Movies - What do you eat?

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Replies

  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Why does one "need" to eat at a movie? Other than the fact that we were all taught that you eat snacks and popcorn at the movie theater thanks to Sesame Street and the like, why is there this pervasive need to be snacking? Is a movie so physically strenuous that you need to fuel it like a workout?
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    glevinso wrote: »
    Why does one "need" to eat at a movie? Other than the fact that we were all taught that you eat snacks and popcorn at the movie theater thanks to Sesame Street and the like, why is there this pervasive need to be snacking? Is a movie so physically strenuous that you need to fuel it like a workout?

    Because everyone is different???
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
    ^This. Eating at the movies is mindless munching for me. If I've eating before going, I'm not tempted by the popcorn smell and snacks. I just bring a bottle of water in my bag and enjoy the show.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2015
    I go to the movies like maybe 3x per year, if that...I might order a popcorn and don't really worry about it...it's like 3 days per year. But really, usually it's dinner and a movie so we've already eaten...
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
    I get a decaf cappuccino and just drink that instead of eating. It kind of serves the same purpose, as I have something in my hand that I'm putting up to my mouth.
  • Elle_Bronwyn15
    Elle_Bronwyn15 Posts: 296 Member
    These are the options I try to stick with:

    1) Go to a movie after eating a healthy dinner
    2) Bring healthy snacks (sneak them in, of course!)
    3) Kid a kid's pack with mini popcorn, mini soda, and fruit snack if I feel like "splurging"

    I never buy huge buckets of popcorn or soda....a waste of calories and too greasy/sugary for me!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I just don't eat. I drink water or diet soda.

    This. It's not about the calories. There's no way I'm spending a week's worth of pay to eat at the movies.
  • arizonahiker
    arizonahiker Posts: 40 Member
    One of my main goals/accomplishments was to stop drinking calories, meaning no more soda etc. When I go to the movies, which maybe 4 or 5 times a year I get a giant cherry Coke, Its kind of like a cheat day.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I just don't eat. I drink water or diet soda.

    This. It's not about the calories. There's no way I'm spending a week's worth of pay to eat at the movies.

    I guess it's different everywhere. Here a large tub of popcorn is like 7 dollars. Hardly a week's worth of pay.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    The last time I went to a movie theater, I got nothing to eat or drink. I thought it would be difficult since I really like popcorn and I would smell it and see it but it wasn't hard at all. I just focused on watching the movie. After the movie, we went and had a regular dinner.


  • Charlie003
    Charlie003 Posts: 1,333 Member
    I think it stems from when we are children. When our parents took us, they bought us Drinks and popcorn as part of the experience. As teenagers, when going on dates, we are socialized to buy the date these things as well. By this time, the behavior is learned. We stop a few years later as we go to less movies, but when we have kids, the cycle for them begins. So, it is less a physical need as a learned social/psychological issue.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    When i was losing weight, i bought a Subway or a sandwich from home and maybe an apple or lolly pop for something sweet.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    I'll bring a ziploc bag of almonds and then, usually during the second half of the movie after my willpower has waned, I'll grab some handfuls of my son's popcorn.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
    I went a long period without going to movies... broke college student, cheapo in my 20ies, broke after buying my first house in my 30ies... well, now I've just start going to movies again and it's FUN! I love getting a large tub of popcorn and a large diet soda! If I go alone, I skip the butter. If I go with my friend, we share a tub and she insists on butter and I'm ok with it. I eat the popcorn and drink the soda and get a free refill of each to take home before leaving :)

    I always go to the early showing so my soda and popcorn are my "lunch". I usually end up eating a light dinner and I always go for a run beforehand. It works for me.

    Weirdly, when I think about it the popcorn isn't even that good - it's usually pretty stale. But I love it anyway - it's part of the whole movie experience for me that I enjoy.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I just don't eat. I drink water or diet soda.

    This. It's not about the calories. There's no way I'm spending a week's worth of pay to eat at the movies.

    I guess it's different everywhere. Here a large tub of popcorn is like 7 dollars. Hardly a week's worth of pay.

    Going out to a movie with my BF if we buy tickets, popcorn, soda, and mike and ikes- it's like 25$ for the food, and then almost 40 for the tickets.
    It's absurd.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    We got to the Saturday matinee ($5) and buy a large tub at the beginning of the year ($20 to purchase, $3 refills). I'll take my son and we'll spend less than $20 for everything.
  • FrancineJM61
    FrancineJM61 Posts: 99 Member
    I bring carrot sticks or an apple. I sometime grab a 100 calorie of pertzels. I carry a large purse so i bring a bottle of water.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    I just don't eat. I drink water or diet soda.

    This. It's not about the calories. There's no way I'm spending a week's worth of pay to eat at the movies.

    I guess it's different everywhere. Here a large tub of popcorn is like 7 dollars. Hardly a week's worth of pay.

    Going out to a movie with my BF if we buy tickets, popcorn, soda, and mike and ikes- it's like 25$ for the food, and then almost 40 for the tickets.
    It's absurd.

    $40 for the tickets? That's a rip off... it may be time to do some cinema shopping.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    edited June 2015
    Small popcorn (no butter) and diet soda or water.
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    I have such a love affair with movie theater popcorn that I'd totally put a ring on it if it was legal to marry. I go to the movies a couple of times per month usually, and just make sure to save enough calories for the 500-800 calorie hit.
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
    edited June 2015
    I won't go to a movie if I can't have popcorn. I just love it so much and the smell! I can't be smelling it and not partaking so yeah, pretty much that. If you don't get butter and just eat a moderate amount it's not that bad.
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
    Thanks for the opinion guys. I ended up getting the kiddie combo and it was more than enough. I felt satisfied without feeling sick to my stomach and it fit in my calories. My sister poked fun at me for it until she was halfway through her medium bag and whining cause her stomach hurt, heheh.

    I always get sick too. I'm an animal around movie theater popcorn lol
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    I find DVDs are good for a light snack, but a vintage VHS when you need a full meal.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Quest bar(s) and dry creal
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  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    If you can try to break the habit of mindless snacking in front of the screen. It is a learned behaviour and a poor one. It wont serve you any good.

    Lolz.
  • Ready2BFitMom
    Ready2BFitMom Posts: 28 Member
    Some of you are pretty upset at the idea of snacking at a movie. I literally go once or twice a year. I have 3 kids. Those very rare occasions where I get to go to a movie without kids, I want the full experience. I enjoy snacking while at the theater. I don't snack at home when watching a movie, so why is it such a bad thing?
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
    I usually don't get snacks, if I really want something I'll just get the smallest version and account for it
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I love popcorn and movie popcorn, I usually get a small combo to share with the bf
  • theredhead77
    theredhead77 Posts: 35 Member
    edited June 2015
    Ready2B - some people just like to criticize the choices others make. It's that dragging others down when feeling insecure about your own choices mentality.

    I rarely go to the movies and when I do it's to see a "popcorn flick" like Jurassic World. I get popcorn, dump "all of the butter" on it and enjoy the crap out of my popcorn and the movie. Then the next day I carry on. Oh, I also bring in my own water because I don't drink caffeine at night.

    I'll usually try and get in a hard workout the morning of, and go extra hard the next day but sometimes life happens and you just gotta roll with it.

    If I went to the movies more often, or went to see romcoms I probably wouldn't be doing this but movies are a treat and I'll enjoy every moment of the experience.