A Healthy Snack Shortcut For Homemade Popcorn

Popcorn has been on my mind for the past few months, ever since my former roommate started popping kernels on our stove with her boyfriend. I snack like a teenage boy in puberty, and the movie theater favorite is a relatively healthy option when homemade–no preservatives, no fake butter made of God knows what, full of fiber and antioxidants. So what’s the hold-back? Sometimes I’m really lazy. I don’t really want an extra pan to clean.

Which is why I’m delighted to find this brilliant video by Kin Community, an online group of women who record YouTube vids for tips on style, food, and DIY. They’re certainly not the first to make popcorn in brown paper bags, but it’s refreshing news to me and to health-conscious parents with hungry kids who like dishwashing just as much as I do.

The video includes two recipes for cocoa and chili & lime flavors. Suddenly inspired, I dug out a few more kid-friendly topping ideas that’d be great as lunchbox sides, after school snacks, or anytime munchies:

• Gourmet fruit nut popcorn — Behind the Burner
• Parmesan popcorn — Amy Blogs Chow
• Ranch flavored popcorn — Happily Ever Ryan
• White chocolate cranberry cashew popcorn — Babble.com
• Savory popcorn with coconut oil & nutritional yeast — The Creative Salad
• Nut buttery popcorn — Whole New Mom
• Parmesan and white chocolate popcorn — Healthy Mama’s Blog

Have your own favorite homemade popcorn flavor? Let us know in the comments! Otherwise, happy and healthy snacking to all.

Christine Wei is Associate Editor of New York Family. She can be reached at [email protected].