Check the fat per 100 g as well as how much you’ll actually take with you: a small portion doesn’t automatically make a product ‘low fat’. AH Popcorn Sweet and Jumbo Popcorn Sweet are options you can portion out yourself, but they contain 4 and 4.6 g of fat per 100 g respectively, above the European Commission’s 3 g per 100 g threshold for a ‘low fat’ claim. They also contain 45 and 48.6 g of sugars per 100 g respectively (Albert Heijn; Jumbo), and neither is confirmed as a factory-sealed individual bag.
If you want to consume less total fat when snacking, compare the figure on the label with the amount you portion out. A small portion isn’t the same as a product carrying a ‘low fat’ claim: for solid foods, the European Commission sets a limit of no more than 3 g of fat per 100 g.
If you want to take popcorn with you without preparing it on the go, it helps to know how many individual bags are included and what the portion size is. Albert Heijn states that its sweet popcorn comes in a 200 g pack with eight 25 g portions; for its sweet variety, Jumbo lists a 30 g label portion in a 175 g pack. A label portion doesn’t automatically mean a separately wrapped bag.
If you want to consider sugar, energy and flavour as well as fat, compare the nutritional information for the exact variety. Albert Heijn and Jumbo list different sugar and energy values for their sweet popcorn, so the flavour name alone doesn’t tell you the whole nutritional story.
Start with the nutritional values per 100 g, then work out how they relate to the portion you actually want to take with you. Also check whether the pack contains individual snack bags or whether you’ll need to portion it out yourself.
| What to consider | What to look for when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Fat per snack | Compare total fat per 100 g and work out the amount for your own portion. Consider saturated fat separately. | If I want to eat less fat when snacking, I compare the figure on the label with the amount I actually portion out. Around 36% of consumers say total fat per snack is their main buying priority. |
| A portion to take with you | Check the net weight, number of individual bags, portion size and whether the popcorn is ready to eat. | I want to take something that’s ready to eat and comes in a clearly defined amount, so I don’t end up finishing a larger bag on the go. Around 29% of consumers prioritise a portion with a set limit for taking with them. |
| Sugar and energy | Check sugar and energy alongside fat, first per 100 g and then for the same portion size. | Even when I’m watching my fat intake, I want to know how much sugar and energy the flavour I’ve chosen contains. Around 21% of consumers give this consideration the most weight. |
| Cost per portion | Compare the price for the same amount, taking into account the net weight and how much you can store after opening. | I want to know how much the amount I actually use costs, and whether I can use the rest later. Around 14% of consumers prioritise the cost per snack portion. |
Albert Heijn lists four 25 g portions for its salted popcorn. The nutritional values per portion are therefore not the same as those for the whole bag.
Decide in advance how much you want to take with you, and keep the net weight separate from the portion size on the label.
Albert Heijn lists 45 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Popcorn Sweet; Jumbo lists 48.6 g per 100 g for Jumbo Popcorn Sweet. Looking only at fat means you’ll miss these differences.
Compare fat, sugar and energy on the same basis, then work out the figures for the same portion size.
Jumbo Salted Microwave Popcorn needs to be prepared, and the 3 × 90 g pack doesn’t automatically make one snack portion. The manufacturer warns, among other things, not to let children prepare it unsupervised and not to restart preparation after an interruption.
Choose this format only if you can fit the preparation into your plans, and follow the instructions on the pack.
You’ll need time to prepare it and a suitable microwave.
The varieties reviewed include ready-to-eat sweet and salted popcorn, with nutritional information and portion sizes on the label.
The range includes ready-to-eat sweet and salted popcorn, as well as a separate microwave variety.
Snack Day Sweet Popcorn is a ready-to-eat sweet popcorn variety in a confirmed 200 g pack.
SUN SNACKS Salted Popcorn is a salted popcorn variety in a 100 g pack.
This Joybuy selection includes popcorn in a range of flavours and pack sizes. Before choosing, check the nutritional information for the exact variety and compare it with the amount you want to eat.
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The product title lists three 100 g packs; check whether this size suits the portion you want to take with you.
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The product title describes salted popcorn in a 100 g pack; check the label to compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion you serve yourself.
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The product title describes sweet popcorn in a 175 g pack; check the nutritional information for this exact variety before portioning it out.
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The product information describes the 240 g pack as one to share, so it isn’t necessarily a single portion to take with you.
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The title describes a 120 g sweet-and-salty popcorn variety; check the nutrition table to assess fat, saturated fat and sugar for this specific variety.
For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 3 g of fat per 100 g for a ‘low fat’ claim. A small portion doesn’t change that limit. AH Popcorn Sweet lists 4 g and Jumbo Popcorn Sweet 4.6 g of fat per 100 g, so both are above it.
No, the pack weight doesn’t tell you automatically how many snack portions it contains. For example, Albert Heijn lists four 25 g portions for its 100 g pack of salted popcorn. Also check whether the portions are individually wrapped or whether you’ll need to portion it out yourself.
No, also compare sugar and energy if they matter to your choice. Albert Heijn lists 45 g of sugars per 100 g for AH Popcorn Sweet, while Jumbo lists 48.6 g per 100 g for Jumbo Popcorn Sweet. Always use the information for the exact flavour and pack.
Follow the preparation instructions on the pack for the exact variety. For Jumbo Salted Microwave Popcorn, the manufacturer warns, among other things, not to let children prepare it unsupervised and not to restart preparation after an interruption. The preparation bag isn’t automatically one snack portion.
Check the label for the exact variety. The product information for Jumbo Popcorn Sweet and Jumbo Popcorn Salted says ‘May contain: Milk’. Check the current packaging when you buy it and take your own allergy into account.
