Movie Snacks Quiz: Test Your Concession Stand IQ
The average small movie popcorn with “buttery” topping contains about as many calories as:
A milk chocolate candy bar
A slice of thin-crust cheese pizza
A slice of cheesecake
A quarter-pound cheeseburger
The average small movie popcorn with “buttery” topping contains about as many calories as:
The average small movie popcorn with “buttery” topping has about 600 calories, about a hundred calories more than a quarter-pound cheeseburger (510 calories). You could have three slices of thin-crust cheese pizza or three milk chocolate candy bars for about the same number of calories. A slice of cheesecake has about 410 calories.
The average large movie popcorn with “buttery" topping contains about as many calories as:
A small thick-crust pepperoni pizza and a can of soda
2 cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and a slice of garlic bread
Two large pieces of fried chicken, 1 cup of mashed potatoes, and a 16-oz. soda
The average large movie popcorn with “buttery" topping contains about as many calories as:
The average large movie popcorn with “buttery” topping has about 1,270 calories, which is about the same as two large pieces of fried chicken (800 calories), a cup of mashed potatoes (230), and a 16-oz. soda (200). Two cups of spaghetti with meat sauce and a slice of garlic bread contain about 800 calories together, and a small thick-crust pepperoni pizza with a can of soda has about 940 calories.
A large soda and large popcorn with “buttery” topping account for what percentage of a full day’s recommended daily allowance of calories, based on a 2,000-calorie diet?
55%
65%
75%
85%
A large soda and large popcorn with “buttery” topping account for what percentage of a full day’s recommended daily allowance of calories, based on a 2,000-calorie diet?
A combo with a large soda (48 oz.) and a large popcorn with "buttery" topping has about 1,700 calories, which is about 85% of the daily allowance for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Movie theaters are required by the FDA to post calorie counts.
True
False
Movie theaters are required by the FDA to post calorie counts.
In November 2014, the FDA said that movie theaters will now have to post calorie counts on their menus. So no more guessing. The rule applies to food establishments with 20 or more locations, including fast food chains, amusement parks, and bowling alleys.
An average small movie soda has about how many teaspoons of sugar?
3
7
10
14
An average small movie soda has about how many teaspoons of sugar?
An average small movie soda (23 oz.) has about 14 teaspoons of sugar and a little over 290 calories. An average large movie soda (47 oz.) has almost 34 teaspoons of sugar and 606 calories.
Splitting an average small unbuttered popcorn with a friend would give you about the same number of calories as:
Half a cup of cottage cheese
An 8-oz. container of flavored whole-milk yogurt
18 cashews (about 1 oz.)
A hard-boiled egg
Splitting an average small unbuttered popcorn with a friend would give you about the same number of calories as:
If you’re trying to watch your calories at the movies and decide to split a small unbuttered popcorn with a friend, you’ll each get about the same number of calories as you would from an 8-oz. container of flavored whole-milk yogurt, which has about 230 calories. Half a cup of cottage cheese has about 110 calories, 18 cashews (about 1 oz.) have 165 calories, and a hard-boiled egg has about 80 calories.
To make movie popcorn a healthy snack, all you have to do is ask for unbuttered popcorn.
True
False
To make movie popcorn a healthy snack, all you have to do is ask for unbuttered popcorn.
Plain popcorn is a whole grain and a healthy snack, and requesting unbuttered movie popcorn is a good start, but salt and oil can be a problem. An average small popcorn contains about 671 mg of sodium, about 29% of the recommended daily amount.
A small movie popcorn also has about 27 grams of saturated fat if it’s popped in coconut oil; if the theater chain uses non-hydrogenated canola oil, that takes the saturated fat content down to 2 grams.
The size of a medium tub of popcorn can vary by as many as 10 cups, depending on the theater chain.
True
False
The size of a medium tub of popcorn can vary by as many as 10 cups, depending on the theater chain.
One theater chain’s version of a medium tub of popcorn might contain 10 cups, while another’s might have up to 20. It’s worth checking out the sizes before you order.
The size of a medium soda can vary by how many ounces, depending on the theater chain?
8 oz.
10 oz.
12 oz.
14 oz.
The size of a medium soda can vary by how many ounces, depending on the theater chain?
One theater chain’s medium soda can be 32 oz., while another’s is 44 oz., and the size of a small can vary even more. For example, one chain’s small soda might be 16 oz., while another’s is double that at 32 oz.
Which of the following movie candies has the fewest calories?
Chocolate-covered caramels
Chocolate-covered mints
Chocolate-covered peanut butter pieces
Chocolate-covered raisins
Which of the following movie candies has the fewest calories?
If you have a craving for chocolate at the movies but you’re counting calories, a 3 oz. bag of chocolate-covered caramels, at 370 calories, may be your best bet. A 3.5 oz. bag of chocolate-covered raisins has 420 calories, a 4.8 oz. bag of chocolate-covered mints has 570 calories, and a 4 oz. bag of chocolate-covered peanut butter pieces has 580 calories. There is another option; nutrition also varies by brand. If the chocolate covered peanut butter is a 4 oz bag of Reese's Pieces, it would be the best buy at 200 dalories.
One reason people may load up on calories at the movies is:
It’s a habit
It’s mindless eating
The large combo deals are more economical
All of the above
One reason people may load up on calories at the movies is:
There are many reasons it can be difficult to watch your calories at a theater. Getting buttered popcorn and a soda at the movies is a habit that can be hard for many of us to break. Another problem is mindless eating; if you’re not paying attention to what you’re eating while you’re engrossed in special effects or a riveting drama, you may finish off that large tub of popcorn (that you planned to share) without realizing it.
Also, theater chains usually make it more economical to get larger sizes as part of a combination deal (a large popcorn with a large soda, for example), which can lead to your eating more than you’d planned.
One way to cut down on calories at the theater is to:
Share with a friend
Have dinner before you go
Request unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
Do all of the above
One way to cut down on calories at the theater is to:
Having dinner before the movie, instead of after it, can help curb hunger. But if watching a movie just isn’t the same without popcorn, you can share with a friend and request that it be unbuttered and unsalted. Some theaters offer more healthy snack options, such as bottled water and trail mix or even hummus with veggies and pita chips, so check out all your options before ordering.