Movie popcorn: gluten-free?
I had movie popcorn on Saturday night, and it’s one of my favorite guilty pleasures. But then I felt really guilty because I hadn’t totally researched it before eating it. Here are some of the things I found out; if you have some news, let me know!
When the subject of (pop)corn comes up among celiacs, the discussion can get looooong. Witness this thread; it starts off with a thought about movie popcorn, and heads in a totally different direction. Hmm.
In this Q&A, the author says that the “the butter flavor which is usually drizzled on the popcorn after they scoop it out of the popper” might be a cause of irritation, and she gets it without it. But I am left wondering…does she mean the “butter” topping? Or does she mean the flavoring that some theaters shake over the popcorn after it’s popped but before it goes in the bag. There’s a difference, and I feel like this Q&A gets me close, but I still don’t know…
This list from Southern Arizona Celiac Support talks about brands of “movie theater type popcorn” that are gluten-free and available for sale. (There are lots more lists like this around, but this was head of the class in my google search.) But most theaters (at least, here in Chicago) won’t let you bring in your own popcorn. I guess you could sneak it in with a big handbag, but they’re really strict at my fave theater here and not above asking you to open your bag at some screenings.
Finally, I tried calling my favorite local theater (AMC River East) to see what they had to say about their popcorn. They said that “both the popcorn seed and the butter topping do not have gluten in them.” Hoorah!
So I guess my answer is: phone call. Always. The only way to know for sure is to speak to a human being. (And I guess even then you’re always kind of taking your chances.)