Hosts who plan portions carefully
You want to decide in advance how much popcorn to serve and assess the energy per portion, without mistaking a small portion for a low-calorie product.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Hosts looking for convenience
You want to choose between serving it straight away, preparing it in the microwave or popping it yourself, depending on how much preparation you want to do during the celebrations.
Home poppers with particular taste preferences
You want to control how much corn and seasoning you use. If your guests have food allergies, check the ingredients in the corn and any seasonings.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, compare the nutritional information on the same weight basis. Then decide how much preparation and portion control will suit your celebration.
| What to consider | What to look for when buying | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Compare the energy per 100 g on the label and weigh the portion you serve. Calculate kcal per portion as kcal per 100 g × portion weight in grams ÷ 100. | I want to know how much I’m actually serving, so I compare the label with my weighed portion. Around 42% of consumers prioritise calories per portion. |
| Ease of preparation | Check whether you’re buying ready-to-eat popcorn, dried corn or a microwave version, and follow the instructions on the packaging. | If I want to do as little preparation as possible during the celebration, I choose an option that suits me. Around 25% of consumers prioritise ease of preparation. |
| Flavour and nutritional value | As well as the flavour name, check the energy, ingredients, sugars and fats of the exact variant. | I want to choose a flavour without assuming that savoury, sweet or less sweet tells me anything about the calories. Around 17% of consumers give flavour top priority. |
| Ingredients for guests | Check the ingredients, allergen information and warnings on the packaging. If you’re making popcorn yourself, also check the oil and seasonings you use. | If the choice of ingredients matters to me or my guests, I check each ingredient separately. Around 16% of consumers prioritise suitable ingredients. |
Common mistakes
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Mistaking a small portion for a low-calorie product
A smaller portion doesn’t change the nutritional value per 100 g. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a limit of no more than 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g for the claim ‘low energy’.
Weigh your portion and keep the calculated energy per portion separate from any claim about the product. Claims about reduced energy value have their own conditions.
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Assuming low sugar means low in calories
For generic salted popcorn, the Voedingscentrum lists 0.3 g of sugars and 202 kcal per 40 g bowl. These values don’t relate to a specific supermarket product.
Compare the energy of the exact product on the same weight basis; don’t use the sugar content as a substitute for the energy information.
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Counting only the corn in homemade popcorn
The Voedingscentrum’s recipe includes oil and a seasoning mix as well as popping corn. The calculation for the whole batch therefore depends on all the ingredients used and the portions you serve.
Include all the ingredients in your calculation, then divide the total energy by the portions you actually serve.
Brands to compare
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn lists ready-to-eat salted popcorn and salted microwave popcorn.
- The listings offer different preparation options to compare.
- The product formats don’t prove that an AH variant contains fewer calories. Check the current packaging.
Jumbo
Jumbo lists 500 g of dried popping corn, 100 g of salted popcorn and salted microwave popcorn in a pack of 3 x 90 g.
- You can compare the products for popping at home, serving straight away or preparing in the microwave.
- For Jumbo Microwave Popcorn Salt, Jumbo advises that you shouldn’t restart the cooking process after an interruption. Follow the instructions on the exact packaging.
Lidl
Lidl Netherlands lists Snack Day Sea Salt Popcorn in a 200 g pack.
- The product listing gives you a ready-to-eat option to compare using the label.
- The listing says it’s available in store only; the flavour description doesn’t prove any calorie advantage.
ALDI
ALDI Netherlands lists Sun Snacks Salted Popcorn, 100 g.
- The listing gives you a specific variant to check on the packaging.
- A flavour description doesn’t prove that a product is low in calories or salt.
Popcorn at Joybuy
These Joybuy products include popcorn to prepare yourself and variants with flavours or preparation methods you can compare using the label. Check the nutritional information, portion and ingredients for each product; the product names alone don’t allow you to compare calories.
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Snack Maze Popcorn Cinema Butter 240 g
The product name describes a cinema butter flavour and a 240 g pack; compare the portion and nutritional information on the packaging.
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Valle Del Sole Popping Corn (Butterfly) 900 g
These corn kernels are suitable for popping at home if you want to prepare them yourself. The pan method described requires oil, a pan and a lid.
The product name states 900 g. Jumbo advises storing its own dried popping corn in a cool, dark place; check the packaging for storage instructions for this variant.
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MUSHAN BASE Sweet and Salty Popcorn 120 g
The product description says it’s ready-to-eat popcorn; check the portion and ingredients if you plan to serve it straight away.
The product description lists 541 kcal per 100 g. This is above the European limit of no more than 40 kcal per 100 g for the ‘low energy’ claim on solid foods.
The product information lists soya and says the product may contain gluten.
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Pop Corn 3 x 100 g
The product description says it’s prepared in the microwave; follow the instructions on the exact packaging.
The product description lists 510 kcal per 100 g. This is above the European limit of no more than 40 kcal per 100 g for the ‘low energy’ claim on solid foods.
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Yousmai Pengranxindong Popcorn (Caramel) 120 g
The product description says it’s ready-to-eat caramel popcorn; compare the stated portion with how much you plan to serve.
The product description lists 502 kcal per 100 g. This is above the European limit of no more than 40 kcal per 100 g for the ‘low energy’ claim on solid foods.
The product information lists milk.
Frequently asked questions
Can a small portion of popcorn be marketed as ‘low calorie’?
No, a small portion doesn’t automatically make a product suitable for that claim. For solid foods, the European Commission sets a limit of no more than 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g for the claim ‘low energy’. State the portion weight and calculated energy per portion separately.
How do I compare homemade popcorn with packaged popcorn?
For homemade popcorn, calculate the energy in all the ingredients you use and divide it by the number of portions you actually serve. For a packaged product, use the nutritional information on the exact product label. The generic values from the Voedingscentrum aren’t label information for a specific supermarket product.
What should I look for with microwave popcorn?
Follow the instructions on the exact packaging. For its Microwave Popcorn Salt 3 x 90 g, Jumbo says not to restart cooking after an interruption. Don’t apply that instruction to other variants without checking their packaging.
Is popcorn automatically suitable for guests with a food allergy?
No, don’t rely on the popcorn category alone. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information for prepacked products must appear on the label. If you make popcorn yourself, also check the ingredients in the oil and seasonings.
How should I store ingredients for homemade popcorn?
For Jumbo Popping Corn 500 g, Jumbo advises storing it in a cool, dark place. Follow the storage instructions for other ingredients. This advice for dried corn doesn’t specify how long popped popcorn can be stored.