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January is National Popcorn Poppin' Month

National Popcorn Day is January 19 with picture of popcorn
National Popcorn Day is January 19!


by Prepared by Pamela Pay (Randolph County) ~ Adapted for blog by Katie Cullum (White County)

We may all scream for ice cream, but who doesn’t love a bowl of popcorn? While popcorn is delicious all year long, popcorn lovers rejoice is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, a seasonal celebration of one of America’s oldest and most beloved snack foods.

Whether it’s prepared on the stovetop, in the microwave or ready to eat from the bag, Americans consume 14 billion quarts of popcorn each year.

Celebrated for its seed-to-snack simplicity, popcorn is also non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and naturally low in fat and calories, which makes it an easy fit for dietary preferences – and it’s budget-friendly. And if you need another reason to eat popcorn, it’s a whole grain!

Add popcorn’s irresistible smell, taste, and versatility, and it’s easy to understand its popularity. With so many ways to eat it –plain, buttered or blended with the irresistible flavors of favorite recipes –popcorn fits many moods and occasions.

The Popcorn Board invites you to visit their website (https://www.popcorn.org/All-About-Popcorn/Our-Story) for facts, myths, history, recipes, and more about their favorite snack, popcorn. Parents and Grandparents there are some fun coloring sheets, activities, and game sheets on the website too!

Does your family like to laugh, share these popcorn jokes:

  • What do you call a popcorn’s favorite flower?.... Poppies.
  • What do you call a bad popcorn joke? … Corny
  • Want to hear a popcorn joke? …. Nah, it’s too corny. Oops! That popped out of nowhere.
  • What’s a popcorn's favorite pizza topping?... Popperoni

Try this fun recipe with kids for the holidays or anytime from the Popcorn Board:

Easy, Elegant Holiday Popcorn

8 cups popped popcorn

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Candy sprinkles

  1. Spread popcorn in a thin layer on a serving platter. 2. Melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle over popcorn. 3. Melt white chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Drizzle over popcorn. 4. Immediately sprinkle the desired amount of sprinkles over warm chocolate-coated popcorn. 5. Allow drizzles to set up until firm. Serve

(Recipe and photo may be found at this link)

https://www.popcorn.org/Recipes/Details/easy-elegant-holiday-popcorn

 

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Article written by Dr. Pamela Pruett is a Retired County Extension Agent – Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service in Mississippi County.