Colleagues who want to grab a snack straight away
Ready-to-eat sharing bags and small individual portions are good options when nobody needs to prepare the popcorn first. Choose a quantity that suits snack times at the office.
Which pack is right for you?
Buyers who want to match the stock to how it’ll be used
Compare the net weight and check whether you’re buying ready-to-eat popcorn or unpopped kernels. That way, you’re assessing not just the weight, but also what’s needed before the popcorn is ready to serve.
Teams who want to make their own popcorn
Loose kernels let you choose the quantity and seasonings, but you’ll need a suitable pan and place to prepare them. Always check the ingredients and potential allergens for the variety you choose.
What should you look for when buying?
Ready-to-eat sharing bags
A good choice when: colleagues want to snack straight away and share a bag during a break. Jumbo describes its 175 g sweet popcorn as ready to eat.
Bear in mind: a sharing bag isn’t the same as several individually wrapped portions, so choose how much to open based on how it’ll be used.
Individual portions
A good choice when: colleagues snack at different times and you want them to open a smaller pack each time. For example, Albert Heijn lists Jimmy’s salted popcorn in a pack of 21 x 17 g and a sweet-and-salty variety in a pack of 21 x 22 g.
Bear in mind: compare the price per bag and per kilogram; a smaller pack doesn’t automatically mean better value.
Microwave multipacks
A good choice when: there’s a suitable microwave and someone can prepare the popcorn for a shared snack break. Jumbo Microwave Popcorn Salt comes in a pack of 3 x 90 g.
Bear in mind: the inner packs are batches to prepare, not ready-to-eat portions. Follow the instructions on the pack.
Popcorn kernels to prepare yourself
A good choice when: you have a suitable pan and place to prepare the popcorn, and want to choose the quantity and seasonings yourself. AH Organic Popcorn Kernels are one example.
Bear in mind: the weight refers to unpopped kernels, and you’ll also need to prepare them, add oil if required and clear up afterwards.
| Consideration | What should you check? | Who does it matter to? |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | Compare the price and net weight of products with the same preparation method. If you’re making popcorn yourself, include any oil and seasonings in your calculations. | I want to know what the stock offers for use at the office, not just how many grams are listed on the pack. Around 31% of consumers prioritise the value they’ll get from their stock. |
| Ready to snack | Check whether the popcorn is ready to eat. For a multipack, check whether the inner packs contain snacks or kernels that still need to be prepared. | If colleagues want to grab something between tasks, I don’t want to have to organise preparation. Around 25% of consumers prioritise snacks that are ready to eat without any preparation. |
| Portion size | Check the number of inner packs and the amount in each one. Follow the storage and best-before information on the pack. | I want to open an amount that suits each snack break. Around 19% of consumers prioritise matching the quantity to each occasion. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients, nutritional information and potential allergens for the exact variety. Keep this information available if you transfer the popcorn to another container. | If someone has a known allergy, I want to be able to check the information for that exact variety. Around 13% of consumers prioritise meeting dietary or allergen requirements. |
| Flavour and range | Ask the team which flavour they’d like. For a mixed box, check the weight of the popcorn itself and what other products are included. | If flavour or variety matters to the team, I want to know whether I’m buying popcorn on its own or other snacks too. Around 12% of consumers prioritise the team’s flavour preferences. |
Things to watch out for when buying
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Mistaking a microwave multipack for ready-to-eat sharing bags
Jumbo Microwave Popcorn Salt 3 x 90 g needs to be prepared first. It’s a different option from a ready-to-eat bag of sweet popcorn.
Before buying, check the preparation method and read the instructions on the pack.
Allow for preparation time and access to a suitable microwave.
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Comparing unpopped kernels as if they were ready-to-eat popcorn
AH Organic Popcorn Kernels are dried kernels intended to be prepared in a pan with oil. The contents therefore aren’t directly comparable to the ready-to-eat amount in a bag of popcorn.
Compare products with the same preparation method, or keep products you’ll prepare yourself separate in your comparison.
When making popcorn yourself, oil, any seasonings, preparation and clearing up are all part of the process.
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Counting the weight of a mixed snack box as popcorn
The Croky party box listed by Kruidvat contains crisps, snack bowls and glasses as well as sweet popcorn. The stated total weight of 1150 g isn’t the weight of the popcorn alone.
Assess the box as a mixed pack and use only the popcorn weight when comparing popcorn products.
