At the cinema, for a long time when it comes to snacks, it was always a choice of a hot dog; a mini ice cream tub; pick and mix or bags of sweets and popcorn!
Times have changed, with more choice becoming available. Hot dogs are still on a menu but nachos are becoming as popular, for example.
Sweets are still there of course, my cinema has done away with the Pick N Mix option though.
The tubs of ice cream are still available but more cinemas will now have a specific brand such as Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s to give you more variety and flavours than just a pot of vanilla.
However, the biggest makeover appears to have hit popcorn, long gone are the days of it being only available in Sweet; Salted or pre-bagged toffee popcorn.
With the product being what it is said, just corn popped, it can actually be low in calories, so can be one of the actual healthier snacks to eat at the cinema.
If the healthy option is what you are looking for, this article from About Time has some ideas of how to make your movie treat time healthier. http://www.abouttimemagazine.co.uk/london/healthy-snacks-the-cinema-guide/
But, on basis that Popcorn is low in calories, it has become one of the products that’s had the biggest makeover. No longer are you restricted to 3 choices, now it comes in all sorts of flavours!
Take a look at some of these flavours:
From Butterkist: (http://www.butterkist.co.uk/)
Hickory BBQ pork
Sweet Chilli and Zesty Lime
Salted Caramel
They even did a gingerbread flavour at Christmas and a green coloured popcorn for Halloween
From Propercorn (https://www.propercorn.com/popcorn/)
Sweet coconut and vanilla
Smooth Peanut and Almond
Fiery Worcester Sauce and Sun Dried Tomato
We tend to shop at Tesco and even they have picked up on this new trend offering in their finest range:
Toffee Nut Latte
Mango and Coconut
Peppermint Cream
This list could go on forever, we have this week from Portlebay Popcorn,a Lemon Sherbet flavour, but they also do:
Cinnamon Swirl
Mixed Berry
Smoked Cheddar
Bacon and Maple Syrup and more, see their full range at http://www.portlebaypopcorn.com/flavours.php
We also like the idea of themed popcorn! Joe and Seph’s gourmet popcorn have made a Frobscottle popcorn to promote The BFG movie https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/news/the-bfg-frobscottle-popcorn
Of course, the real issue for consumers doesn’t seem to be the range but the price of snacks at cinemas, yet this is how we get to see films on the big screen, as incredibly the films themselves only bring in 20-30% of the cinema revenue.
Advertising and snacks is therefore where the money is made (https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/why-movie-theater-food-is-so-expensive)
But what about you? Do you like snacks when watching a movie? Have you tried any odd popcorn flavours? What snacks would you like to see in cinemas?
We would love to hear from you here at barking mad about films.
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