Movies and popcorn go together like Tracy and Hepburn.
Tell that to your spare tire.
Movie theater concessions can be diet killers, but for some the theatrical experience isn’t the same without that sack of popcorn.
Denver-based nutritionist Julie Hammerstein offers a few helpful ways to prevent a night at the movies from becoming a scale-busting event. Hammerstein, author of “Fat is Not a Four-Letter Word,” says theater goers shouldn’t feel trapped after they buy their film ticket.
“Anywhere you go in a restaurant or theater, there’s always going to be an option that’s better,” Hammerstein tells WWTW.
Some newer menu selections include soft pretzels – baked, not fried – and fruit chips. The trick is spotting the healthier alternatives and choosing sensible portion sizes. Garden-variety popcorn is actually a fairly healthy snack, but once the butter-like topping is applied all bets are off. Some independent theater chains offer real butter, but most theaters serve up a butter-flavored oil with no nutritional value, she says.
Some large popcorn servings provide 1,500 calories in one sitting.
“For some people, that’s their daily requirement of calories right here,” she says, adding those numbers don‘t even take into account the fat being absorbed with a big ol’ tub of popcorn.
She says if you must have popcorn, try splitting a bucket with a friend – or two. Ask for butterless popcorn, if possible, and sneak in some Mrs. Dash for flavoring.
Some candy choices aren’t as bad as others. A Junior Mint can satiate one’s sweet tooth without much guilt, and Gummy Bears have less calories than some other treats. Twizzlers offer less fat than other candy treats, but Reese’s Pieces pack more calories than a health-conscious person may want – an 8 oz. pack provides 1,200 calories, she says.
“A popcorn, Reese’s Pieces and a soda can quickly get up to twice your daily recommended intake of calories,” she says. “If you’re gonna do the popcorn, don’t do the candy.”
Consumers know an apple is a healthier snack than a chocolate bar. But sweet treats activate your palette and make it hard to stop at a mere handful, she says.
So she suggests a little planning to prevent a blockbuster snacking session. Have a meal or snack before leaving for the theater. Or, bring a handful of trail mix-style food to nibble on during the movie. Add a dollop of fruit and cheese can balance out one’s blood sugar while consuming the other, less nutritious, parts of the mix, she says.
Other healthier options include water and fruit juices over soda. The calorie count between the last two items isn’t significant, but “at least it’s real food,“ she says.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I just sneak in a fifth of scotch and a couple of beers.
Gummy bears also have the advantage of being chewy, which seems to make them more satisfying.
@Mike B: +1
It’s interesting living during a time when everybody feels free to tell everybody else what they should eat, smoke, drink or drive. It’s kind of like a nation of mothers in law.
When I was a kid, it was all about seeing how much we could smuggle in undetected. Now, all I want is whatever food is quietest. We go out to the movies so infrequently that I’m not worried about the calorie splurge on popcorn and a cold drink; it’s part of the experience, part of what makes it different from watching a movie on cable.
Come to think of it, Liz has a point: I see a movie in the theater about three times a year, if that. I could get a Hefty bag full of popcorn, with all the fixin’s, every time, and eat it by myself, and it wouldn’t have that much effect on my health.
Also, butterless popcorn is like cheeseless pizza: why would you even bother?
I think I’m on a permanent Atkin’s diet. If I’m going to blow it, it won’t be over concession crap. I’m going for the good stuff. I’d sneak in truffles.
The chocolates or the fungi?
The chocolate! The fungi is a.o.k. on Atkin’s. If you can afford them.
If you can afford them, and don’t mind eating a tree-mold they need specially trained pigs to distinguish from a dirt clod.
Not a foodie, are we Tom in AZ?
They use trained dogs these days. The pigs want to eat the truffles (or possibly have sex with them – I’m unclear on that point), while dogs don’t really care about truffles and are only in it for the treats.