How to Eat Keto at the Movies – Don’t Eat These Cinema Snacks!
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Thinking about going to the movies while on keto can be challenging. That’s because most of the snacks in the cinemas are high in fat, but also high in carbs. We understand that snacking at the movies while on keto may seem impossible, but there are a few options for you that we’re willing to share.
Never compromise fun movie nights with your friends and family just because you want to avoid the snacks. Read on as we discuss why you shouldn’t eat most foods sold at cinema concession stands and how to eat keto at the movies!
Why You Shouldn’t Eat Cinema Snacks
Many restaurants and food stands have been giving healthier options for their customers, even offering keto foods that aren’t high in carbs.
However, movie theaters aren’t one of them. Movie theaters seem to think that watching movies and eating unhealthy food should always go hand in hand.
Here are some of the foods sold at the cinema concession stands:
- hotdogs
- ice cream
- chips
- popcorn
- nachos
- candy
- pizza
- soda
- soft pretzels
The problem with these snacks is, they won’t only kick you out of ketosis, but they also pose several health risks. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t eat those movie theater snacks.
They’re Full of Calories
Can you name one movie theater snack that is low in calories? Hotdogs, sandwiches, chips, sodas, and pizza are all generally high calorie foods.
For instance, movie theater popcorn is full of calories. It ranges from 300 calories for a small tub to 1,090 for a refillable tub.
The Added Butter in Popcorn is Not Real Butter
Fats are important on the keto diet, so you probably ask for extra butter when consuming a cup of popcorn at the movies.
However, popcorn butter is a low-quality fat that is more of a butter-flavored oil! It even contains a silicon-based chemical and a preservative that keeps the color and texture from changing.
Movie Theater Snacks are High in Carbs
Unless you’re ordering hotdog without the bun and just water, then you’re probably going to get kicked out of ketosis the moment you leave the cinemas.
A small butter-free popcorn has about 13 grams of fat and can contain up to 49 grams of fat for the refillable butter-free tub, but large flavored ones have anywhere from 82 to 304 grams of carbs!
Some movie theaters even offer beer and wine or even have a full bar. So, if you’re on a low-carb diet, then there is not much you can order here while staying within the limits of your keto diet.
How to Eat Keto at the Movies
Leave the popcorn and Milk Duds alone and go for healthy keto options. You can do this by purchasing store-bought snacks that are high-fat and low-carb or make simple snacks you can take into the cinema!
Buy High-Fat, Low-Carb Snack
You can simply buy some keto-friendly snacks and stash them in your pockets, bags, or purse. Let us share some of our favorites.
Popcorn is one of the most popular snacks. But as mentioned, movie theater popcorn is unhealthy and not keto-approved.
SkinnyPop is a great alternative! For a four-cup serving, SkinnyPop Original Popcorn contains 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, three grams of fiber, and 13 grams of carbs.
This snack is just the right amount of salty because of the buttery taste that balances it! They also take their ingredients seriously.
On their website, they state that “There are no artificial ingredients, flavors or preservatives in our products. We pride ourselves on providing you with a great tasting snack that’s free of all those things, including GMOs, MSG, dairy, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, and gluten.”
Highkey Mini Cookies are one of the keto snacks that live up to the hype! They use unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, erythritol, sunflower lecithin, and stevia extract for their chocolates! So, they have no sugar, milk chocolate, or dairy.
With only 4 grams of net carbs per 60 grams these cookies are crunchy, sweet, and rich in flavor! These cookies also have strong “notes” of shortbread and marzipan. Think Chips Ahoy but healthier!
Make Your Own Keto Snack
You can also try making your own snacks which you can take into the movie theaters if allowed. Here are some easy-to-make homemade snacks that fit the criteria!
Mixed nuts are the perfect snack for any diet, especially the keto diet. Nuts are high in healthy fats and fiber to provide you with energy and low in carb to keep you in ketosis.
Some cinemas may offer mixed nuts at the concession stand, but they are usually high in sugar and vegetable oils.
Try mixing your own nuts by buying raw nuts in your local grocery store and adding sea salt. You can even roast them if you want to!
Fat bombs are also a popular snack in the world of keto. Many people make them not just for movie nights, but for daily snacks when they want something to munch on.
There are many ways to make fat bombs, but this recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie is our favorite!
Keep it Keto at the Movies!
It is possible to keep it keto at the movies! When you order store-bought keto snacks like Highkey Cookies, or make your own fat bombs at home, not only can you load yourself with fats and avoid carbs, but you can also avoid the health risks that movie theater snacks pose.
Most snacks in cinemas are high in calories and contain artificial ingredients that can be harmful. For instance, the added butter in “buttered” popcorn is not even real butter! It’s just butter-flavored oil that contains coloring and preservatives.
Give Highkey Cookies or SkinnyPop a try the next time you go to the movies! Or better yet, make your own keto fat bombs or mixed nuts to sneak in the cinemas. Your body will thank you for it!
