A beloved snack that is a good dinner alternate

We all may be full of holiday cheer, but we’re also full of holiday meals. When the indulgences of the season start to catch up with us, it’s time to ditch the usual dinner for something a little more whimsical: a snack night.

When you’re snacking for dinner, popcorn can’t be beaten. It’s an ideal “main course” because it’s more filling than other snack foods and doesn’t rely on a fryer for flavour. It also can be made from scratch in minutes with no special equipment other than a large pot, and you can flavour it any which way you want.

It’s not necessary to save popcorn night for a special occasion, either. While you can certainly pair popcorn with a movie-watching evening, there is no law against making popcorn for dinner whenever the moment feels right. Don’t fight the feeling.

Popcorn is an unprocessed whole grain: In fact, it’s the combination of a starchy core inside a fibrous outer hull that makes popcorn pop. It’s also high in fibre, containing nearly 4 grams per 4-cup serving, and contains a significant amount of polyphenols that can help lower blood sugar levels and help digestion.

In addition, “popcorn is a filling snack due to the volume it takes up in your stomach, which keeps us from over-snacking,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Julien Chamoun of RDN Nutrition Counseling in New Jersey. Popcorn has been shown to be more satiating than potato chips, meaning you’ll feel fuller after eating it.

Keep in mind, however, that “although popcorn is a great healthy snack when oil gets added during the cooking process, it can double the calories and the fat,” Chamoun said. He recommends an air popper as the best method to limit the amount of oil added during cooking, but if you don’t want to spring for one, you can still make popcorn with very little oil per serving on the stovetop. 

Comment and share with us your favourite homemade popcorn recipe. 

Source: Agencies