Easily one of the most popular brands in the popcorn aisle of your local grocery store is Orville Redenbacher. the inventor of Orville Redenbacher popcorn, was a food scientist born in the early 1900s. While it is not well known, Orville Redenbacher’s expertise in the agricultural industry would revolutionize the American popcorn industry for good. A movie time staple, is Orville Redenbacher popcorn vegan?
Orville Redenbacher’s melt on caramel, kettle corn, naturals, and smart-pop kettle corn, are entirely vegan. However, all other varieties of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn are not vegan friendly as they contain butter. The best vegan alternatives to Orville Redenbacher non-vegan popcorn are Lesser Evil Organic Vegan Butter and Himalayan Salt Organic Popcorn and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Flavor Popcorn.
In this article, we are going to explore vegan popcorn brands, vegan-friendly popcorn topping, and the nutritional value of popcorn. Let’s get started!
Contents
Which Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn Brands Aren’t Vegan?
Unfortunately, Orville Redenbacher’s butter flavors aren’t vegan yet due to the use of real butter. While it contributes to the authenticity of the flavor, it does eliminate any potential vegan customers. Orville Redenbacher has alternatives to actual butter for the same taste, as we have seen executed in other popcorn brands. This takes out a lot of different opportunities in their customer base.
How Can I Tell If My Popcorn Is Vegan?
Buttery vegan popcorn brands can be extremely hard to find. Companies may not specifically advertise their products as vegan-friendly to stir away people who are looking to satisfy savory flavors.
Microwavable Popcorn
Some of the most common vegan-friendly popcorn additives include salt, corn, palm oil, sunflower oil, sucralose, and ascorbic acid. These all give it the same savory and salty taste that you would get from butter, all while not containing any animal products.
Movie Popcorn
With movie popcorn, it can be a lot riskier in determining whether or not they have vegan options. A lot of popular movie venues popcorns are vegan without the butter that they offer. However, it is usually better to call ahead and ask if they have vegan options so that a member who knows will have the information will be able to verify it.
Orville Redenbacher Nutrition Info (Vegan)
Melt On Caramel
Melt On caramel is a perfectly sweet addition to a movie night. With many caramel brands having nonvegan additives, it can be hard to find safe caramel due to the use of refined sugar as a sweetener. Luckily, Orville Redenbacher’s brand of popcorn has mastered what it means to serve sweet vegan popcorn.
Nutrition Facts:
With a serving size being about 2 tablespoons, with about 8 servings per container, there are:
- 180 Calories
- 8g Total Fat
- 4g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 2g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 60mg Sodium
- 26g Total Carbohydrates
- 1g Dietary Fiber
- 14g Sugars
- 1g Protein
Kettle Corn
Kettle Corn differs in flavor from its caramel counterpart, because it contains savory and sweet elements. This street food classic can be made at home easily and conveniently due to the strides made by Redenbacher himself.
Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Popping Corn
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Sucralose
- Mixed Tocopherols
Nutrition Facts:
There are about 2.5 servings per container, and with a serving size of about 2 tablespoons, this popcorn contains:
- 160 Calories
- 8g Total Fat
- 4g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 2.5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 160mg Sodium
- 0mg Potassium
- 20g Carbohydrates
- 3g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 3g Protein
SmartPop Kettle Corn
SmartPop kettle corn is a further innovator in the popcorn industry, taking the unhealthy aspects of kettle corn and creating a smarter choice for consumers. It’s 94% fat-free while still containing 0g trans fat.
Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Popping Corn
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Sucralose
- Mixed Tocopherols
Nutrition Facts:
With the servings size being 38g, there are 72 servings sizes in a full case of SmartPop Kettle Corn. This means it contains:
- 130 Calories
- 2g Total Fat
- .5g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 190mg Sodium
- 0mg Potassium
- 27g Total Carbohydrates
- 4g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Sugars
- 4g Protein
Vegan Alternatives To Orville Redenbacher Popcorn
While some of Orville Redenbacher’s flavors are vegan, buttery popcorn can be extremely hard to find without using any animal products. To find a super savory and delicious vegan brand of popcorn, there are plenty to choose from.
Organic Vegan Butter + Himalayan Salt: Lesser Evil Organic Popcorn
The Lesser Evil Organic Popcorn brand is a perfect example of how the buttery taste of movie popcorn can be replicated through vegan butter alternatives. With sustainability being their main goal, even the bags are made to break down faster in landfills.
