If you mainly want to manage your fat intake, popping your own corn gives you more control over what you add. If you want to limit calories, check the weight of the portion you actually eat. Low calorie and low fat are different nutrition claims: according to the European Commission, solid foods must contain no more than 40 kcal and 3 g of fat per 100 g to meet these claims. The popcorn varieties with full nutritional information discussed here do not meet those limits.
If you prefer to choose how much oil or other ingredients to add, and would rather make your own popcorn than buy it ready-made. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list maize as the ingredient in their popping corn.
If the nutritional value of the amount you actually eat matters to you, even when a pack contains several servings. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre provides nutritional information for popcorn per bowl; Albert Heijn lists 25 g servings for its sweet popcorn.
If you want ready-to-eat or microwave popcorn and like to check total fat, saturated fat and sugars separately. Product information from Albert Heijn and Jumbo shows that these values vary between varieties.
First decide whether managing fat, calories per serving, convenience or flavour matters most to you. Then compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis.
Choose this if: you want to decide how much oil, sugar or salt to add.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to prepare the corn and count any additions; dry popping corn is not fat-free.
Choose this if: convenience and a sweet flavour matter to you, and you can weigh out a portion.
Bear in mind: the sweet AH and Jumbo varieties list 45 and 48,6 g of sugars per 100 g respectively.
Choose this if: you want a savoury snack without having to prepare it.
Bear in mind: the salted Jumbo variety lists 23,9 g of fat per 100 g; check the nutritional information on the specific pack.
Choose this if: you want to pop popcorn at home using a ready-prepared bag.
Bear in mind: the recipe is fixed. Check total fat and saturated fat, and follow the preparation instructions for your chosen variety.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fat in your portion | Check total fat per 100 g, the ingredients and how much oil goes into the portion you prepare. | If you want to decide how much fat you eat, remember to include any oil you add during preparation. Around 34% of consumers prioritise managing their fat intake. |
| Calories per serving | Use the kcal per 100 g alongside the weight of your own portion, using the same preparation basis. | If you want to know how much energy you’re actually eating, weigh your portion rather than treating the whole pack as one serving. Around 33% of consumers prioritise calories per serving. |
| Ease of preparation | Check whether you’re buying dry popping corn, ready-to-eat popcorn or a microwave bag, and follow the instructions. | If you want to do as little preparation as possible before snacking, a ready-to-eat variety may suit you; microwave popcorn still needs to be prepared correctly. Around 20% of consumers prioritise convenience. |
| Flavour and recipe | For sweet varieties, check the sugars; for recipes higher in fat, check the saturated fat too. | If you’re mainly looking for a sweet, salted or seasoned flavour, compare the ingredients and nutritional information rather than relying on the flavour name alone. Around 13% of consumers prioritise flavour. |
The low-calorie nutrition claim is assessed per 100 g, not according to a bowl size you choose yourself.
According to the European Commission, a solid food can only be described as low calorie or low energy if it contains no more than 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g. Compare the value on the label with this limit.
Maize contains fat naturally, and the nutritional value of dry kernels does not automatically include all the ingredients in your prepared snack.
Compare total fat on the right preparation basis, and include oil and any other additions. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for the low-fat claim.
Popping your own corn also takes time, and you’ll need to weigh any oil and flavourings you add.
The 200 g pack of AH Popcorn sweet lists eight servings of 25 g, so the nutritional information for one serving does not automatically apply to the whole bag.
Weigh the amount you eat and base your comparison on that weight.
Pepsi’s official product information classifies Cheetos Nibb-it Rings as a potato snack, not popcorn.
Check the product description and ingredients before comparing products by nutritional value or preparation method.
The varieties mentioned include organic popping corn and ready-to-eat sweet popcorn.
The range includes everything from dry maize to salted, sweet and microwave popcorn.
Snack Day is Lidl’s own-brand range, which includes sweet and salted popcorn.
Sun Snacks is Aldi’s own-brand range, which includes salted popcorn.
This selection includes dry maize for popping at home and ready-to-eat popcorn. Check the nutritional information and serving size for each variety.
No image available
A ready-to-eat option if you’re looking for butter-flavoured popcorn; check the nutritional information on the pack when comparing fat or calories.
No image available
Dry popping corn for making your own popcorn and measuring out the additions; the preparation information recommends cooking it in a pan with vegetable oil, which you should include in your comparison.
No image available
A ready-to-eat salted variety; check the nutritional information per 100 g and compare it with the amount you actually eat.
No image available
A popcorn product in three packs that, according to its product name, is intended for microwave preparation; follow the instructions on the specific pack.
No image available
A ready-to-eat caramel variety if you’re looking for a sweet flavour; compare the nutritional information and serving size with your own preferences.
No, not on the basis of the serving alone. According to the European Commission, solid foods must contain no more than 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g to carry the low-calorie or low-energy claim; the limit for the low-fat claim is 3 g of fat per 100 g. You can, however, state the nutritional value of a weighed portion as a fact.
According to the European Commission, a product must contain at least 30% less energy than a comparable product to make this claim, and it must state which property accounts for the lower energy value. This is a different claim from low calorie.
Use the kcal per 100 g and the weight of the amount you eat, using the same preparation basis. Albert Heijn lists a 25 g label serving for AH Popcorn zoet; if you eat more, calculate using the actual weight.
Follow the instructions on your specific pack. For Jumbo Magnetron Popcorn Zout, Jumbo states that children should only prepare the popcorn under adult supervision and that you should not restart the cooking process after interrupting it.
No. AH Biologisch Popcorn mais states that it may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat. If this is relevant to you, check the allergen information on the current packaging.
