Barracks Living at It's Finest: Peanut Butter Popcorn

Eating healthy and tasty snacks can be quite hard for those of us living in the barracks.  I know that in the past, whenever I got hungry I would mosey on down to the PX and get some sort of candy and soda.  Bad eating habits like that are a reason why more than one third of U.S. adults are obese.  And if you've been paying attention in the chow hall line, you'll notice that this trend is starting to affect the Marine Corps.  Well, I'm here to tell you that all hope is not lost!  There are still tasty, healthy options for snacks that you can make in your barracks room.

One of my favorite snacks is peanut butter and popcorn.  For those of you that haven't tried it, you have no idea what you are missing.  Now, I'm not talking about the pre-packaged microwave varieties.  Recent studies have shown that the pre-packaged popcorn has been linked to cancer and Alzheimer's.

All you need is popcorn and a bag

"But how should I eat my popcorn?" you ask.  Very good question.  Buy the kernels and microwave in brown paper bags.  It's that easy.  I've bought a 3 pound bag of Jolly Time popcorn kernels for just over a dollar.  You can also go organic and purchase them at Jacksonville's New Bridge Organic Market.  They have a wide variety of grains and such.

Here are the basics steps that will allow you to make your popcorn in the microwave:

The end product

Step 1.  Open a brown lunch bag and put (roughly) three handfuls of popcorn kernels inside.

Step 2.  Fold the top of the bag over twice, so as to not let any popcorn get out.

Step 3.  Put the bag in the microwave for 3 minutes (times will vary depending on wattage of the microwave) and wait until you hear popping every other second or timer goes of..

Step 4.  Dig in.

I like to dip my peanut butter spoon
into the bag of popcorn
for added awesomeness

It's that easy.  You'll save money and help save your health by doing this instead of picking up those popcorn packets.

What about the peanut butter?  Oh man, the peanut butter.  Popcorn and peanut butter make an excellent snack that will leave you feeling satiated and your muscles fueled.  2 tbsp of your favorite peanut butter with 2 tbsp of popcorn is about 280 calories with 12 grams of nutritious protein, 30 grams of carbs (8 grams of fiber) and 17 grams of healthy fat.  That's right, I said healthy fat.  It doesn't get any better than that.  I'm not entirely sure how that adds up to 280 calories but screw it, I'm going with the internets on this one.

How does it taste?  There's only one way to find out, so get at it!



Be sure to follow my facebook and twitter and to check out my fitness challenge and check out the rest of my Barracks Living segment.  Happy snacking!