Popcorn - A healthier way

My kids and I love popcorn.  It can be a healthy cheap snack.  We all know movie popcorn is super bad for you with all the salt and oils they put on the popcorn, but what lot's of people don't know is that microwave popcorn isn't a good alternative.

Popcorn bags have lots of chemicals in them, one being perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). When the bag is heated up in the microwave PFOA can leach into your popcorn.  PFOA's are "part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA," says Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group. 


As for the butter flavor, that is typically from a chemical called diacetyl.  This chemical is thought to cause lung cancer in factory workers.



So what do you do instead?  The stovetop is one option, another is an air popper.  Mine is almost 10 years old now, and it recently died.  With no budget, I looked to my microwave for answers.  I'm green on a budget, remember?  Whole Foods has these little paper bags right next to their check out.  I grab a few on my way out just for popcorn.


I put about a half a cup of organic popcorn kernels in the bag and set it for 3 minutes and thirty seconds.  I have enough popcorn for the kiddos and I to have a yummy afternoon snack.

Melt some pure organic butter, and some sea salt and you have a divine snack.  Get creative, add some herbs like dill, or oregano to the mix.  Sugar and cinnamon make a good mix too.  The possibilities are endless.  All with the healthful twist of knowing what your eating.

What's your favorite flavor?