Trader Joe's Baconesque White Cheddar Popcorn

I picked up a bag of the Trader Joe's Baconesque White Cheddar Popcorn going into it knowing the outcome could truly only go one of two ways. I've tried a number of bacon flavored products down the line and I've learned they either go down a delicious path or a rather disgusting one.

Opening the bag off the bat I didn't notice any real noticeable smells. There wasn't a bacon essence perfuming out of the bag, let alone was there much of a white cheddar flavor coming out of the bag. It smelled like regular ole popcorn. But upon first bite there really was a "baconesque" flavor there (while there not being any real bacon in the product), along with a white cheddar flavor. It doesn't taste like you threw a piece of bacon and popcorn in your mouth at the same time. It has that smoky flavor that comes with bacon, without being overwhelming on the senses. The white cheddar flavor is there and it comes into play in the background, really sealing the two flavors together as one.

Trader Joe's certainly hit the nail on the head with this product and certainly hit it out of the park. It's undoubtedly delicious and quite truly addicting. It's a great snack which is flavorful and enjoyable. The popcorn has a crunch to it while also having that classic white cheddar popcorn softness. Love at first bite? I'd say so...

A serving, 1 ounce (roughly 2 cups) is 160 calories or 4 points plus values.

Angie's Sweet & Spicy Kettle Corn

I spotted and picked up a bag of Angie's Sweet & Spicy Kettle Corn one day on a day trip to Maine with family. I was surprised to find such a unique flavor considering in my area there's only 4 flavor varieties that my local grocery chains stock and sell.

The flavor sounded unique and since I do like my occasional pizzazz filled snack I figured this would do the trick. Upon first bite you can taste the natural sweetness that comes with kettle corn ... and then comes the heat. At first it's mild … but as you eat a little more it gets spicier. I found some kernels were so caked in spice that I was literally coughing from the heat. The sweetness from the kettle corn goes away and all that was left was spicy hot heat. Lots and lots of heat. My mouth was absolutely on fire! I find this to be good and tasty, but it's undoubtedly a snack you need to have a beverage on hand to consume. It’s also a snack that’s better in small doses.

A serving is 2 cups (28g) for 140 calories or 4 points plus values

Angies Boom Chicka Pop White Cheddar Popcorn

Popcorn is one of those foods I'm always on the hunt for. There's sometimes nothing better than a good tasting popcorn to satisfy the crunch and/or the savory/sweet cravings. White cheddar popcorn is one of my all time favorites, so when I spotted the Angies Boom Chicka Pop White Cheddar Popcorn on my local grocery stores shelves, I picked up a bag.

 

What intrigued me about the popcorn off the bat was 1) it's white cheddar and 2) it was a relatively healthier option when compared to other white cheddar popcorns on the market. Since I'm a fan of the Angie's brand I had high hopes for this popcorn and it certainly didn't let me down. It's your classic, crunchy yet slightly soft white cheddar popcorn. If you're familiar with Smart Food cheddar popcorn, this is certainly not as cheesy as that but it's cheesy in its own form. It'll leave your fingertips cheesy (which I think is the best part). It's a great snack and a better for you alternative.

 

A serving, roughly 2 1/2 cups (28g) is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Angie's Boom Chicka Pop Caramel & Cheddar Popcorn Mix

Popcorn and I have become good friends over the years. It's a light yet filling snack and I've given a number of brands a shot over the last few years. One brand I'm constantly intrigued by is Angie's Boom Chicka Pop line. I've tried nearly every flavor I've come across ... so needless to say when I spotted Angie's Boom Chicka Pop Caramel & Cheddar Mix I had to pick up a bag.

My initial thought when I opened and saw the popcorn was that of the popcorn tins ... you know the ones people gift to friends/family around the holidays? The tins typically have butter, caramel and cheddar popcorn in it all divided by a cardboard insert for the eater to eat it however they please. When I was a kid the cheddar and caramel popcorn was definitely my favorite and the butter flavor always was the one I left to its lonesome. This popcorn reminds me of mixing the cheddar and caramel popcorn from the popcorn tins. It’s delicious, it keeps the taste buds on their toes and it makes for a fun snack.

It’s definitely one of those savory snacks … it’s a classic strong cheddar popcorn and a crispy, sweet caramel popcorn. Grabbing a handful, it’s a decent mixture of the two flavor categories. What I will say, is I find it’s a lot easier to proportion the popcorn up as soon as the bag is open … otherwise it’s very easy to just open the bag and have “a little bit more.” It’s delicious … yet addicting, particularly if the bag is open and not portioned out to friendly serving size amounts.

