Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Just to clear up a previous post with the glamour.com link -- If you read the article, the person had extra doses of butter added to the regular amount of butter. The 500 calorie small popcorn was the one without extra butter, however it still had the regular amount of butter.

Unbuttered popcorn (popped in oil) only has 55 calories per cup.

Pint of Jim Beam!

It wasn't sneaking so much as I bought it and stuck it in my bag, a large pack of Starburst (years ago when I still ate candy). The ticket taker asked me to open my bag and it was on top, and I was like oh shoot. It was especially annoying because the movie was starting and we'd parked pretty far, so BF shoved it under his shirt (we walked outside) and we went back in. That really annoyed me, but I understand - they sell Starburst at the theater.
Another time, we'd just gone to Dunkin' Donuts (for him), and he was holding the bag, the ticket taker was like "You can't bring that in." So BF put it under his shirt and said "Ok how about now?" using the logic that they don't sell donuts there, and he wanted a donut, but the ticket taker was like no. So he went outside and stuffed it under his shirt more carefully and went in.
Is it just us who gets searched/stopped? lol I swear we don't look like we're carrying anything in particular! I have occasionally tossed sweets into my bag but not for the movie. Lately, when we go to the movies, we just pay for the concessions there because it's easier and because the way he sees it, it is a night out and you might as well just pay - like being on vacation and paying for things you normally wouldn't. (Clearly, we have no children yet - I imagine all snacks will be packed into my bag before movie trips with children.)

A Flask.....great time!

What HAVEN'T I snuck in? Some of the highlights are a 40-oz of beer (college years) and 12 beers (adult years with 2 backpacks), chicken tikka masala with nan and many diet cokes.

candy. I can get it from Dollar Tree for $1.
Soda & water
sometimes popcorn
sandwiches
mickey D's
etc.

the movies ain't the movies for me without gummy bears and jelly beans. With the price the movie theaters charge for a ticket in Brazil, i don't feel bad at all sneaking stuff in. I like taking in sour candy as well, and chocolates. Chocolate covered raisins are also nice, as are the colored mentos and chewing gum... see, even though i bring massive amounts of candy it barely makes it to the middle of the movie... And although i don't really like popcorn, i have a soft spot for the pink prepopped stuff... I just never find it.

The one thing i buy from concession stands are ice tea. Lots!

The theatre I usually frequent is part of a mall with a Starbucks so hiding my coffee is never an issue.

I like to sneak in drugstore candies and snacks like pretzels. A few times I've gone so far as to sneak in real foods like burritos, sushi, or a sandwhich. Without fail though, I always buy my drink at the theatre.

But on special occasions, like midnight showings, I indulge in the concession stand and get red vines, buttered popcorn, and a coke.

My kids bring in baggies of M&M's and water bottles and I make microwave popcorn at home and bring that in with diet sprite or ice tea (movies only carry diet coke it seems). Not only cheaper but less calories and portion controlled.

I don't feel guilty. If theatres didn't charge $8 for .10 of popcorn and $5 for a bottle of water maybe they would make more money because people wouldn't feel ripped off and compelled to sneak food in.

The movie theaters I frequent are all in malls with a Victorias Secret also in the mall, so I always use a Vic Sec shopping bag for my food. Sometimes I even put the pink tissue paper on top. I try to eat healthy at the movies, so I bring in grapes, walnuts,pretzles, etc. Sometimes I bring candy (red licorice is a fave) and sometimes I bring a spiked bottle of cranberry juice. However, I don't hit the movies too often.

I wonder how many of those calories are from the "butter" vs. the popcorn.

i dont mind paying for popcorn at the theatre, but i never, ever get it with butter-so foul. however, i do sneak in a salt shaker, so i can resalt as i munch. occassionally i'll bring along some water, but for the most part i'll indulge in a coke. it's one of the rare times i do drink it & really, nothing else washes down popcorn better than a little carbonation. besides, movie theatres are being hit by the economy hard too-i like to support them, so they don't close.

Great middle eastern bakery around the corner from our most frequented movie theatre=hummus and pita!!!