TL;DR
Good Housekeeping’s Nutrition Lab tested microwave popcorn and highlighted six picks, including Smash Kitchen, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Orville Redenbacher’s, Newman’s Own, Black Jewell and Skinnygirl. Testers sampled three bags of each brand and assessed flavor, texture, popping consistency, ingredients and nutrition; the report does not provide a full ranking or detailed scores.
Good Housekeeping has named six microwave popcorn brands that stood out in its taste testing, including Smash Kitchen, 365 by Whole Foods Market and Orville Redenbacher’s. The report matters to shoppers comparing flavor with ingredients and nutrition: the publication says its Nutrition Lab assessed three bags per brand, along with taste, texture, popping performance and nutrition facts.
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The six selections are Smash Kitchen, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Orville Redenbacher’s, Newman’s Own, Black Jewell and Skinnygirl. Good Housekeeping’s descriptions focus on different preferences rather than presenting a single best choice for every shopper. Smash Kitchen was praised for crisp, substantial kernels and a buttery-like flavor despite a short ingredient list of popcorn, palm oil and sea salt. The report gives its sodium as 35 milligrams per popped cup.
The 365 selection is plain organic popcorn made with kernels only, which lets buyers add their own toppings. The report also discusses the brand’s flavored varieties: testers described the Buttery option as similar to movie-theater popcorn, while the article notes that it has 30 more calories, 3.5 grams more fat and 2.5 grams more saturated fat than the Light Buttery version. Orville Redenbacher’s was described as mildly salty with a lasting flavor, and Newman’s Own stood out for a light, slightly buttery taste and a bag testers found easy to open.
Black Jewell’s heritage black corn was noted for its smaller kernels and crunch; the report says the dark appearance after popping is natural for that variety. Skinnygirl’s mini bags offer a lime flavor and a smaller portion, though Good Housekeeping says the product has more sodium per serving than the other picks. The source does not give a full nutrition table or numeric sodium amount for every selection.
How the Picks Suit Different Snackers
The list gives shoppers options across plain, buttery and flavored popcorn, as well as different bag sizes. That can help people choose based on taste, portion and how much control they want over toppings: plain kernels allow seasoning at home, while the Skinnygirl mini bags are positioned for those who want a smaller serving.
Nutrition is another point of comparison, but the numbers need context. Good Housekeeping says it prioritized products with less than 50 milligrams of sodium and less than 2 grams of fat per one-cup popped serving during testing. The article’s guidance also warns that sodium can add up when someone eats several cups. Individual nutrition labels and serving sizes remain the best basis for comparing products.
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How Good Housekeeping Tested Popcorn
Good Housekeeping says its Nutrition Lab reviewed ingredients and nutrition facts and assessed popular products using both staff and consumer taste testers. The lab popped three bags of each brand, counted unpopped and burnt kernels, and evaluated flavor, aroma, crunch, texture and mouthfeel. Recommendations combined those observations with nutritional value.
The report says it favored short ingredient lists and set screening targets of under 50 milligrams of sodium and under 2 grams of fat per cup of popped popcorn. Its shopping guidance also suggests checking the oil, salt, fat and bag’s serving count. These are the publication’s stated testing priorities, not a guarantee that every listed product meets every target in every flavor or serving size.
““It’s got the perfect amount of flavor, and I just love how it’s crispy but also really melts in your mouth.””
— Good Housekeeping taste tester, quoted in the report about Smash Kitchen
What the Test Results Do Not Show
The source material does not provide the publication date, a complete scorecard, the number of people who tasted each product or the detailed results for every brand. It also does not state a complete ranking among the six selections, so the list should not be read as a numbered order of performance.
Nutrition details are incomplete in the supplied report excerpt. Exact serving sizes, full values for calories, total and saturated fat, and sodium for most products are not included here. Results may also vary by flavor and product formulation; shoppers should check the package label for the version they are buying.
Check Labels Before Buying
Readers choosing among the six can compare the ingredient list, nutrition panel and bag size on current packaging, especially when selecting flavored varieties or tracking sodium and saturated fat. The report also notes that microwave popping usually takes about two to four minutes, but the supplied text cuts off before giving full timing advice. Follow the package instructions and stop the microwave when popping slows to avoid burning the popcorn.
Good Housekeeping’s report does not announce a follow-up test or a scheduled update. Any next comparison will depend on further testing or changes to the products; for now, the findings are best treated as the publication’s taste-test snapshot rather than a guarantee of results for every bag or microwave.
Key Questions
Which microwave popcorn brands did Good Housekeeping select?
The six picks are Smash Kitchen, 365 by Whole Foods Market, Orville Redenbacher’s, Newman’s Own, Black Jewell and Skinnygirl.
How did the publication test the popcorn?
Good Housekeeping says it popped three bags per brand, counted unpopped and burnt kernels, and had staffers and consumer testers assess flavor, aroma, crunch, texture and mouthfeel. It also reviewed ingredients and nutrition facts.
Which pick is plain popcorn with no added ingredients?
The 365 by Whole Foods Market organic selection described in the report contains popcorn kernels only, so buyers can add their own butter, salt or other toppings.
Does the report give a definitive ranking?
No full ranking or numerical scores are included in the supplied material. It names six recommended picks and describes the qualities testers liked in each.
What should shoppers compare on the package?
Check the ingredients, sodium, total and saturated fat, serving size and bag yield. Good Housekeeping notes that sodium can add up if you eat multiple cups.
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