Recipe: Home-made Microwave Popcorn

Not only is microwave popcorn unhealthy, but it is also expensive! Using Wegman’s prices, their store brand microwave popcorn (19.8oz) retails at $2.59. To go brand-name, Orville Redenbacher’s 15oz. microwave popcorn is $3.59.

Now, compare both of these to a 2lb (32 oz) bag of Jolly Time Popcorn Kernels that sells for $1.59!

That is a huge difference! But wait…. are you wondering about the butter, salt and the bags? All of those combined will cost you about a penny/serving plus you probably already have butter and salt on hand. The bags? Just pick up a 100ct package of lunch bags for $1.99. And to actually make the popcorn? Well, that’s easy peasy.

Making the popcorn

Need:
1 paper lunch bag
1/3C popcorn kernels
Table salt (or popcorn salt)
Butter
Parmesan cheese or other flavors (optional)

What you do:

1. Measure out 1/3C of popcorn kernels (serves two people) and put into the paper bag.
2. Fold the top of the paper bag down two times. Make sure it’s a pretty tight seal.
3. Microwave the bag for about 2 minutes (varies by microwave).
4. Once done, remove from microwave and open the bag.
5. Fill a small prep bowl with 1T of butter and melt in the microwave.
6. When melted, pour the butter over the popcorn (still in the bag) then pour two shakes (or so) of table salt into the bag. Add cheese/additional flavors if you’d like.
7. Close bag and shake shake shake.
8. Pour into bowl and eat eat eat.

You can even re-use the bags if you pour the popcorn into a bowl first and just put the butter and salt onto it there. But I do think that shaking it in the bag covers all the popcorn better and gives it more of the “microwave popcorn” effect. This process is soooo easy and tastes really good! Especially since you can adjust how much butter, salt and other flavors you add. I love sprinkling some parmesan on mine.

Also, the 2lb bag of popcorn kernels lasts forever!