Ingredients:
- Organic Popcorn
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Himalayan Salt
- Organic Butter Type Flavor
Nutrition Facts:
One serving of Lesser Evil Popcorn is 3 cups, and it contains:
- 110 Calories
- 5g Total Fat
- 4g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 170mg Sodium
- 15g Total Carbohydrates
- 5g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 2g Protein
Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Flavor Popcorn
For an on-the-go snack, you can look no further than earth balances vegan buttery flavor popcorn. It’s a reasonably sized bag filled with a buttery flavor that will cure that savory craving.
Ingredients:
- Popcorn
- Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil
- Salt
- Natural Flavor
Nutrition Facts:
There are 6 servings in a bag, with one serving containing:
- 140 Calories
- 9g Trans Fat
- 1.5g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 6g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 170mg Sodium
- 12g Total Carbohydrates
- 4g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Sugars
- 2g Protein
ACT II
Act II Butterlovers popcorn is vegan, while still having the same savory taste that you would get from the animal product.
Ingredients:
- Popping Corn
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Natural Flavor
- Color Added (Annatto)
- TBHQ
- Citric Acid
Nutrition Facts:
The serving size of Act Two Butter Lovers Popcorn is 1 cup, containing:
- 25 Calories
- 2g Net Carbs
- 1g Fiber
- 3g Total Carbs
- 1g Protein
- 1g Fats
- .5g Saturated Fat
Public Goods Lightly Salted Popcorn
Public goods lightly salted popcorn is the definition of sustainable. Being used for the public good, the brand has consistently focused on being ahead of the game in food innovation and vegan sustainability.
Ingredients:
- Organic Corn
- Organic Vegetable Oil
- Canola Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Sea Salt
Nutrition Facts:
With 5 servings per bag, and 1 serving being 28g, this popcorn contains:
- 140 Calories
- 8g Total Fat
- 0.5g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 90mg Sodium
- 16g Total Carbohydrates
- 3g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugar
- 3g Protein
What Are Some Vegan Popcorn Toppings?
While butter is a classic additive, there are hardly any vegan alternatives for its use. Luckily, there are plenty of yummy and healthy additives that you can use to spice up movie night.
1. Homemade Popcorn Seasonings
One of the best additives for microwave popcorn is some homemade popcorn seasoning. This adds a bit of flavor to the popcorn without adding significant caloric value and gives you complete control of the taste of the popcorn.
2. Vegan Dorito Popcorn Seasoning
To make Doritos popcorn, you should take:
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Cumin
- Paprika
- Nutritional Yeast
- Sea Salt
- Olive Oil
Make the popcorn, mix these spices depending on your taste for each of them, and enjoy!
3. Lime Juice
One of the healthiest additives that you can add to popcorn is a pinch of lime juice. Lime juice has many nutritional benefits such as a high dose of Vitamin C and other antioxidants and makes an excellent twist on a savory treat such as popcorn.
4. Wasabi Powder
Wasabi powder is a perfect way to make spicy popcorn that you’re sure to remember. Just a tablespoon of the stuff packs a memorable punch that will satisfy a spicy craving. Paired with other, sweeter spices, you can make a sweet and spicy version of microwave popcorn.
5. Masala Popcorn
Using a mixture of spices and dried chiles, you can make an addicting snack that is sure to be the highlight of any big movie event. With a mixture of:
- Chaat Masala
- Coriander
- Garam Marsala
- Curry
- Turmeric
- Dried Green Chili Peppers
- Curry Leaves
All of these in a fresh and warm bowl of popcorn is a fresh twist on the average bowl of microwave popcorn and is sure to be a hit at any event.
5. Olive Oil
The rich taste and texture of olive oil are extremely close to that of butter and other dairy products while being infinitely healthier.
Olive oil is chock full of healthy fats while containing fewer calories than butter itself. A small amount of olive oil will go a long way on a lot of popcorn, so use sparingly.
Related Questions
What Ingredients Should I Look For To Ensure My Popcorn is Vegan?
When you’re looking to ensure that your popcorn doesn’t contain any animal products, try to look for added ingredients such as butter, refined sugar, caramel, any type of cheese (such as cheddar), abnormal levels of vitamin E. All of these are indicators that the popcorn is not vegan safe. Looking for labels that say vegan and plant-based certainly helps.
Is Popcorn Gluten-Free?
Most popcorn is gluten-free, but the additives in the popcorn can affect whether it is gluten-free or not.