Popcorn can be found in a wide variety of packages and flavors at the supermarket. Popcorn comes in a wide variety of flavors and preparations, including the standard “plain,” “unsalted,” and “unbuttered” varieties.
Countless popcorn flavours exist, from butter and caramel to kettle corn and beyond. Also, that doesn’t take into account the fact that there are several popcorn varieties, colours, and packaging options to consider.
That should give you an idea of how pervasive it is in American society; after all, popcorn is the nation’s favorite snack. This is why we celebrate this humble yet satisfying treat on a national holiday. National Popcorn Day is celebrated annually on January 19.
Popcorn Day: A Bit Of History
Did you know that there is a difference between the corn we eat and the corn we use to make popcorn? In fact, it’s highly unlikely that the corn on your dinner table will pop. Popcorn can only be made from Zea mays everta, a specific type of corn. This type of maize has tiny ears and its kernels explode in the presence of dry heat.
Herbert Dick and Earle Smith found the tiny Zea mays everta heads in the Bat Cave in west central New Mexico in 1948. The oldest ears found in the Bat Cave dated back over 4,000 years and ranged in size from slightly smaller than a cent to about two inches.
Several unpopped kernels were also found, with a total estimated age of 5,600 years based on carbon dating. Popcorn was also used historically in Central and South American countries like Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala.
The Aztecs ate popcorn and also used it for decoration and ritual purposes. Popcorn has also been found in and used by Native Americans in their daily lives. Popcorn dating back more than a millennium has been discovered in a cave in Utah that was likely used as shelter by the Pueblo people.
The Iroquois Native Americans of the Great Lakes area were the first people in the New World where popcorn was discovered by French explorers. Popcorn became widely consumed as colonists spread over North America and the United States was founded.
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Trivial Information About Popcorn
Now that we’ve given everyone reading this an introduction to this celebration, we thought it would be a good idea to talk about some of the most interesting trivia about popcorn that we could find.
Throughout our investigation of this celebration, we uncovered a number of nuggets of information that we found particularly intriguing. Let’s dive in and find out how interesting they are, though in the end you’ll be the one to decide.
- Each year, Americans consume about 17 billion quarts of popcorn. That’s more than 52 quarts for each American citizen.
- Popcorn consumption in the United States rises by about 5% annually.
- Popcorn, unsurprisingly, dominates the U.S. snack market.
- Almost two-thirds of the nation’s popcorn is eaten at home. The remaining 33% is sold at venues such as stadiums, fairgrounds, and theatres.
- Popcorn is the state snack of Illinois. Popcorn Day has been celebrated in the state of Kansas since 1958.
- There was a 12-foot-diameter popcorn ball that weighed more than 5,000 pounds that held the record for largest in the world. A total of 280 gallons of corn syrup, 4,900 pounds of sugar, and 2,000 pounds of corn were needed.
- Two tablespoons of kernels will cost you about a quarter and will yield about a quart of popcorn if you pop it at home.
- Unpopped popcorn accounts for roughly 90% of all purchases in the United States.
- The majority of the world’s popcorn crop is produced in the United States.
- When it comes to iron content, popcorn actually surpasses both eggs and spinach. There’s more fibre in it than there is in a bag of potato chips.
- Nebraska is responsible for roughly 250 million pounds of annual popcorn production.
- Twenty-five percent of the popcorn grown in the United States comes from the state of Nebraska.
- Popcorn played an important role in Aztec rituals.
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Planning An Appropriate Party For The Annual Popcorn Holiday
National Popcorn Day celebrations are as easy and tasty as they come. To get started, all you need is a bag of popcorn and some of your preferred seasonings, and the options are practically endless.
In the early 1800s, this tasty treat became widely available in the United States; today, it is a globally sought-after delicacy. Popcorn is enjoyed in a variety of ways around the world.
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- Japan. Honey, milk tea, and curry are all well-liked here, in addition to the usual suspects.
- Europe. Popcorn is a popular sweet snack, but it’s usually sold in bags rather than freshly popped at theatres.
- Nigeria. Fruit chutney is a popular popcorn flavour that is best enjoyed when popped in the microwave.
- India. Popcorn comes in a wide variety of flavours in Japan, from the traditional butter and salt to more exotic options like miso soup, Thai red coconut, and anchovy garlic.
For activities and resources to use in commemorating each day of the year with your class, check out the National Day Calendar Classroom. If you want to know what’s going on in the Kansas City area on National Popcorn Day, check out Priscilla Subramaniyam’s Celebration Spotlight.
