Which popcorn is best?

The popcorn range on our supermarket shelves has expanded it seems this year. I have reviewed a number of different brands to show which is the best choice, with Messy Monkeys coming out on top.  Read on to find out why.
Of course popping corn yourself and giving to the kids in reusable containers saves you money, reduces packaging, and will almost certainly be lower in fat and salt.
These popcorn brands do provide some fibre at around 8-9% and a slightly better choice for kids' lunch boxes than chips.
Just to compare:

• Messy Monkeys popcorn has 9% fibre, 22% fat and 350mg sodium per 100g.
• Grain Waves chips have 6% fibre, 21% fat, and 390mg sodium.
• Smith's crisps have 3% fibre, 34% fat, and 550mg sodium.

Remember we are aiming for <10% fat and <120mg sodium per 100g, although no popcorn comes close to these guides!
Messy Monkeys Lightly Salted Popcorn has the lowest fat and salt that I have looked at.

Before Messy Monkeys appeared at my IGA I was buying Sunbites popcorn as it was lower in fat and sodium than other brands. This one has 21% fat and 500mg sodium.

​The next brands of popcorn are similar- Snackers and Cool Pak. They have 26% fat and 700mg sodium.

This pack of Cobs popcorn has 3 flavours inside- all with 23% fat and 300mg sodium. However the "Lightly Salted, Slightly Sweet" packet has 16% sugar. All the other savoury popcorns I looked at have only 0.1-2% sugar.

The Perfect Pop by Community Co is an IGA brand. It had the highest fat at 44% (and it certainly tasted buttery!) and 470mg of sodium per 100g. This popcorn wasn't packaged in individual bags.
So next time you are looking for kids' snacks compare the fat and sodium and choose the lowest you can find! If you have the time, popping corn yourself is healthier and will save you money and reduce the need for single-use packaging.