Beware Movie Theater Foods...
The Center for Science for Public Interest isn't surprising anyone with a new study that finds -- shocker! -- movie theater foods are bad for you.
Let's all go to the lobby! Let's all go to the lobby! Let's all go to the lobby ... to have ourselves a heart attack.
Anyone with a little common sense knows that gigantic tubs of greasy buttered popcorn, large sodas, and candy bars turned into boxes is more treats than eats. But just how bad is it?
According to CSPI's findings, a typical value combo of a medium popcorn and soda contains as many calories and grams of saturated fat as three Quarter Pounders slathered with 12 pats of butter. Anyone else feel a little queasy just reading that?
The consumer group compared calorie content of popular snacks at the country's three largest movie theater chains: Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. What they found was that not only are movie theater snacks outrageously high in fat and calories, the nutritional information that's available to consumers is often inaccurate. For instance, though Regal claimed it's medium popcorn should contain 720 calories, it actually was more like 1,200.
Says CSPI senior nutritionist Jayne Hurley:
"Regal and AMC are our nominees for Best Supporting Actor in the Obesity Epidemic, Who expects about 1,500 calories and three days' worth of heart-stopping fat in a popcorn and soda combo? That's the saturated fat of a stick of butter and the calories of two sticks of butter. You might think you're getting Bambi, but you're really getting Godzilla."
(That's why I love CSPI. Their snark is almost as good as their science.)
Since bringing in your own healthy snacks just isn't allowed, and since movie theaters are unlikely to be installing salad bars anytime soon, you're left with two options:
Get a Netflix subscription so you can watch movies at home while filling up on healthy treats like carrots and hummus or low-fat popcorn. Or you can -- gasp! -- not eat while you're at the movies. I know it sounds extreme, but since most movies run just 90-120 minutes, you'll probably be okay. Let the movie entertain you, not your mouth.
Maybe if fewer of us actually bought the heavily buttered popcorn, movie theaters would get the hint and start serving up healthier fare.
What do you think?
Not much of a surprise really! :) In Sydney you can take your own snacks and drinks into the movies, as long as it's not hot food or drinks.
I went to the movies last night and took in my bottle of water and some almonds to mindlessly munch on. Couldn't you do the same in US cimemas?
ReplyYeah they don't seem to mind when you bring your own food in here Canada - which is strange as concessions is where the theatres make their money.
What's even more shocking than the astronomical calorie counts is how freaking expensive it is to buy things at the theatre. Over $6 now for a SMALL bag of popcorn that costs what? $.04 to make?
Also, when I was a teenager/kid, you could buy popcorn, pop and maybe some nibs or m&m's. Now they have taco bell's, pizza places and a variety of hot foods like nachos (with the yet-to-be identified orange/yellow substance on it).
The full Nutrition Action article is quite eye-opening (although as mentioned not terribly surprising). It's their best issue this year IMO.
ReplyIt appears they're charging per Calorie. ;)
ReplyThis is great for you there!! They seem to be checking less here even though you are not supposed to take stuff in. With the cost of movies & their food, they just seem to let me walk in with my bag & not check to see what is in it which is good cause I do bring in my own stuff!
ReplyOur theater never checks anyone because they probably know that most people take their own candy and sodas in. I have a big messenger bag that I sneak stuff in with and they never care.
ReplyMovie theater food has never been and never will be considered "healthy". Besides being loaded with calories, it's also a huge ripoff, which is why we never buy snacks at the movies. We smuggle in diet soda and chew gum during the movie because we refuse to shell out $6 for a stupid thing of popcorn.
ReplyWe take food in too - the cinema doesn't seem to mind at all! If I want popcorn, it's so much cheaper to have a mini bag from a supermarket than buy an overpriced giant tub that I'll never finish.
ReplyIt's amazing how the habit of eating in the cinema is pretty rear in Europe, at least where I live. When I go the movies I usually don't even think about eating there, I usually get a drink but I mean...isn't all that messy eating and noisy package disturbing. But of course that probably is the difference between America and Europe. Nothing is too uncomfortable when it comes to food in America.
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