A favorite spot for candy, popcorn, and soft drinks: It is too bad that snacks you can't see in a dark movie theater still count for calories. And snacks at the theater are really high in price and low in nutrition.
To keep temptation under control, make sure that you eat before going to the theater so you can resist the wafting aroma of butter-flavored popcorn, and shop the entire concessions stand before making your pick. Remember that most packages and containers contain at least two calorie-conscious portions.
Movie theater popcorn is popped in oil, squirted with melted butter, and heavily salted, turning healthy into high calorie.
How to be calorie-wise at the movie theatre:
1. Bring an empty plastic sandwich or snack bag to the theater. Count out calorie-conscious portion, place it in the plastic bag, and then either put away the rest of the bag or share it with someone. Otherwise, you're apt to either lose count of how many pieces you've eaten or continue eating past your limit.
2. Eat candy pieces one at a time and pause for a few minutes between pieces. You will enjoy the flavor more.
3. Drink only water and other calorie-free beverages. Soft drink portions are overly large, and calories from liquids are not as filling as calories from food.
4. Choose the smaller package size over the better deal. It's difficult to know just how much you're eating when sharing a huge bucket of popcorn or tray of nachos. Even smarter: Buy the "kid-size" portion.
Bite-wise calories
If you're at a theater that sells loose candy by the pound, use this guide to piece-by-piece calories, and keep total weight at around 3 ounces.
1 Raisinet 3.6 calories
1 Reese's Piece 3.8 calories
1 Good & Plenty 4 calories
1 M& M 4.5 calories
1 Sour Patch Kid 9.5 calories
1 Whopper 10 calories
1 Peanut M& M 13 calories
1 Crunch Dib 13 calories
1 Milk Dud 13 calories
1 Red Twizzler 32.5 calories
CANDY
REESE'S PIECES (4 OZ BOX)
158 pieces (1 box): 600 calories
105 pieces (2/3 box): 400 calories
40 pieces (¼ box): 150 calories
GOOD & PLENTY (6 OZ BOX)
150 pieces (1 box): 600 calories
100 pieces (2/3 box): 400 calories
38 pieces (¼ box): 150 calories
WHOPPERS (2 3/4 OZ BOX)
32 pieces (1 box): 320 calories
40 pieces (1 ¼ boxes): 400 calories
16 pieces (½ box): 160 calories
RAISINETS (3½ OZ BOX)
105 pieces (1 box): 380 calories
105 pieces (1 box): 380 calories
52 pieces (½ box): 190 calories
SOUR PATCH KIDS (3½ OZ BOX)
39 pieces (1 box): 370 calories
43 pieces (1 1/10 boxes): 405 calories
20 pieces (½ box): 190 calories
SKITTLES (7.2 OZ BAG)
200 pieces (1 bag): 810 calories
100 pieces (½ bag): 405 calories
50 pieces (¼ bag): 200 calories
HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK CHOCOLATE (6.8 OZ BAR)
14 blocks (1 bar): 790 calories
7 blocks (½ bar): 395 calories
314 blocks (¼ bar): 200 calories
M& MS (5.3 OZ BAG)
180 pieces (1 bag): 810 calories
90 pieces (½ bag): 405 calories
45 pieces (¼ bag): 200 calories
DOTS (7½ OZ BOX)
68 pieces (1 box): 800 calories
34 pieces (14 box): 400 calories
17 pieces (¼ box): 200 calories
PEANUT M& MS (5.3 OZ BAG)
64 pieces (1 bag): 830 calories
32 pieces (½ bag): 415 calories
16 pieces (¼ bag): 210 calories
TWIZZLERS BLACK LICORICE (7 OZ PACKAGE)
22 pieces (1 package): 830 calories
11 pieces (½ package): 415 calories
5½ pieces (¼ package): 210 calories
BUTTERFINGER MINIS (3½ OZ BOX)
10 bars (1 box): 450 calories
9 bars (9/10 box): 405 calories
5 bars (½ box): 225 calories
REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS (2¼ OZ PACKAGE)
4 peanut butter cups (1 package): 440 calories
3½ peanut butter cups (7/8 package): 385 calories
2 peanut butter cups (½ package): 220 calories
JUNIOR MINTS (4 OZ BOX)
50 pieces (1 box): 540 calories
38 pieces (3/4 box): 410 calories
25 pieces (½ box): 270 calories
MIKE AND IKE (9½ OZ BOX)
176 pieces (1 box): 1,070 calories
66 pieces (3/8 box): 400 calories
44 pieces (¼ box): 270 calories
TWIZZLERS RED LICORICE (7 OZ PACKAGE)
18 pieces (1 package): 590 calories
12 pieces (2/3 package): 390 calories
9 pieces (½ package): 295 calories
MILK DUDS (5 OZ BOX)
46 pieces (1 box): 610 calories
31 pieces (2/3 box): 405 calories
23 pieces (½ box): 305 calories
Junior Mints and Reese's Pieces
25 Junior Mints
270 + 40 Reese's Pieces
150 = 420 calories
- good fats
Popcorn and Soda
½ small popcorn, no butter: 210 + 16 oz soda
200 = 410 calories
Candies made with chocolate or nuts are higher in fat than candies that are almost entirely sugar.
Some people find that chewy candies like licorice are more satisfying.
Popcorn portions vary widely, so look for information on portion size and calories before you buy.
OTHER SNACKS
SMALL BUTTERED POPCORN
1 order popcorn (7 cups) + 4 squirts butter (4 Tbsp): 830 calories
½ order popcorn (3½ cups) + 2 squirts butter (2 Tbsp): 420 calories
½ order popcorn (3½ cups), no butter: 210 calories
TORTILLA CHIPS WITH QUESO CHEESE DIP
20 chips + 1 cup dip: 920 calories
10 chips + ½ cup dip: 460 calories
5 chips + ¼ cup dip: 230 calories
PRETZEL BITES WITH CHEESE DIP
1 order (20 pieces) + 1/3 cup dip: 840 calories
½ order (10 pieces) + 2½ Tbsp dip: 420 calories
½ order (10 pieces), no dip: 300 calories
HOT DOG ON A BUN"
1 hot dog: 350 calories
1¼ hot dogs: 440 calories
1 hot dog: 350 calories
Hot Dog
1 hot dog: 350 + ¼ cup frozen lemonade
75 = 425 calories
ICE CREAM AND Beverages:
SODA
32 oz: 400 calories
32 oz: 400 calories
16 oz: 200 calories
CRUNCH DIBS (9 OZ BOX)
64 pieces (1 box): 800 calories
32 pieces (½ box): 420 calories
16 pieces (¼ box): 200 calories
SLUSH
32 oz: 440 calories
32 oz: 440 calories
16 oz: 220 calories
NESTLE FROZEN LEMONADE CUP
1 lemonade cup: 300 calories
1 1/3 lemonade cups: 400 calories
1 lemonade cup: 300 calories
HAAGEN-DAZS VANILLA AND ALMONDS ICE CREAM BAR (3 OZ)
1 bar: 310 calories
1 1/3 bars: 410 calories
1 bar: 310 calories
Ice Cream and Chocolate
16 Crunch Dibs 200 + 3½ blocks Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate 200 = 400 calories
- good fats