Small Changes: Popcorn

What better snack is there than popcorn? It's one of my favorites and if I'm ever stuck on a deserted island somewhere blissfully away from sociopaths, it's on my list of few things I get to keep with me.

Popcorn is easy to make, is filling, and is full of fiber ,in case you're having problems in that area, it will *ahem* move things along.

 

 Here's a bag of popcorn from the grocery store. Already popped and ready to eat. The ingredients don't look too bad at first glance. Then you read that it, "Contains: MILK" and yet that isn't in the list of ingredients. Hmmm....what else are they not telling you about?

Today is April 17th. This bag of popcorn has a date on it of May 28th. So it'll "be good" for at least another month. When exactly was this popped? Wouldn't you rather eat popcorn that was fresh? Because you know what that bagged stuff is going to taste like. It's going to taste like artificial flavors and salt.

That takes us to our next product. Pop it yourself. Pick up a box of microwave popcorn because, we want in in less than three minutes. Hot, steamy, flavorful.

There's your microwave popcorn. Now, aside from the ingredients in the first popcorn we looked at, we have some things we haven't seen before. I've not heard of TBHQ so I did a quick Google search and the very first article is this one. Oh my goodness! Do you really want to ingest this stuff? It may be FDA approved, but if you've studied that organization at all you'll know that what they say can't be trusted. 


Do the research and decide for yourself. 

And now the good news!

Wouldn't you like your popcorn to have just two or three ingredients (corn, oil, salt)?
Get yourself an air popper and you'll just have one or two (corn, salt)

I prefer to use a stove top popper.

     
This is my jar of popcorn, always ready to go. Except when I run out--and that's always a very bad day.
I like to use olive oil or coconut oil. Both taste wonderful and they're both different flavors. Plus, both are very good for you. I use organic popcorn, for several reasons one being this.

This is my popper. Just pour some oil in and then add the corn. Turn the heat up and in about three minutes (the same amount of time as it takes to make microwave popcorn!) you've got a tasty, healthy snack.

But be sure you make enough to share. Because someone will be watching. And waiting.

 Remember, just because it's sold in the stores doesn't mean you should eat it.