My name is Sara Morris, and I have a problem…with portion control. And with excessive love of popcorn. Yes, popcorn is a whole grain, so it can be part of a healthy diet and enjoyed in moderation. Oh those two little words get me every time!
Here is the issue: popcorn is SO delicious. Just kidding; my real issue is that I prefer the popcorn that comes already popped to the microwavable versions. The microwavable versions contain a color additive and preservative – I like to avoid these things when I can help it. The pre-popped versions that I like just contain popcorn, sunflower oil, and sea salt. Unfortunately, it is a lot harder to find the pre-popped versions in individual serving sizes. So I’ve been buying the big bags that contain 5+ servings of popcorn. It makes a great snack; it’s crunchy, naturally low in calories, a whole grain…but if I start nibbling, I can end up “palming” half of a big bag (think: hand, face, hand, face) in the 18 minutes it takes Ted Mosby to give his kids the next link in the story of how he met their mother. I’ve tried pouring a serving size from the bag into a bowl. The problem is that the bag is still there in my pantry, which inevitably precipitates the day that I come home and say “Oh I’ll just have a bite of popcorn before dinner,” open the bag and…cut to the part where I enter my personal confession room (also known as myfitnesspal) to admit that I just consumed 600 calories worth of Boomchickapop™.
Solution: yesterday I spent 5 minutes dividing my giant bag of popcorn into individual servings, portioning 4 cups at a time into several quart-sized freezer bags. Now it is impossible for me to eat more than one serving without consciously deciding to do so. What’s more, I ate one of my hand-made individual servings last night and actually found it quite satisfying. I ate it slower – because I did not want to open a second serving- and it turns out one serving is actually enough! Ever since then, I’ve been serenading the popcorn with Barry White’s Never Gonna Give You Up (“Never gonna give you up, Never gonna let you down, Never gonna run around and desert you!”) That is a problem for a different blog post. Until then, popcorn portion control is under (zip)loc!
I love popcorn. My solution is to use brown paper lunch bag. I add 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels and microwave. I believe that is equal to 1 serving. I do not add anything to. Love it plain. What do you think of this idea?
We love that idea, Pat! We actually posted another blog doing that same thing, which can be found on the link below. It is much cheaper and healthier than store-bought microwave popcorn options. Plus, it’s easy and fun! Thank you for sharing 🙂 Link to blog post with DIY microwave popcorn: https://esmmweighless.com/dessert-recipes/diy-homemade-popcorn/
Do you know if filling a one quart glass Pyrex bowl up to right under the rim (lip) of the bowl would equal 4 cups? I hate to spend so much (even if I can wash the bags, which feels a bit icky because of the salt and oil) on ziploc bags when I have the bowl here. I’ve been watching what I eat, but I track 4 cups of Skinny Pop orignal popcorn (the 4.4 oz? bag-the regular size) daily as a snack, and I am worried I am going over. One could go slightly over in a bag too, depending on the volume. Since I am just going to try to use WW tracking Smart Points, the fat matters, especially. I can never figure out these equivalents when they are so different depending on what the volume and ingredient is, and I’m horrible at math! Thanks if you are still around and hope you had good luck!
Hi Debra, thank you for your comment! You are measuring it out correctly, 4 cups are equivalent to one quart, so your bowl is one serving of Skinny Pop. Skinny Pop has 155 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving compared to BoomChickaPop, which has 120 calories and 3 grams of fat (which is the brand this blog is referencing). I pulled these numbers from both company websites. If you are ever unsure about how much you are measuring, the easiest way is to pull out a 1 cup measuring cup and measure each scoop into your bowl or containers. 🙂 I hope this helps, please let us know if we can answer any questions and enjoy your popcorn! 🙂