A Poppin' Blog Post

Hey, Popcorn People!

It’s National Popcorn Day! In the past, we’ve celebrated this and another popcorn-related holiday by discussing all the different flavors that are out there as well as taking an in-depth look at the scientific explanation of the explosive behavior of popcorn kernels.

When we think about heading to the movie theater, we tend to think about popcorn! Cinema and this salty treat seem to go hand-in-hand, but it wasn’t always the case. Today, we’ll learn some interesting tidbits about popcorn and its role in the theater throughout the ages.

It may surprise you to know that movie theaters initially didn’t allow popcorn. Theaters of the 1920's and 30's were built to architectural perfection and their proud owners considered popcorn to be too messy a snack to let people munch on inside their beautiful theaters in fear that the carpets and seating would be damaged. Considering how sticky the floors are in our current-day theaters, they may have had the right idea. 

Despite that the theater owners didn't permit popcorn, popcorn proved to be an unavoidable presence. As the Great Depression set in, inexpensive things grew wildly in popularity. Throughout the 30’s, people found that movies were cheap and popcorn was cheap. People kept sneaking this forbidden snack into the movie rooms with them until the owners finally realized they couldn’t stop people from bringing in their own popcorn, but they could at least make it at the theater and make profits. 

Everyone knows movie popcorn is horribly unhealthy for us which could lead one to assume that popcorn is an unhealthy snack. But actually, it’s all the toppings that they put on the popcorn that makes it unhealthy—it’s the oil the popcorn is cooked in, it’s the butter that’s drizzled on top, it’s the excessive garlic/salt that’s dumped on top. With the proper, light spicing, popcorn is actually an incredibly healthy snack.

Enjoy popcorn in whatever way you like it best—maybe with a good movie playing while you snack—and have a great National Popcorn Day! As, always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John