubby and kid will polish the leftovers tomorrow.
  • cheekyleonie
    cheekyleonie Posts: 140 Member
    I love popcorn and always eat the light butter options :-)
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
    420 calories per bag sounds right to me, too.

    I say give the bags to charity and you're done with deceptive gimmicky trickery.

    Why not just buy and make your popcorn the old fashioned way? Just buy the kernels. You can pop them on the stovetop easy enough, and control exactly what fat and how much of it you use. You can also control the salt content, and any added ingredients. I think they're still out there, though I don't own one, but there used to be hot air poppers that make completely fat free popcorn (short of what's in the corn kernels). Then you REALLY have control of your corn.

    Truth be told, I can't stand ceding control of my foods in favor of convenience. It's too easy to suck down way too much crap that way. Next thing you know, I'm inconveniently having to work off the dietary damage I've just caused, trying to be convenient.
  • x_JT_x
    x_JT_x Posts: 364
    They're being very contradictory between the popped vs unpopped calorie count.

    If figuring using 'unpopped' counts - a serving size is 2 TBS and there are 'about 3' servings per bag then I read that as 6 TBS of unpopped kernels. If 2 TBS of unpopped kernels = 170 calories then 3 servings of that amount = 510 calories.

    If figuring using 'popped' counts - a serving is 2 TBS = 4 cups popped. 4 cups x 3 servings = 12 cups. If each cup = 34 calories then 12 cups ( 1 bag) = 420 cals.
  • bii14
    bii14 Posts: 192
    It looks to me like there are about 12 cups of popped popcorn per bag.

    4 cups per serving and 3 servings per bag.

    12 times 35 is 420.


    So my thought is that there is 420 cals per bag. I'm not really sure though, it does seem a bit confusing to me.

    i was going through the same confusion around a month back and this is what my calculations gave me too.. so i guess thats about right
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    I get popweaver light butter --- my boyfriend eats it mostly, I eat it occasionally, like once every couple months... BUT i get this kind because it has the nutrition facts for the entire bag - popped. 230 calories for them.
  • mjsunshine16
    mjsunshine16 Posts: 251 Member
    Ditch the store bought microwave stuff and microwave your own kernels in a brown paper bag! None of the junky stuff they add, and it's much, much cheaper. I use 1/4 c popcorn (serving size on the bag o' kernels), toss it in the bag, fold the top down twice and pop it on my microwave's popcorn setting.

    When it's done, dump it in a bowl and toss it with some coconut oil and a shake of salt - delicious, cheap, and waaaay better for me than the store bought fake butter stuff. And I control how much I pop, and what goes on it.

    :bigsmile:

    Exactlly!

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