Force Factor

Summertime isn’t officially here yet, but the big summer movie season is definitely upon us. Before you settle in with a jumbo popcorn and soda for the latest release, read this! The stats for many of our favorite movie theater snacks are truly shocking. We’ve got the details for you and some smarter swaps.

Popcorn
As far as snack foods go, popcorn is typically recognized as a better-for-you choice. In fact, air-popped popcorn can be a very lean snack. 1 ounce (about 2.5 full cups!) has just 100 calories and 1 gram of fat. Low-fat and low-sodium varieties are also available for microwave-popped popcorn. So, movie theater popcorn can’t be that unhealthy for you… right?

Wrong! A recent study by the Center for Science in Public Interest showed that a large popcorn at Regal Cinemas had 1,200 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat alone! That’s 40 grams of saturated fat (and 120 calories) worse than chowing down on 2 McDonald’s Big Macs! The extreme stats for saturated fat come from the fact that most major theater chains pop their popcorn in coconut oil – not air. Love to pump on the extra butter? An average tablespoon of movie theater butter (which is typically a non-hydrogenated soybean oil topping) adds about another 120 calories per tablespoon. What’s more, the sodium content of your popcorn is through the roof! A large size at one chain contained 1,500mg of sodium – an entire day’s worth for the average adult!

Soda
All that salty popcorn can definitely make you thirsty! Many movie theaters offer “combo packs” to save you a little money on the popcorn and soda (and candy) of your choice. A large soda can range from 44 ounces up to 54 ounces. Choosing a “regular” sugary soda in this size can add another 500-700 empty calories to your movie “snack.” Sweet and packed with sugar, these drinks have no nutritional benefit but can definitely show up on your waistline. Instead, choose a diet soda or, even better, plain water for a much smarter choice!

Candy
It’s not shocking that candy is high in sugar and calories. However, everyone deserves a treat now and then (that’s what cheat days are for, right?). We think the bigger problem with movie theater candy is the deceptive portion sizes. If you’re like us, you probably assume that one package is one serving, right? Well, as logical as that would be, some movie theater candy actually contains 3 to 5 (or even more!) “servings” per box. So, putting away that 3.3oz box of Buncha Crunch actually costs you 450 calories and 22.5 grams of fat. Watch out for “King Size” candy bars too – often the nutritional facts are for only ½ of the bar. Eating the whole King Size Butterfinger will actually net you 12 grams of fat and 50 grams of carbs.

Our advice? Keep the servings in check by splitting a box with your friends. Another good idea? Save your money and monitor your own portions carefully by bringing your snacks from home. ½ cup of almonds/trail mix or a favorite protein bar can keep your hunger at bay so you don’t give in to temptation at the concession stand and mindless munching in the theater.

Now, enjoy the show!