For making your own popcorn and controlling the ingredients
When you prepare popcorn kernels yourself, you can adjust the amount of oil, salt and sugar to suit your needs. You’ll need a suitable way to prepare them, as well as a little time.
Which type of popcorn suits you?
For a ready-to-eat snack
A ready-to-eat bag needs no preparation. Alongside fat, compare saturated fat, sugar and salt on the nutrition label before choosing.
For microwave popcorn
If you want to prepare popcorn in individual portions in the microwave, check the nutrition information for the variety you’re buying and follow the instructions on the bag.
What to look for when buying
When you need to pick something up quickly, first decide whether you want to eat your popcorn straight away or can prepare it yourself. Then compare the nutrition information using the same basis; with kernels you pop yourself, what you add during preparation matters too.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Control the amount of fat | Suitable equipment and the amount of oil for your chosen preparation method | When I make popcorn myself, I mainly want to decide how much oil and seasoning to add. Around 36% of consumers put this control first. |
| Ready-to-eat bag | Ready-to-eat product and fat per 100 g | For a snack with no waiting, I need a bag I can open straight away, while still comparing the fat content. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this combination. |
| Sugar, salt and saturated fat | Nutrition information per 100 g, as well as total fat | A low fat content alone isn’t enough for me if I also want to weigh up the other nutritional values in sweet and salty varieties. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this comparison. |
| Availability when buying again | Stock at your chosen shop and information on the actual packaging | If my preferred variety isn’t available locally, I want to find a suitable alternative quickly. Availability is the most important factor for around 14% of consumers. |
Common popcorn-buying mistakes
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Looking only at the fat content
According to EDEKA, GUT&GÜNSTIG’s ready-to-eat sweet popcorn contains 4.5 g of fat, but also 30 g of sugar per 100 g. The nutrition label for the same brand’s salty microwave popcorn lists 2.5 g of salt and 10 g of saturated fat per 100 g.
Compare fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt per 100 g, then decide which figures matter most for your choice.
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Assuming microwave popcorn is always lower in fat
According to EDEKA, the two GUT&GÜNSTIG microwave varieties compared here contain 12 g of fat per 100 g for the sweet variety and 21 g per 100 g for the salty one. The preparation method alone doesn’t determine the fat content.
Check the latest nutrition label for each variety and compare values on the same basis.
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Counting on a particular variety being available
EDEKA notes that the products mentioned may not be available in every store, and that the information on the packaging is the one to rely on. This can affect how quickly you’re able to buy them again.
Check stock at your chosen shop and keep a suitable alternative product type in mind.
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Opening a hot microwave popcorn bag straight away
REWE warns that its Beste Wahl microwave popcorn bag and the steam inside can be hot after preparation.
Follow the waiting and opening instructions on the specific bag, and open it carefully, facing it away from your body.
Brands to help you choose
The examples below show different types of popcorn and their nutrition information. The brand alone doesn’t tell you the fat content of an individual variety.
EDEKA / GUT&GÜNSTIG
EDEKA’s information makes it possible to compare GUT&GÜNSTIG’s ready-to-eat sweet popcorn with its sweet and salty microwave popcorn.
- According to EDEKA, the three products mentioned contain 4.5 g, 12 g and 21 g of fat per 100 g respectively.
- The ready-to-eat product with 4.5 g of fat also contains 30 g of sugar per 100 g. Availability may vary by store.
REWE / REWE Beste Wahl
REWE’s popcorn range includes popcorn kernels, ready-to-eat varieties and microwave popcorn.
- For REWE Beste Wahl sweet microwave popcorn, REWE lists 13 g of fat, 5.6 g of saturated fat and 22 g of sugar per 100 g.
- The nutrition information for this microwave variety can’t necessarily be applied to other types of popcorn.
funny-frisch
funny-frisch popchips Red Paprika Style is a popped potato and rice snack, not popcorn.
- funny-frisch lists 14 g of fat per 100 g for the popchips variety mentioned.
- If you’re looking for popcorn or popcorn kernels, don’t treat popchips as the same product category.
Popcorn kernels at Joybuy
These popcorn kernels are a good choice if you want to prepare your own popcorn and season it to taste. They’re not a ready-to-eat snack, and adding oil will change the nutritional values of the finished portion.
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Seeberger Popcorn Kernels 500 g
For anyone who wants to make their own popcorn and choose the seasoning. Before buying, check the actual contents of the pack described as 500 g. If you have allergies, always refer to the allergen information on the current packaging.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell which popcorn has less fat?
Compare the stated fat content of the specific products per 100 g. EDEKA lists 4.5 g of fat per 100 g for GUT&GÜNSTIG ready-to-eat sweet popcorn, 12 g for the sweet microwave variety and 21 g for the salty microwave variety. This only compares these three products; it doesn’t describe a general characteristic of each type of popcorn.
Is the variety with less fat automatically the better choice?
Not if you also want to take sugar or salt into account. According to EDEKA, GUT&GÜNSTIG ready-to-eat sweet popcorn contains 30 g of sugar per 100 g, as well as 4.5 g of fat. Compare all the nutrition information that matters to your decision.
Can I control how much fat I add when making my own popcorn?
Yes. When you prepare popcorn yourself, you can control the amount of oil you add. An EDEKA air fryer recipe uses 120 g of popcorn kernels and two teaspoons of oil for four portions, and states that each portion contains 4 g of fat. This figure applies to the recipe, not to every way of preparing popcorn kernels.
What should I bear in mind after heating microwave popcorn?
Follow the power, timing and opening instructions on the bag. REWE warns that its Beste Wahl microwave popcorn bag and escaping steam can be hot; open the bag carefully, facing it away from your body.
Which pack details are useful for comparing products?
For this buying decision, the ingredients list and the nutrition information for fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt are especially useful. When comparing packaged popcorn, look at the values per 100 g and also check the portion size if you want to know how much you’ll actually eat.