Since I’m stuck at home doing a whole lotta nuthin’, I caught this story on the news yesterday morning…A LARGE MOVIE POPCORN CONTAINS OVER 1400 CALORIES!
Quelle surprise!
So the government plans to intervene and force movie theaters to post the calorie counts of all their offerings. First of all, who doesn’t know movie food is junk food? I’d like a show of hands. Is there anyone out there who thinks movie food is health food? When you’re chomping on those Twizzlers, I just bet you’re flashing on phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants. Am I right?
It’s part of the package, the charm of going to a movie - you’re going to buy a large buttered popcorn and a soda or a big box of Junior Mints or Gummy Bears. And I know you’ll share them with your date, or your spouse, or your kids, or your friends. Or maybe you’ll enjoy that bag of popcorn, kernel by kernel, all by yourself and you’ll savor it through the entire movie. There’s something to be said for that singular pleasure, too.
You know what? Go ahead, post the calorie counts. I don’t care. Some people have health conditions and need the information.
I rarely go to movies anyway, and when I do, either I bring my own bottle of water and eat nothing or hubby and I split a medium popcorn and a small drink.
But here’s what really fries my ass…listening to the food police insist movie theaters offer healthy alternatives, like fresh fruit and nonfat yogurt and other foods the food police consider appropriate. The food police. I may be a personal health nut, but I cannot stand the food police. I’m a firm believer in the free market. Let consumers drive the demand for healthy alternatives, not the food police.
Tell the truth…can you see yourself chowing down on an apple or a banana or a carton of yogurt at a movie theater? Maybe some gorp? Is this the experience you want? How romantic…sharing a banana with your date…(yeah, I know what you’re thinking because you have a dirty mind.)
How about this? Worried about movie food? Do what we did all the time when our kids were really little - sneak food past the ticket takers in a big purse. I didn’t do that for health reasons, I did it because I couldn’t afford to buy candy and cookies for three kids, not at theater prices. Plus I figured my kids didn’t need to eat a giant-sized candy bar or a big bag of gummies or drink a large soda. When the lights went down, they each got a juice box, a bag of Teddy Grahams and maybe a mini pack of M&M’s or a Snickers.
Yes, sometimes government intervention is necessary. Sometimes I do need to be saved from myself, but not at the movies.
***I’m at Rosalie Lario’s place today. Come by, read my interview, chat. I do love to chat!
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I bring my bottle of water with me and I always have a medium popcorn with lots of butter. Sometimes I share…sometimes I don’t.
) I don’t care about the calories. I know it’s not good for me.
Who do these food police think they are trying to force movie theaters to provide healthy food. Can’t people have comfort anywhere?
I load my purse too. If they started serving healthy alternatives and listing calories, I’d still do what I do. If I buy from the counter, the only difference would be the consuming guilt and self-loathing for buying my crap when I probably should be buying something healthier. I have enough guilt and self-loathing. Please don’t make me bring it to the movies too.
1400 calories - gulp! I get popcorn but without butter? Does that make a difference? I hate getting my hands all buttery during the movie!
We went to the movies not too long ago (True Grit) and it was at one of these newfangled theatres that serve food with waitresses etc with big roomy chairs that recline. It was okay, a nice novelty to be able to buy a beer (newly available in theatres in NJ, I think, we never could do it when I was younger) and lie back and watch a movie - in a theatre and have a waitress come when you push a button. Not bad but now how I want to go to the movies everytime. I still prefer the old fashioned theatres…
“Value Tub” its the best 1400 calories in the world! I rarely go to the movies and when I’m there I want real popcorn, lots of butter or whatever that “golden topping” stuff is, and I want to share it with a friend or loved one and think about the movie-not the calories. When I share I’m actually consuming only 500-600 crap calories so who cares… The food police should go someplace else where they’re actually needed.
XXOO Kat
Amber and Mia and Kat - I agree! Leave me to my guilty pleasure! What am I supposed to eat while watching a movie? Broccoli? C’mon! The only time I eat popcorn, with or without butter, is at a movie theater and I go maybe 2-3 times a year. As if anybody in this country is going to a movie theater to eat healthy! There are other health reasons to watch movies tho! Entertainment in all forms has a great deal to offer in terms of physical and emotional well-being. Buttered popcorn is a big part of that!
Julie - I’ve wondered about those kinds of theaters. I think they’d detract from the privacy of my movie-watching experience. I think the 1400 calories is a large tub of buttered popcorn.
Movies are a treat so I treat myself lol. Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend!
BK
BK - ICAM! When I’m treating myself to something, I can’t look for the sin…if I’m going to worry about it, then why do it?
It’s the government’s desperate attempt to reduce loss of tax dollars toward healthcare. I think most people ignore those notices anyway. Movies are a nice treat so we want to indulge on the whole experience.
I sneak water in too, lol.
I love buttered popcorn…but I know that the “butter” in movie popcorn is butter-flavored oil. I seldom buy anything at the movies, and do love to smuggle in my treats. I usually go to the supermarket and buy a couple half-pound bags of whatever cranks my engine…maybe dried banana slices or cashews or those gummie peach slices? Then I haul them out and divvy them up with the people who came with me (usually the grandkids). And I thought the juice box idea was great, Julia. I usually smuggled in bottled sodas. You should SEE my “movie purse”! I could get a hernia lugging it in. LOL!
Definitely, Evie. And things will get worse - healthcare dollars will become increasingly scarce.
Fran - LMAO! I want to see your purse! Yeah, I know it’s greasy butter-flavored oil, usually, but still, it’s tradition!
I wish they sold microwave popcorn as an alternative. And I wouldn’t mind good trail mix. I always feel so guilty with my raisinettes
Steph, bring your own in your purse! Or just buy a small. Our theater sells trail mix. My grandmother always bought me a box of Raisinettes at the movies!
I love movie food, well popcorn…I know it is so bad for you but since I do not go to the movies very often it is my one treat…
Movie food? Make that a large lightly buttered popcorn, diet coke, and a bag of peanut m and m’s. Health foods at the theatre? Choke choke, wait while I hack up that furr ball.