Leave it to the food police to spoil the fun of an afternoon at the movies. I happen to like watching movies; I always have. But as going to the theater got expensive over the years, I got into the habit of waiting for movies to come to my local library, where I can borrow them for free. I still go to the movies occasionally when I feel like treating myself. I rarely buy any popcorn, candy and soda because of the astronomical prices the theaters charge for these items, but I fully understand someone wanting to indulge. Everything in moderation, goes the saying from an era when there was such a thing as common sense.
Do you know what it costs in calories? Does anyone not know that movie popcorn is packed with calories? Apparently not, judging by last week's news. When the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a report claiming that a popcorn-and-soda combo can match the calorie-and-saturated-fat count of three McDonald's Quarter Pounders and 12 pats of butter, network TV stations had a big story on their hands. One click of the TV and presto! Sizzling electronic images of tubs flowing with greasy popcorn and the fat-laden burgers whose calories they match.
What a way to spoil an occasional good time. For us baby boomers, an afternoon at the movies is I mean was a favorite pastime.At least subliminally, it was a chance to revisit our youth, when the local movie theater was a staple weekend entertainment excursion.The popcorn wasn't so expensive even accounting for inflation and as a whole, most of us led more active lifestyles, so we weren't bothered by the calories had anyone been warning us about them. Nowadays, the consumer media is in a never-ending search for alarming headlines, and comfort zones are few and far between.The food police are adept at pitching these headlines, and wont even grant us that occasional respite.
