Fright Night: Attack of the Giant Movie Snacks!
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Shawn McKee
eDiets Staff Writer
The lights dim, the projector cranks and illuminates the dark theater, the movie is about to begin, but first...
Let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby, let's all go to the lobby-y-y... to get ourselves a treat!
The infectious jingle burrows into your soul and, suddenly, you're humming it in the lobby and getting yourself a treat. But beware of gorging yourself on gummy worms, popcorn and Reese's Pieces; you may be taking in much more than just a motion picture.
You could be adding loads of unwanted fat and calories to your diet. Don't let a bad movie throw an unnecessary plot twist into your regularly formulaic diet story.
Popcorn at the movies is an American classic, but obesity is looking to run the closing credits on this feature. With the size of popcorn and soda at the theaters in a state of seemingly constant growth, not to mention the prices increasing faster than the national debt, a small soda and regular popcorn can empty your pockets and expand your waistline faster than you can say, "Juju Fruits."
The sizes can be misleading: A small soda is usually 16 ounces, medium is in the vicinity of 32 ounces, and a large is roughly the size of a kiddie pool. Industry insiders suggest that this is because people will pay more for something if they are getting more perceived value.
So theaters will continue to increase prices -- and when patron complaints become too much to ignore -- they increase size. And when they can't make something any bigger, they give you a free refill.
That's right, numerous theaters are offering free refills on their large-size popcorn and cola. If three gallons of Mello Yellow and 15 pounds of buttery popcorn aren't enough to tide you over for the next 90 minutes, get a free refill and have your daily recommended allowance of fat and calories for the next few days in one sitting.
Lights, Camera, Distraction!
Nutritionist Susan Burke explains this movie of the week -- inspired by a true story -- as a force of habit. According to Susan, people associate popcorn and candy with movies and may feel deprived without it, even if they just came from dinner.
"Movie popcorn is full of hydrogenated fat and salt and can add more than a thousand calories to your daily intake," explains Susan, who recommends you ask yourself, "Do you buy popcorn because you're hungry or because it's the movies?"
The movies, like eating in front of the TV, can easily "trigger" overeating because you're not thinking about what you're doing she says. In the cover of a dark theater, no one sees you shoveling Whoppers, a handful at a time, into your mouth.
Behavior modification -- one kernel at a time!
If you're an avid movie-goer, changing your screening style could be the difference between success and failure on your weight-loss program. But it takes practice, determination and a little planning to overcome big-screen gluttony.
Susan suggests going to dinner or lunch before the movie so you're not hungry, and if you must eat movie food order a small, unbuttered popcorn instead of a large, and a diet soda or water.
Or, if you feel more daring, "Bring your own snack, such as pretzels or your own trail mix," says Susan, who offers this trail mix recipe: 1 ounce almonds, 1 ounce walnuts and 1 ounce raisins. Sometimes it feels good to be bad.
Blockbuster Calories
Here are some of the hard numbers on some of your favorite theater treats. Be afraid… be very afraid.
Popcorn
Small Buttered (7 cups), 630 calories, 50g fat (Unbuttered: 400 cal, 27g fat)
Medium Buttered (16 cups), 1,220 calories, 97g fat (Unbuttered: 900 cal, 60g fat)
Large Buttered (20 cups), 1,640 calories, 126g fat (Unbuttered: 1,160 cal, 77g fat)
Candy
Reese's Pieces (8 oz), 1,200 calories, 60g fat
Skittles (6.75 oz), 765 calories, 9g fat
Twizzlers (6 oz), 600 calories, 4g fat
Goobers (3.5 oz), 525 calories, 35g fat
Milk Duds (3 oz), 340 calories, 12g fat
Junior Mints (3 oz), 320 calories, 5g fat
Avoiding the movie munchies can be stickier than the theater floor, but if you can avoid the theater's concession cash cow, you'll also manage to save a large chunk of change, as well as thousands of empty calories and saturated fat from your diet. That's a Hollywood ending you may not have seen coming.
Shawn McKee graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in Journalism and has written for The Broward and Miami New Times.
