Nothing beats the taste of popcorn on a movie night! But recently my sister told me that microwave popcorn was bad for you, so I had to look into it. Turns out the hot steam contains toxic chemicals, mainly from the buttery flavorings, glue and ink on the bag.
The good news is that you can make your own delicious, low-fat microwave popcorn using a brown paper lunch bag! It’s an inexpensive way to make healthy popcorn, without using unwanted oils or other ingredients.

Here’s how:

• Grab a paper lunch bag and add a 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels.
• Fold over the top of the bag to a couple of times to close.
• Cook in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Make sure to watch the popcorn carefully so it doesn’t burn—stop the microwave when the popping slows to one to two pops per second.
• Get creative and try some different flavors! Some people put the kernels in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and seasonings and mix it up before putting it in a paper bag to cook.

*If you don’t want to create waste with disposable bags, we have a glass popper that cooks corn in the microwave. It’s available in two different sizes.

Heat two tablespoons of lemon juice in one cup of water on high for 2-3 minutes until boiling. Leave the door closed for five minutes so the vapors will help lift tough grease and grime. When it’s done, remove the glass container and wipe down the inside of microwave with a clean towel or paper towel. Leave your microwave door open and let it air dry.

Put a wet dishcloth in the center of your microwave, set the power to “high,” and zap it for 30-40 seconds. The resulting steam will loosen up any cooked-on spills. Once the cloth has cooled down a little, use it to wipe out the inside of the oven. Voila – you’re done!

Extra tip: To keep the microwave smelling fresh, add 3 or 4 lemon slices to a bowl of water, set the power to “high” and microwave it for at least 30 seconds.