Mindful portion planners
If you want to fit popcorn into your eating habits, compare the weight and nutritional values of the amount you plan to eat. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre points out that pack and portion size can affect how much you eat.
Who is a popcorn multipack suitable for?
Lunchbox packers
If you want to take a snack with you, check whether the popcorn is ready to eat or needs to be cooked in the microwave first. A bag for popping is different from a ready-to-eat bag you can put straight into a lunchbox.
Popcorn to share
If you’re making popcorn for several people, check the weight of each bag and agree how you’ll divide up the popped corn. The serving size stated on a label isn’t automatically the right portion for everyone.
What should you look for in popcorn portions and multipacks?
First, decide whether you need a ready-to-eat portion, popcorn to prepare yourself or information about its ingredients. Then compare the label details for the exact flavour and pack.
| What to consider | What to look for | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion and energy | Compare the weight of each bag with the stated serving size and nutritional values. | If I want to plan how much I snack on, I check the weight and label information; around 36% of consumers put portion size and energy content first. |
| Take with you, no preparation needed | Check whether the popcorn is ready to eat or needs to be cooked in the microwave first. | For a lunchbox, I want something I can take with me without having to prepare popcorn at home first. Around 29% of consumers prioritise convenience when taking snacks with them. |
| Sharing and portioning | Check the number of bags for popping and the weight of each bag. | If I want to share popcorn with others, I want to decide in advance how much to make and how to divide it up; around 21% of consumers put sharing and portioning first. |
| Ingredients and nutrition | Read the ingredients, nutritional values and allergen information for the exact variant. | If an ingredient or dietary requirement influences my choice, I check the label of the flavour I’m buying. Around 14% of consumers put ingredients and nutrition first. |
Common mistakes when choosing popcorn portions
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Assuming a bag for popping is one snack portion
A bag may contain more popcorn than the serving size used for the nutritional values. Jumbo, for example, lists 90 g per bag for popping, with nutritional values per 30 g.
Decide in advance how much you want to eat and portion out the popped corn mindfully.
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Assuming salted popcorn is automatically a light choice
A flavour name doesn’t tell you how much energy or salt a product contains. Albert Heijn lists 435 kcal per 100 g and 2 g of salt per 100 g for AH Microwave Popcorn Salt.
Compare the nutrition table and ingredients for the exact variant with the amount you plan to eat.
Popcorn brands and ranges: a guide
Albert Heijn
Microwave popcorn and the multipack option are suited to preparing at home; you decide how to portion out the popped corn.
- AH Microwave Popcorn Salt lists a 30 g serving size and cooking instructions.
- The AH Microwave Popcorn Salt 2-pack is supplied as two individual items; two items don’t necessarily mean two snack portions.
Jumbo
Jumbo Microwave Popcorn Salt is a multipack for popping at home and portioning the popcorn yourself.
- Jumbo lists 3 x 90 g and nutritional values per 30 g; the stated energy content is 117 kcal per 30 g.
- The bags need to be cooked first, so they aren’t ready-to-eat lunchbox snacks.
Lidl Snack Day
The Snack Day brand range includes both salted and sweet popcorn.
- There are two flavour options to compare using the label for your chosen variant.
- The flavour alone doesn’t tell you how the nutritional values compare across the variants.
ALDI SUN SNACKS
The salted popcorn mentioned is a ready-to-eat bag that you can portion out yourself.
- ALDI lists a 100 g bag.
- This is a single bag, not a multipack of small portion bags.
Joybuy popcorn for microwaving and portioning yourself
This selection includes popcorn to prepare at home and larger ready-to-eat bags that you can portion out yourself. Check the serving size and nutritional values in the product information for each variant.
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Pop Corn 3 x 100g
The three separate bags are ideal for popping on different occasions; you can portion out the popped corn yourself.
Pack size: 3 x 100 g. The product information includes microwave cooking instructions and nutritional values per 100 g, including 510 kcal per 100 g.
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MUSHAN BASE Popcorn Sweet Salty Flavor 120g
This ready-to-eat bag is a good choice if you want to take popcorn with you or portion it out yourself without using a microwave.
Net weight: 120 g. The product information lists 541 kcal per 100 g.
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g'woon Salted Popcorn 100g
This bag is an option if you want popcorn that doesn’t need to be microwaved and prefer to choose your own portion size.
Pack size: 100 g. The product information lists 543 kcal per 100 g.
Frequently asked questions about popcorn portions
Does a popcorn multipack guarantee weight loss?
No. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, losing weight involves consuming less energy than you use. A multipack can help you keep bags or portions separate, but it doesn’t guarantee weight loss.
Is a bag for popping the same as one snack portion?
Not necessarily. Jumbo, for example, lists 90 g per bag for popping, with nutritional values per 30 g. Compare the weight of the whole bag with the serving size on the label, then decide how much you want to eat.
How do I calculate the energy content of my chosen portion?
Use the nutritional values for the exact product and calculate using the same basis as the label. At 435 kcal per 100 g, 30 g of AH Microwave Popcorn Salt works out to 130,5 kcal.
What should I look out for when making popcorn in the microwave?
Follow the cooking instructions on the pack. Albert Heijn advises staying near the microwave while the popcorn is popping and warns that the bag may be hot and contain steam. Jumbo advises against restarting a cooking cycle that has been interrupted.
What information should I check if I have allergies or dietary requirements?
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack, even if you’re choosing a multipack with different flavours. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that allergen information must appear on the label of pre-packed products.