Popcorn has long been my go-to snack food of choice. It’s crunchy, salty, buttery, with inherent health benefits (it’s a whole grain, after all, complete with fiber).

While I occasionally make it the old-fashioned way, on the stovetop, there’s no denying the extreme convenience of microwave popcorn. Throw in a bag, wait a few minutes, and poof, there’s a bowlful ready for munching.

However, there are some downsides, which Kristy and Coulter Lewis of Quinn Popcorn (named for their son) are addressing with their new line of  “microwave popcorn reinvented,” as they describe it. A big problem is the standard bag. It’s laden with chemicals, notably perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). The popcorn itself is often high in fat and salt. The Lewises offer a compostable bag that is chemical-free, and the organic popcorn is non-GMO.

But, healthful benefits aside, bottom line: Quinn Popcorn is mighty good.

Preparing the popcorn is more interactive than standard microwave popcorn – it’s a three-step process. Each bag comes with separate packets of expeller-pressed oil and all-natural seasonings. As always, you need to hang out nearby to gauge when the popcorn’s done popping. When it’s ready, you open the bag and drizzle in the oil packet. I found that you really only need half the packet to get the flavor benefit, so that lets you control the fat content. Hold the bag shut and shake to distribute the oil, then sprinkle on the flavor packet, shake again, pour into a bowl, and snack away.

Quinn comes in three flavors. While I like the tang of the Lemon & Sea Salt, this flavor’s not quite there yet for me – a little too tangy sometimes. But I love the Parmesan & Rosemary, which has a great cheese punch and just the right balance of the herb. And the Vermont Maple & Sea Salt has that terrific salty-sweet thing going on that keeps me coming back for more.

Of note: the basic popcorn in the Quinn bags is delicious on its own, with a genuine buttery popcorn taste. The couple is developing more flavors – perhaps a future one could be Plane Jane?

Quinn Popcorn is available online at Abe’s Market and at area markets, including most Whole Foods and Joppa Fine Foods in Newburyport. A two-pack box is $4.99.

Quinn Popcorn
Arlington, Mass.