popcorn

It was only a matter of time before Cracker Jack branched out to offer other sweet and salty popcorn treats, but do these new additions live up to their much-beloved classic cousin? Sold in a bag rather than a box, these crunchy snacks — kettle corn and butter-toffee-coated popcorn — still include a prize in each package, making popping open a bag all the more sweet. But what really matters is how they taste; keep reading to find out if they're as addictive as the original ballpark treat.

Cracker Jack Kettle Corn

If you're looking for a new and novel take on kettle corn, these light, airy, sweet, and salty kernels aren't it, and that's just fine with us. While there was some debate amongst tasters whether the texture is just right or would benefit from a more substantial crunch, it was easy to agree that this snack isn't too sweet, unlike some kettle corns we've tried. While many wished the glaze was a hair saltier, it was a minor quibble at that.

Keep reading to get the details on Cracker Jack Butter Toffee.

Tired of blackened kernels instead of your crispy snack? There's an app for that. We're happy to present this post from our friends at Yahoo! Shine.

Ever since microwave popcorn became popular in the early 1980s, fans of the whole-grain snack have faced a familiar problem: if you don't stop the microwave at exactly the right moment, you end up with either too many tooth-shattering unpopped kernels or a bag of scorched popcorn and a smoke-filled kitchen.

Also on Shine: 25 Ways to Flavor Popcorn Without Using Salt

"Our consumer services team found that this is the most frequent difficulty that consumers have," Craig Tokusato, vice president of marketing for Diamond Foods and the person in charge of its Pop Secret popcorn division, told Yahoo! Shine in a phone interview. "It's a highly frequent and annoying problem."

Read on to learn how to pop the perfect bag of popcorn every time.

Remember when popcorn was merely a treat to eat on weekends at the movies or curled up on the couch with a Blockbuster flick? Those days are long gone. In the past year, popcorn's proven itself to be the new bar nut as well as a luxurious dessert.

We first noticed the trend at restaurants, in every application: as truffled popcorn, alongside cocktails at the bar in San Francisco's Bourbon Steak; as a flavoring agent in popcorn soup at WD-50 in New York, and as the stand-alone star at Manhattan's Populence, an entire store devoted to flavors like ginger caramel, tangy raspberry, and sweet cinnamon.

But that's not all; the volume of artisanal gourmet popcorn bubbling up in supermarket chip aisles has astounded us. Minnesota-based Angie's sells Boomchickapop sea salt popcorn, prized for its simple list of ingredients and fresh-tasting flavor. Quinn Popcorn out of Massachusetts, with its Quinn Parmesan and Rosemary popcorn, has reinvented the concept of powdered cheese on microwaveable popcorn. And California's 479º Popcorn offers flavors like Fleur de Sel Caramel (trust us: kettle corn's got nothing on this stuff).

We're happy the puffed grain has hit the mainstream food circuit in a major way and have no qualms (yet!) about the exotic riffs in unlikely spots that we're seeing. But tell us; how do you feel about the burgeoning popcorn trend?

We're huge fans of Boomchickapop, the sea salt popcorn made by Angie's Popcorn, and we couldn't wait to pop open the brand's latest Holidrizzle kettle corn flavors Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt and White Chocolatier Peppermint, recently released for the holiday season. These snacks are made from non-GMO corn and sweetened without high-fructose corn syrup. Keep reading to see if our tasters found these flavors as addictive as the original.

There is nothing better than a night spent at home with a few friends, a classic movie, and, of course, good food! If you have the movie picked but are still unsure about the menu, we have you covered. With everything from fizzy cream soda to homemade pizza, we've created a refined twist on traditional movie-theater favorites, so you can fine dine at home.

Caramelized Coconut Popcorn
All movie nights need a big bowl of popcorn to munch on. For a tropical twist on this typically buttery snack, try popping it in coconut oil. If you love the sweetness of kettle corn, then add a few spoonfuls of sugar before you start popping, and finish it with salt. The coconut oil complements the caramelized sugar in such a way that will make you rethink ever buying the theater stuff again.

Cream Soda
No movie is complete without a big, fizzy soda to wash down all that popcorn. With this cream soda recipe, you can easily make your own batch of vanilla simple syrup to stir into soda. If you're looking for an adult version, then splash a jigger of vodka into the cream soda.

Nacho Bites
It's tough to resist a warm, gooey queso dip at the theater, but since you'll be viewing from home, try these nacho bites for a similar satisfaction without mess. Unlike the typical, waxy theater cheese, these bites are loaded with a mixture of cilantro salsa and creamy goat cheese. Top with a dollop of guacamole for the perfect finger food.

Classic Homemade Pizza
Rather than settle on the ordinary delivery, try making your own pizza dough and topping it with your choice of veggies and meats.

Spanish Pizza Topped With Swiss Chard and Walnuts
Since this is a refined movie night, after all, consider topping some of those pizza crusts with unusual ingredients like swiss chard and walnuts, like in this Spanish-style pizza.

When you're in the mood for a crunchy snack, based on a recent study, you may want to reach for popcorn. This new study found that popcorn contains high levels of disease-fighting antioxidants — higher concentrations than those found in certain fruits and vegetables.

Researchers found that popcorn contains disease-fighting polyphenols in the center, or the hull, of popped kernels. This latest study, funded in part by a popcorn company, confirms older reports that popcorn (along with other whole grains) contains high levels of antioxidants; popcorn, in fact, has the highest levels of polyphenols when compared to other snack foods.

The study may give you reasons to snack on popcorn, but it's not reason to go overboard. For one, the researchers of the study aren't completely sure whether or not the the human digestive system is capable of absorbing the antioxidants found in popcorn. Not only that, but you should be careful with the type of popcorn you eat; the amount of fat and calories in movie theater popcorn, for example, outweigh any of the possible small disease-fighting benefits from the popcorn.

In any case, popcorn is already known as a good low-calorie snacking option when done right. That doesn't mean you should substitute a bowl of popcorn for fruits and vegetables (you'll be missing out on key vitamins and nutrients if you do), but if you're in the mood for a crunchy snack, here's how to make popcorn to keep it healthy and satisfying.

Source: Flickr User cyclonebill