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Which option suits whom

Hosts keeping an eye on energy and fat

If you’re preparing a large bowl for New Year’s Eve, making popcorn from popping corn lets you decide how much oil and how many other ingredients to use. It does, however, take time to measure and prepare.

Fans of sweet popcorn

If you want to stick with sweet popcorn, compare packaged options by their energy, fat and sugar per 100 g. The ingredients list will also show whether sweeteners are used alongside sugar.

Hosts who want to serve quickly

Microwave bags and ready-to-eat popcorn save on preparation. For a bowl to share, think about the portion size you’re planning to serve. If you’re using microwave popcorn, take care when handling the hot contents and steam.

What to look for when buying

First decide whether you’d like to measure out the ingredients yourself or serve popcorn quickly. Then compare the nutritional information for packaged options using the same basis: a recipe value per portion is not directly comparable with a pack’s figures per 100 g.

Criterion	What to check when buying	Who it matters to
Energy and fat	For ready-made products, compare kcal and fat per 100 g. If you’re making your own, take into account the oil used and the actual portion size.	If I’m serving a large bowl, I want to decide how much oil to use and how big the portions are. For around 42% of consumers, keeping track of energy and fat is the main consideration when choosing.
Sweetness and ingredients	Check the ‘of which sugars’ figure per 100 g and read the ingredients list; sweet varieties may also differ in their use of sweeteners.	Sweet popcorn is part of the celebration for me, but I want to compare the recipes before buying. Sugar and ingredients are the main concern for around 33% of consumers.
Preparation and serving	Follow the instructions for the specific product when using microwave bags. For ready-to-eat popcorn, check that the pack size suits how much you plan to serve in bowls.	When guests have already arrived, I want to be able to serve more without a long wait. That’s why around 25% of consumers prioritise quick preparation and serving.

Common pitfalls

Assuming a lower comparison figure means fewer calories

Having fewer kcal than another pack doesn’t necessarily mean it’s low in energy for the portion you plan to serve. REWE lists 387 kcal per 100 g for XOX microwave popcorn and 478 kcal per 100 g for Snackline ready-to-eat popcorn.

First compare the figures per 100 g, then decide how much popcorn you actually want to serve.
Comparing recipe portions directly with pack figures

EDEKA’s air fryer recipe provides 134 kcal per portion and makes four portions. The product pages being compared, on the other hand, give energy values per 100 g.

Use the same basis for your comparison, and remember to count the oil and other ingredients used when making popcorn at home.
Checking only the sugar in salty popcorn

According to EDEKA, salted GUT&GÜNSTIG microwave popcorn contains 1.1 g of sugar, but also 2.5 g of salt per 100 g.

If salt matters to you, check this line of the nutritional information as well as energy, fat and sugar.
Opening a hot microwave bag without taking care

REWE warns that the contents and steam are hot when you prepare its sweet REWE Beste Wahl microwave popcorn.

Follow the instructions on the specific bag and open it carefully, pointing it away from your body.

Brands to consider

XOX

The sweet microwave option stocked by REWE offers a useful point of comparison for packaged popcorn.

REWE gives the nutritional values for XOX sweet microwave popcorn as 387 kcal, 12 g of fat and 2.7 g of sugar per 100 g.
Alongside 84% corn kernels, the ingredients list includes palm oil, sugar and sucralose. So the nutritional information is not for plain popping corn.

REWE Beste Wahl

The sweet microwave option is a handy choice for making popcorn in the bag.

REWE lists 417 kcal, 13 g of fat and 22 g of sugar per 100 g for its sweet microwave popcorn.
This variety contains sugar and palm fat. Take care when opening, as the contents and steam will be hot.

GUT&GÜNSTIG

EDEKA’s salted microwave popcorn could be a good choice for a savoury bowl on New Year’s Eve.

EDEKA lists 1.1 g of sugar per 100 g for the salted variety.
EDEKA also lists 430 kcal, 21 g of fat and 2.5 g of salt per 100 g. If you’re watching your salt intake, be sure to take this figure into account.

Snackline

The ready-to-eat sweet popcorn stocked by REWE comes in a resealable 250-g tub that’s handy for sharing.

Open the tub and serve without any preparation, then seal it again afterwards.
REWE lists 478 kcal, 19.1 g of fat and 31.3 g of sugar per 100 g for this product. The tub size doesn’t determine how much counts as one portion.

Joybuy products for making popcorn at home

This popping corn is a good choice if you want to decide how much to make and how to season it. Follow the product’s preparation instructions rather than assuming that EDEKA’s air fryer instructions for a different recipe will apply.

Alnatura Organic Popping Corn, 500 g

For making popcorn at home when you want to choose the portion size and add your own seasoning.

The pack contains 500 g of popping corn. If you’re comparing your finished popcorn with a packaged product, remember to include any oil and other ingredients you use.

This product’s instructions describe how to make it in a saucepan. Don’t use the air fryer instructions from another recipe unless they’re suitable for the product and appliance.

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Frequently asked questions

How many calories do the packaged popcorn varieties compared here contain?

REWE’s product information lists 387 kcal per 100 g for sweet XOX microwave popcorn, 417 kcal for sweet REWE Beste Wahl microwave popcorn and 478 kcal for ready-to-eat sweet Snackline popcorn. EDEKA lists 430 kcal per 100 g for salted GUT&GÜNSTIG microwave popcorn. The portion size also matters when deciding how much to serve.

How should I compare supermarket popcorn?

For packaged popcorn, start by comparing the nutritional information per 100 g, especially energy, fat, sugar and salt. Then read the ingredients list and take into account how much you actually plan to serve.

Is salty microwave popcorn automatically lower in energy than sweet popcorn?

No, you can’t tell how much energy it contains from the flavour alone. EDEKA lists 430 kcal and 21 g of fat per 100 g for salted GUT&GÜNSTIG microwave popcorn. By comparison, REWE lists 387 kcal and 12 g of fat per 100 g for sweet XOX microwave popcorn. The salted variety also contains 2.5 g of salt per 100 g.

What should I bear in mind when opening a microwave popcorn bag?

Follow the preparation and standing instructions on the bag, then open it carefully, pointing it away from your body. REWE warns that its sweet REWE Beste Wahl microwave popcorn bag and contents will be hot, and that hot steam will escape when you open it.

Can I make popcorn in an air fryer for a small gathering?

EDEKA’s air fryer recipe makes four portions using 120 g of popping corn and 2 TL of oil in total. If you change the quantities or use a different type of popping corn, follow the instructions for your appliance and the specific product. The recipe’s figure of 134 kcal per portion applies to the ingredients and quantities listed.