Portion-conscious snackers
You want popcorn with your drink and are mainly keeping an eye on the calories in the amount you actually eat. A stated portion and a whole bag are two different quantities.
Which popcorn option is right for you?
Those who want a snack with no preparation
You’re looking for popcorn you can take with you or share without having to pop it at home first. Ready-to-eat options fit the bill.
Those who want to choose their own additions
You want to control how much oil and seasoning you use, and don’t mind preparing it yourself. Loose popping corn gives you a starting point.
What should you look for when choosing?
Start with your portion and how convenient you want it to be; then check the sugar, salt and any additions used in preparation.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Check the kcal per 100 g, weigh your portion and calculate the value for that amount. | If I want to manage my calorie intake, I weigh my portion rather than relying on the bag size. Around 42% of consumers put calories per portion first. |
| Ready to snack and share | Check whether the popcorn is ready to eat, how many grams the pack contains and how you can divide it into portions. | If I want to take popcorn with me without popping it at home, I look for ready-to-eat options and packaging that I can divide into portions. Around 25% of consumers prioritise convenience. |
| Sugar and salt | Check ‘of which sugars’ and ‘salt’ alongside the energy per 100 g. | If I want to limit sugar or salt, I compare those values separately rather than relying on whether the popcorn is sweet or savoury. Around 17% of consumers start by checking sugar or salt. |
| Preparing it yourself | Check whether the nutritional information applies to unpopped corn or prepared popcorn, and include any additions you use. | If I want to control how much oil and seasoning I use, I factor in the preparation and divide the finished amount into portions. Around 16% of consumers prioritise control over added ingredients. |
Which mistakes can you avoid?
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Confusing a small portion with a low-calorie product
A small portion may contain fewer calories than a whole bag, but that doesn’t automatically make the product itself low in calories. The European Commission assesses the ‘low energy’ claim for solid foods per 100 g.
Weigh your portion and calculate the energy for that amount. Only use the ‘low energy’ claim if the relevant requirements are met.
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Counting only the corn when popping it yourself
The nutritional value of loose corn doesn’t automatically include the oil and seasoning you add during preparation.
Calculate the nutritional value of your preparation using all the ingredients, then divide the total amount into portions.
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Treating a microwave bag as a single snack portion
Jumbo lists its microwave popcorn bags as 90 g, with nutritional values per 30 g. The stated serving size is therefore not the same as the whole bag.
Compare the pack weight with the nutritional values per portion, and divide the prepared amount before you start snacking.
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Assuming ‘organic’ means ‘allergen-free’
AH Biologisch Popcorn mais may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat. An organic label alone doesn’t mean a product is free from allergens.
If you have an allergy, check the current packaging, including any warnings about possible cross-contamination.
Brands to compare
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn sells loose popping corn, ready-to-eat sweet and salted popcorn, and microwave popcorn. Its product pages provide product-specific ingredient and nutritional information.
- There are several preparation options to compare.
- Nutritional values and ingredients vary by product; a label such as organic doesn’t prove that a product is low in calories.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers ready-to-eat sweet popcorn and salted microwave popcorn. The product pages checked list nutritional values per 100 g and per 30 g.
- The different product types suit either ready-to-eat snacking or popping at home.
- Jumbo states that its sweet popcorn may contain milk; check the packaging if you have an allergy.
Lidl
Lidl sells popcorn under its own Snack Day brand; the Dutch brand page lists sweet and salted varieties.
- The Snack Day Popcorn zeezout product page lists a 200 g pack.
- Check the nutritional values and portion information on the packaging of the variety you choose.
ALDI
ALDI lists Sun Snacks salted popcorn in a 100 g pack.
- The product page gives the product name and pack weight.
- Use the label on the pack you choose to compare nutritional values and ingredients.
Popcorn products at Joybuy
These Joybuy products include popcorn and popping corn. Check whether each pack needs preparing, then compare the nutritional value per 100 g with the amount you plan to eat.
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SNACK MAZE Cinema Butter popcorn, 240 g
The title will appeal if you’re looking for popcorn with a Cinema Butter flavour.
Flavour: Cinema Butter. Pack weight: 240 g.
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Pop Corn microwave popcorn, 3 x 100 g
The description says it can be prepared in a microwave, making it a handy choice if you want to pop popcorn at home.
Pack: 3 bags of 100 g. Stated energy: 510 kcal per 100 g; weigh your portion to work out how much you’ll have for your snack.
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Yousmai Pengranxindong caramel-flavoured popcorn, 120 g
The product description lists ready-to-eat sweet popcorn for anyone who wants to skip the preparation.
Pack weight: 120 g. Stated nutritional values: 502 kcal and 35 g of sugar per 100 g.
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g’woon Salted Popcorn, 100 g
The product title suggests salted popcorn for anyone looking for a savoury flavour.
Pack weight: 100 g. The description lists 543 kcal per 100 g.
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Valle Del Sole Butterfly popping corn, 900 g
The preparation instructions are suited to anyone who wants to pop their own corn and control the additions.
Pack weight: 900 g. The stated 350 kcal per 100 g applies to the corn; the preparation instructions also call for 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Frequently asked questions
What does ‘low calorie’ mean on popcorn in the Netherlands?
For solid foods, the European Commission sets a maximum of 40 kcal (170 kJ) per 100 g for the ‘low energy’ claim. So a small portion doesn’t automatically make a product with a higher value per 100 g low in calories. Separate conditions apply to the ‘reduced energy’ claim, including a minimum energy reduction of 30%.
How many calories are in a whole bag of microwave popcorn?
One bag of Jumbo Magnetron Popcorn Zout weighs 90 g; Jumbo lists 391 kcal per 100 g. That works out to 351.9 kcal for the contents of one bag, before allowing for any leftovers you don’t eat. The stated 117 kcal is for 30 g, not the whole bag.
How do you prepare microwave popcorn without heating the bag for too long?
Follow the instructions on your product’s packaging. For the microwave popcorn in question, Albert Heijn advises stopping when there are 1–2 seconds between pops, and warns that the bag and steam will be hot. Jumbo warns against restarting the cooking process if it has been interrupted.
Is popcorn automatically suitable for someone with a food allergy?
No. Always check the allergen information on the specific pack. AH Biologisch Popcorn mais may contain cereals containing gluten, soya and wheat; Jumbo Popcorn Zoet may contain milk. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that allergen information must appear on the label of prepacked products and be available before purchase for unpackaged food sold in hospitality venues.
How should you store an opened bag of popcorn?
Follow the storage advice on the packaging. For the AH ready-to-eat sweet and salted popcorn checked, the advice is to store it in a cool, dark, dry place and seal the pack securely after use.