Healthy and tasty popcorn?

Hey everyone,
I've heard that popcorn is a good alternative snack to have since it's so low cal. However, I spent about 10 minutes starting at all of the popcorn types without seeing this mysterious popcorn. Almost every type I looked at had 390+ calories in a bag. Finally I wound up with Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl with Light Butter for 320 calories in a bag- still a lot and still has polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Doesn't sound healthy to me. Anyone know if there is any popcorn that has 100% NO butter that way I can put my own toppings on it.

Also, any awesome topping ideas would be super appreciated.

thanks!

Replies

  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
    Pop it yourself from kernels, or there is a few 100calorie per bag brands.
  • jennaryan1205
    jennaryan1205 Posts: 43 Member
    Oreville makes a Smartpop Kettlecorn that is 100 cals and it is DELISH!!! My absolute favorite snack! It comes in a green box.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Don't look at bags. Air pop it - 120 calories in 3tbsp unpopped. I add salt and a tbsp of whipped butter, or spray it olive oil spray.
  • thintor
    thintor Posts: 33
    not sure if they have these everywhere, but my FAVOURITE snack is pre-popped Orville Reddenbacher's "white cheddar chipotle" popcorn. so delicious and according to the bag it's only 260 calories for 4 cups.
    it's 100% whole grain, 0 trans fats and a source of fibre.
    and it's actually SUPER tasty.
  • Alisonab
    Alisonab Posts: 6 Member
    I pop mine myself just in a stock pot with a bit of coconut oil and a little sea salt. It's so good I crave it all the time and its super easy to do! And really low in calories too
  • rladd6421
    rladd6421 Posts: 455
    i pop my own from the kernels in some olive oil then put a little molly mcbutter on it.
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    Skinnypop! im addicted to the stuff. They sell it at my Sam's Club. not sure where else, haven't really looked at other places for it.
  • Angylgrrl
    Angylgrrl Posts: 159 Member
    I bought a bag of Skinny Pop popcorn from Sam's club the other day on a whim. It's really good! It's pre-popped, and has just a little bit of salt and some sunflower or safflower oil on it. It's 39 calories per cup, which works out pretty good. A serving of 4 cups is 159 calories, I believe. Or you can do it yourself in a stockpot with a bit of oil and some salt and probably get it lower.
  • cyberskirt
    cyberskirt Posts: 218
    I have a air popper... 100 calories for 6 cups I think?... you can use a low calorie spray.. however I splurge and melt a tablespoon of unsalted butter and voila...
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    boom chicka pop -- found at hy-vee non gmo ..light hint of butter...all natural and 35 calories a cup ( already popped in the heath food section)


    for microwave I like orville's 100 calorie snack bags.

    you can also take like 1/8 cup of kernals into a brown paper sack..fold shut and put in the microwave like you do other popcorn..then you can add your own toppings.
  • they have 100 calorie bags that you can pop in a microwave and also ones that are already popped - the white cheddar one is really good, i cant remember the brand name, but its in a black bag with a picture of corn on it
  • hbm616
    hbm616 Posts: 377 Member
    I haven't done this myself but apparently you make your own microwave popcorn using a brown paper lunch bag and some spray butter/some type of oil. My neighbor swears by it but he says you need the fat or it doesn't work right.
  • strawberriekt24
    strawberriekt24 Posts: 61 Member
    We invested in a stirring popcorn maker and make it with olive oil. I've never looked back to microwave! It takes about the same amount of time and tastes WAY better.
  • Resa52
    Resa52 Posts: 182 Member
    We always get the Clover Valley extra butter stuff at work. Definitely not nutritious, but eating half the bag is under 100 calories.
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    Air pop it. 35 cals per cup. I have 2 cups popped plus 1tsp melted butter and some garlic powder for 105 cals. Take out the butter and you can have 3 cups popcorn.
  • JeneticTraining
    JeneticTraining Posts: 663 Member
    Air pop it.
    A cup of kernels
    2 tbsp coconut oil.
    Then after it's popped add flavor of choice.
    I love adding taaptio or siracha sauce
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I pop my own in a brown paper bag - no oil needed in or on the bag - just fold the top down a couple times and pop it like you would the store bought microwave stuff. Dump it into your favorite bowl & top with whatever you want - I like to top mine with some coconut oil - delicious!
  • StephGettinFit
    StephGettinFit Posts: 43 Member
    My favorite is orvilles's natural salt & pepper mini bags.. Amazing!!
  • bgale718
    bgale718 Posts: 46 Member
    I bought one of those popcorn machines and I do not put anything on the popcorn while its being made. Afterwards I put tapatio on my popcorn. Tapatio goes with everything.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    You live in CA it should be easy to find some hippie popcorn!
  • they have 100 calorie bags that you can pop in a microwave and also ones that are already popped - the white cheddar one is really good, i cant remember the brand name, but its in a black bag with a picture of corn on it

    Smartfood! They have all kinds of delicious flavours (white cheddar is my favourite). Also orville redenbachers smart pop in pop-up bowl is only 210 cals/11cups and it's amazing!
  • Fuzz610
    Fuzz610 Posts: 16 Member
    Take a brown paper bag, the kind that you use to bring your lunch in and spray the inside with "Pam"
    It doesn't take much.
    Put in 1/4 cup of kernels fold the top, I put one staple in it to seal it. Then push the popcorn button on your microwave!
  • Skinny Pop
    It's pre-popped popcorn in a bag, but it is a great snack with no artificial anything. It's natural. I love it!
  • leighann881
    leighann881 Posts: 371
    Erin's All Natural White Cheddar Pop Corn.

    I don't eat it (often :wink: ) but I feel good about giving it to my kids because its relatively unprocessed in comparison to chips. They still prefer apples and oranges because I have indoctrinated them well.:laugh:
  • leighann881
    leighann881 Posts: 371
    You can also pop kernals in a paper bag in the microwave with some chili powder and salt... no oil. Delish. That. I eat that. Yum!
  • staplebug
    staplebug Posts: 189
    Pop your own! My favorite is to add garlic salt and a little parmesan cheese. mm :)
  • shellfly
    shellfly Posts: 186
    We love Popcornopolis' Nearly Naked popcorn. 33 cals per cup and nothing weird/unhealthy in it. We get it at Costco.
  • JoanB5
    JoanB5 Posts: 610 Member
    Pop secret 100 cal bags are my current fav. I like the Pop Secret regular bags for my kids who like to eat all 2.5 servings as well...they are way lower in calories than most brands.

    I like my Whirley Pop (stove top with spinner to help unpopped kernels fall to the bottom of the pan), too, if I'm being very healthy, but I find that it's more "chewy" than light and crisp like microwaved. Best Wirley Pop is with fresh, dry kernals, mine has been frozen and may have gotten damp defrosting.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    chili seasoning. cayenne pepper.