Syracuse (Consumer Reports) -- With the Oscars coming up lots of people are heading to the movies to catch up on the must-see contenders. That means more temptation to munch on jumbo-sized snacks of popcorn, soda, and more. You might not think twice before indulging at the snack bar. But Consumer Reports says maybe you should.
Consumer Reports tested the nutritional profile of snacks from three national movie chains near its New York headquarters—AMC, National Amusements, and Regal.
They analyzed the largest available sizes of nachos with cheese, pretzel pieces with cheese, and of course popcorn, with and without butter. No shocker: The results are not pretty. The portion sizes varied, but here’s an estimate of what you can expect. A serving of large pretzel pieces with cheese had as much as half a day’s calories and fat and more than a day’s worth of sodium! And forget about the nachos with cheese unless you want a large helping of fat — most had about 40 to 50 grams.
Everyone’s favorite, a large tub of buttered popcorn and a large Coke, can give you up to 2,000 calories—that’s a full day’s worth. And the sugars in a large or jumbo soda are anywhere from 24 to 44 teaspoons!
Consumer Reports’ advice: If you want to buy a drink, choose diet soda, seltzer, or even just plain water, and if you want a snack, buy the smallest size you can and share it with a friend.
If you crave popcorn while watching movies at home, Consumer Reports recommends going for air-popped popcorn or trying a light microwavable product For example, Orville Redenbacher Light popcorn has just 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 190 milligrams of sodium per serving.
