A movie theater provides a place to cool off when the temperatures spike in summer and a shelter from the cold during winter, but perhaps most importantly, it allows us an escape from the daily grind, if only for a few hours. Since childhood, many of us have been conditioned to view a trip to the movies as a time of decadent self-indulgence, and the serving sizes available behind the concession stand (which are often more than twice the amount found at a local convenience store) only bolsters this notion: grandiose buckets of buttery popcorn, numerous boxes of assorted sweets, and huge vats of soft drinks to wash it all down. If you've ever wondered what this all-out excess costs in terms of calories and fat and which treats are among the worst offenders, read on:
1. Yes, it's a good source of fiber, but as with all things, moderation is key. A large serving of popcorn at the movie theater can equal as much as 20 cups, which delivers 1,283 calories and 78 grams of fat-and those numbers don't even account for the extra butter that's often so hard to resist. A Cornell University study involving moviegoers at a Chicago theater found that those who had been given a larger serving of popcorn consumed on average 53 percent more than those who had received a smaller portion. So two things to keep in mind are that smaller is better (though be aware that even a small portion of movie theater popcorn can impart as many as 573 calories and 35 grams of fat), and sharing is caring, not only for others, but for yourself as well.
2. It should come as no surprise that salty, fried tortilla chips paired with gooey, melted cheese won't do much good for your body, especially your arteries and your waistline. A large 40-ounce serving, which typically contains 40 chips, contains about 1,101 calories and 59 grams of fat.
3. We've been led to believe that pretzels are a great snack choice because of their low fat and calorie content-a 1-ounce serving of around 11 hard pretzels has just 110 calories and 1 gram of fat. However, a five-ounce serving of soft pretzels can contain as much as 483 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 2,008 mg of sodium (the recommended daily allowance of sodium is 2,500 mg). And movie theaters often pair soft pretzels with cheese sauce, which easily tacks on about 200 calories and 10 grams of fat.
4. A large cup of soda sold at a movie theater can hold up to 44 fluid ounces of liquid. To put it in perspective, consider this: Coca Cola® contains about 12 calories and 3.5 grams of sugar per fluid ounce. So even if a quarter of a large Coke consists of ice, that still leaves room for about 33 fluid ounces, imparting almost 400 calories and 115 grams of sugar. You'll do yourself a huge favor by sticking with diet drinks or, better yet, water.
5. When it comes to fat content and calories, some candies have their pros (Raisinets® at least have raisins, which are a decent source of potassium and iron; Gummi Bears®, Nerds®, and Sour Patch Kids® candies contain no fat), but all have their cons (empty calories most especially). Again, portion control is crucial. Many of the candy boxes sold at movie theaters deliver two to three servings, so even though the back of that three-ounce KitKat® bar says it has 220 calories and 11 grams of fat, if you eat the whole thing, you're actually consuming 440 calories and 22 grams of fat.
