Movie Snacks Quiz: Test Your Concession Stand IQ

The average small movie popcorn with “buttery” topping has about 600 calories, about the same as a quarter-pound cheeseburger (550 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 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 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. 

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 (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.

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.

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 450 mg of sodium, about 20% 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.