26 creative ways to break out of your popcorn rut

October 16, 2015

Popcorn makes for a delicious snack, smells fantastic, is practically essential while watching a movie, naturally low in calories, and a good source of fiber and antioxidants.

For those reasons and more, I think that I will have a lifelong love affair with popcorn.

Most of us are used to microwave popcorn or movie theater popcorn that is covered in butter or oil (sometimes both!), but there is actually a whole other world of possibilities beyond traditional popcorn.

Did you know that there are even different types of kernels?

Yellow kernels are most often used in movie theaters because they pop larger than white kernels and have a bit more natural flavor. Speaking of white kernels, they result in popcorn that is just slightly higher in calories, but they also provide more fiber per serving. I personally enjoy tricolor kernels because they usually result in a bowl of fluffy light popcorn with a bit of crunch. Whatever kernels you prefer, just choose organic when possible.

I like to flavor my plain air-popped popcorn with toppings, such as olive oil, coconut oil, cayenne pepper, raw honey, sriracha, coconut sugar, cinnamon, paprika, sea salt, pepper, carob chips, and garlic salt. It can be a lot of fun to mix things up, discover new combinations, and get a little bit creative.

If you’re the type of person who prefers to follow a recipe, try one of these 26 ways to flavor your popcorn. You’ll never want to eat microwave popcorn again!