A mixed box also contains other snacks and items; check whether you want those too.
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Losing the allergen information when transferring popcorn to a container
The varieties reviewed have different statements about potential allergens. It’s harder to check without the information from the exact pack.
Keep the original packaging or product information with your stock, and check the variety you’ve actually bought.
Relevant brands
Albert Heijn
Relevant for ready-to-eat popcorn, microwave popcorn and kernels to prepare yourself. Albert Heijn’s range overview also lists small individual portions from Jimmy’s.
- The AH Organic Popcorn Kernels product page lists a 500 g pack, a 25 g serving size and preparation in a pan.
- The variety is labelled vegan, but may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat. This applies to this variety, not automatically to the full range.
Jumbo
Relevant for ready-to-eat sweet popcorn and salted microwave popcorn in multipacks.
- The product page describes its 175 g sweet popcorn as ready to eat; the salted microwave variety comes in a pack of 3 x 90 g.
- The sweet sharing bag and salted microwave variety differ in flavour and preparation method, so check the information for the exact pack.
Lidl
Lidl lists sweet and salted popcorn under its own Snack Day brand.
- The brand page confirms that both flavours are available.
- This listing doesn’t establish that a larger pack or multipack offers better value; compare the contents and packaging of the product you’re considering.
Aldi
The Dutch product page lists SUN SNACKS Salted Popcorn, 100 g.
- The brand, flavour and pack size are clearly stated for this product listing.
- A 100 g pack doesn’t in itself mean it’s a larger pack or a multipack of individually wrapped portions.
Croky
Croky may suit anyone considering a mixed snack box: Kruidvat lists a party box with sweet popcorn, crisps, snack bowls and glasses.
- The retailer’s page describes the contents of the mixed box and gives a total weight of 1150 g.
- That’s the total weight of the box, not the weight of the popcorn alone. The listing also doesn’t identify a separate Croky popcorn variety.
Popcorn products on Joybuy
This selection includes ready-to-eat popcorn for your stock and popcorn kernels to prepare yourself. Check the flavour, pack size, preparation method and ingredients for each product.
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Yousmai Pengranxindong Caramel Popcorn 120 g
The product information describes this caramel popcorn as ready to eat, making it a handy choice if you want to stock up without needing to prepare anything.
Pack size: 120 g. The ingredients information lists milk.
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SNACK MAZE Cinema Butter Popcorn 240 g
The product information describes a 240 g sharing bag, ideal if you’re looking for a larger pack for a shared snack break.
Pack size: 240 g.
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g'woon Salted Popcorn 100 g
This salted variety is a ready-to-eat option if you’re looking for a bag to add to your shared snack stash.
Pack size: 100 g.
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Valle Del Sole Butterfly Popcorn Kernels 900 g
The product information includes instructions for preparing the kernels in a pan, making this a good option if you want to make your own popcorn and have a suitable pan and place to prepare it.
Pack size: 900 g of popcorn kernels. You’ll need a pan and vegetable oil to prepare them.
Frequently asked questions
How many portions are in a pack?
Check the serving size and units on the pack; they don’t automatically tell you how many colleagues it will serve. Jumbo gives approximately six servings for its 175 g sweet popcorn bag and uses 30 g in its nutrition table. Albert Heijn lists twenty 25 g servings for its 500 g popcorn kernels; these are unpopped kernels. A 3 x 90 g multipack contains three packs to prepare, not necessarily three individual snacks.
How should I store popcorn for the office?
Follow the storage and best-before instructions on the exact pack, and keep the product information available. Jumbo recommends storing its sweet popcorn in a cool, dry place; for AH Organic Popcorn Kernels, Albert Heijn recommends a cool, dark, dry place. Follow the instructions for the products you have.
Can I restart microwave popcorn after interrupting the cooking?
The instructions for Jumbo Microwave Popcorn Salt say not to restart the cooking after an interruption. This advice applies to that specific variety; read the instructions on the pack before use.
Is organic or vegan popcorn automatically suitable for someone with an allergy?
No. Those labels don’t replace the allergen information. AH Organic Popcorn Kernels are labelled vegan, but may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat. Check the pack for the exact variety against the relevant colleague’s known requirements.
How do I compare the value of different popcorn packs?
Compare products with the same preparation method and take into account the amount you’ll actually use. If you’re making popcorn yourself, oil and any seasonings are also relevant; unpopped kernels aren’t directly comparable with the same weight of ready-to-eat popcorn.