If you’re interested in giving this a try, I do know this is sold at Target locations (I want to note, I saw these on the clearance shelf this past weekend Saturday, May 31^st). I have yet to see these at Wal-Mart, but if you’re in the New England area these are sold at Market Basket locations.

A serving is 1 1/4 cups (28g) which is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Smartfood Delight White Cheddar Popcorn

White cheddar popcorn is one of those traditional snacks I think everyone has had at least once, twice or a bajillion times in their lives. Before it became a “thing” of being health conscious, brands just weren’t into revamping long sold products to appease the masses. That is until the 2000’s rolled around and folks merely stopped buying certain things because it didn’t fit into what they felt as “worth it.” Smartfood popcorn was one of those items I just never felt worth it because 1) the serving size was minimal and 2) it certainly wasn’t worth the points/calories associated with it.

Now, with a release of a new additional to the line I introduce you to Smartfood Delight White Cheddar Popcorn. When I saw this on a brand new display at my local grocery store, I picked up a bag, calculated the points and happily inserted the bag into my shopping cart. Smartfood cheddar popcorn is, in my opinion, the crème de la crème of white cheddar popcorn. So to see a lower calorie version, it immediately caught my attention.

Upon opening the bag, I found it definitely had that classic scent that is known with Smartfood. After eating some, I found the white cheddar flavor was there but it wasn’t as prominent as with the original. That being most notably because the coating wasn’t as thick on the popcorn as it is with the original. My fingers weren’t coated in a thick white “film” after eating a full serving. The popcorn is delicious, plentiful, filling and it certainly hit the nail on the head when I wanted something cheesy as a snack.

A serving is a massive 1 ounce (roughly 3 ½ cups) which is 130 calories or 3 points plus values. Most definitely worth it.

Angie’s Tutti Frutti Flavored Kettle Corn

There are hidden treasures and jewels scattered throughout Target stores around major holidays. For this Valentine’s Day there are flavored kettle corns being sold in Targets Valentine’s Day section.  There are two flavors available (if you can find them, they’re selling out quickly) and on of them is Angie’s Tutti Frutti Flavored Kettle Cornb.

The popcorn is packaged in small single serve bags (0.5oz) and are bundled in a large plastic carry bag, holding at least 20 bags of popcorn.  These are limited edition for Target stores and are selling for $4.99.  Granted if these are available after Valentine’s Day at your Target location they will be sold for a reduced price – typically 30-50% off. Great snacks for kids and adults alike, and they’re especially great because they come portioned which eliminated any thinking or temptation that might loom with a full sized bag of flavored kettle corn.

You’re probably wondering, what exactly does Tutti Frutti taste like? Well … the only thing I can rightfully compare it to would be Fruit Loops. If Fruit Loops cereal and kettle corn had a baby … it would be named Tutti Frutti. It’s lightly sweet, it’s salty, and it’s fruity which makes it all rather delicious. Each popcorn mound has a little bit of a pink hue to it, which I assume to be the tutti frutti flavoring.

Each individual bag is 70 calories or 2 points plus values.

BoomChickaPop – Lightly Sweet Popcorn

I spotted this BoomChickaPop Lightly Sweet Popcorn at my local grocery store in the “healthy junk food” section of the market.  I’m not much of a fan of plain ole popcorn (particularly if it’s coming out of a bag), I typically prefer white cheddar … so the lightly sweet perked my interest.  Kettle Corn isn’t my favorite, but I figured lightly sweetened would be interesting – and I can honestly say, it was.

The great part of the Boom Chicka Pop is that it’s only 37 calories per cup of popcorn and a serving consists of 3 ¼ cups for 120 calories = 3 Points Plus.

The popcorn is nice and crunchy with a hint of slight sweetness on them. It reminds me of a very mildly sweetened caramel corn (it has that slicker feel and texture to the popcorn). It’s a healthier alternative to popcorn – guilt free, organic and just “naturally simple” as the manufacturer describes. There are no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners/flavors, no preservatives and there are no trans fats in the product.

The one thing I will say is that there were a LOT of popcorn kernels and popcorn shells in the bottom of the bag.  Like the last probably ½ cup had to be thrown out because it was just loaded with kernels and hard shelled popcorn (unpopped).  But nonetheless, that aside, this was delicious and I’ll definitely repurchase.

QUESTION:

Have you tried either of the BoomChickaPop popcorns?