Cara Cunningham, MINDI, Community Dietitian
The Oscars last week may have sparked your interest in a trip to the movies, but beware, you may not have opted to see a horror movie but watch out for the cinema snacks which certainly can make a horror out of your trip.
The Food Standards Agency wrote about their concerns regarding the portion sizes of snack foods sold in cinemas which are often high in fat, sugar or salt. There is a myth that popcorn is healthy, and virtually calorie free. But there is definitely depends on the serving sizes and what topping is added.
‘The Times’ in a recent article tested the calorie content of a large sweet popcorn weighing 375g from a central London cinema it came out at a whopping 1,800 calories. This is a huge calorie content for a ‘snack’ when you remember that a woman’s total calorie need for the day is 2,000, while a man’s is 2,500.
So when you are going to the cinema here are some quick tips for being healthier.
Walk to get there – burning off some calories on the way and the way home!
Downsize your snack food – buy normal sized chocolate bars rather than the super sized versions.
Share snacks between friends or family – a good way to save some euros too.
Concentrate on the movie – all that munching is not good for hearing what is going on.
Go to a really scary movie – jumping with fright might mean some of the snacks are lost to the floor!
So if you are off to the cinema, noting the tips above will allow for a more healthy experience for your waistline.
For more information or for more information on diet and nutrition, please contact:
The Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster Tel: (044 ) 9395518 or email [email protected].