Comment: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 12:16:00 PM - 
said...
I am wondering how our movie popcorn compares to that in other parts of the world.
Does the sweet kettle corn that is served in the movie theaters of Colombia have the killer hydrogenated fat as the ones in the US?
Maybe we sould be votting for HUCKABEE so we can get the hydrogenated fat out of our diets!
Comment: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:28:00 PM - said...
Are the Nutrition Facts actually shown on the counter in the Movie Theater.
Comment: Thursday, January 24, 2008 12:06:00 AM - said...
awesome I never knew how much fat I was giving to my kids. Thank you so much. This info it's gold to me.
Comment: Sunday, February 17, 2008 7:22:00 AM - 
Sharon said...
Sharon said....
My Daughter as a teenager worked in a Movie Theater and she would come home reeking of POPCORN and other smells of a theater. The Popcorn smell though would make you so hungry that a lot of times I would make her immediately go and throw her clothes in the washing machine and she would jump in the shower to wash all that popcorn smell off herself. She said it got to where she couldn't stand popcorn anymore and in fact it was years before she ate it again. She said the theaters make most of their money at the concession stand and that is why the prices are so high. Thanks for info about the high calorie content,at the concession stand,Wow! Who Knew?!?!?!? :)
Comment: Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:22:00 AM - Laurie said...
I typically never buy anything at the movies because it's so expensive, but when I do it's a small unbuttered popcorn and a bottle of water...they usually never offer diet and caffeine free in one drink.
Comment: Sunday, February 17, 2008 1:53:00 PM - said...
I never go to the movies hungry! I usually take a baggie of my own popcorn or trail mix and a small water bottle full of my unsweetened ice tea. Saves me a bundle of money, plus healthier. I put it in my purse & leave the usual clutter at home. I can't pass up popcorn altogther ... it's like Pavolf's dog ... I begin salivating as soon as I get a whiff of the concession odors.
Comment: Sunday, February 17, 2008 6:25:00 PM - Sarah said...
I love the smell of popcorn! But the thought of all those hydrogenated fats in my system when I walk out of the theater is enough to keep me from it. Outside food and drinks aren't allowed in our theatres. I don't carry a purse, but I suppose some get through by hiding it. I usually get a cup of ice and fill it with water from the fountain. And if I really feel naughty, I get chocolate covered raisins. At least the raisens are good for you. lol
Comment: Monday, February 18, 2008 1:16:00 PM - Quasimodo said...
I've owned movie theatres for seventeen years and have probably eaten movie popcorn every single day. I never get tired of it and knowbody has ever told me I smell like it. I'm a male, 5'7" and weigh 150 pounds.
It's like anything else. Taken in moderation, it's not going to hurt you and its a nice indulgence at an occasional movie. After all, movies are supposed to be an escape.
In recent years, theatres have invested millions of dollars to build state-of-the-art multiplexes with seats of unprecedented comfort, digital sound and projection and more amenities than have been known by previous generations of moviegoers.
The film distributors garner the largest portion of box office revenues which means the enormous overhead of theatre operations fall onto the concession stand. That popcorn and pop is what built the theatre and keeps it open.
You don't have to buy our stuff. But if you insist on smuggling in your homemade trail mix and vitamin water, you should consider staying home and watching TV where I don't have to clean up after you.
The most common question asked at the concession stand is "Do you offer refills?" It's time to stop blaming others for our collective obesity and look in the mirror. I've seen the enemy, and the enemy is us.
Comment: Thursday, February 21, 2008 1:59:00 PM - ingrid said...
When I go to the movies with my boyfriend we usually get a big soft cinnamon pretzel that we share and that is it.We have learned to eat at home,then go and see a movie since it saves us the empty calories as well as the cash since we are college students.I for one do not love popcorn since I have had braces at some point and since I could not eat popcorn I got used to that so I am not a big popcorn fan,and I too bring my own water bottle because instead os buying one water bottle from the movie theater I can buy a whole case.Yet we also splurge once in a while and not everyday.
-Ingrid,from TX
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