The party planning was much simpler than you thought. With twins graduating from high school you were afraid about how difficult and how expensive their graduation party might be. Your son and daughter surprised you, however, when they said that they wanted to have a casual event and show a movie in the backyard. With a request for several kinds of gourmet popcorn flavors and other favorite movie theater snacks, the food was a piece of cake. Not all of the guests stayed for the late night movie that did not start until it was dark enough to see the outdoor screen, but you were impressed with the number of high schoolers who were willing to spend a Saturday night on graduation weekend with a group of parents and other family friends and relatives.
The flavored popcorn that was everyone’s favorite were the two colors of kettle corn that featured the high school colors, and the twins insisted that everyone be able to take gourmet popcorn gifts for the road with the clever message tag that thanked the guests for popping by.
Popcorn Is a Popular Snack at Any Event
Popcorn first became a movie theater staple in the 1930s. At that time it sold for just five cents a bag, an affordable Depression Era snack. Since then, of course, the price for popcorn at the theater has skyrocketed and there are more and more people who are opting for the smallest sizes in an effort to save a little money if they are watching movies at the prime time shows. In the summer, however, there are a number of theaters that offer discounted prices, as well as discounted popcorn at drinks, one day a week or every day before noon.
A number of people who like the taste of movie theater popcorn at home invest in their own home popcorn machine so that they can serve their family and friends an affordable snack while entertaining. For popcorn enthusiasts who like a variety of flavored popcorns instead of butter, there are gourmet popcorn shops that offer as many as 30 or 40 flavors at any one time.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the gourmet and flavored popcorn industry and the impact that it has on the nation’s economy:
- Consumed in places like stadiums and theaters, 30% of popcorn is eaten away from home.
- Nearly 1 billion pounds of popcorn are grown every year in the U.S.
- Popcorn is very high in polyphenols, as well as healthy antioxidants found in vegetables and nuts, with over 300mg for a single serving of popcorn
- 42 quarts is the average amount of popcorn that an American consumes every year.
- One serving, which is equivalent to five cups of plain popcorn, contains just 150 calories, and provides 70% of the recommended daily intake of whole grains. As a result plain popcorn is a popular diet food.
- Ready-to-eat popcorn accounts for 67% of growth in the U.S. popcorn industry, despite being only 15% of sales by weight.
- While popping, popcorn kernels expand 35 to 38 times their size.
- Dating back 5600 years, the oldest known popcorn was discovered in Mexico.
Whether you are planning a graduation party for your high school twins or you are hosting a gathering at work, popcorn is a very versatile snack. In its simplest form, plan popcorn is a filling snack that many dieters like because it has few calories. Available in a number of flavors and colors, you can literally find a colored or flavored popcorn to meet the needs of any event. From school colors to favorite flavors, it might be time for you to start the taste testing process to see what kind of popcorn you are going to serve at your next gathering!