Central Market Organic White Cheddar Popcorn — OKAY

Munch or Dump rates Central Market Organic White Cheddar Popcorn by Central Market OKAY — score 62/90.

A short, all-organic ingredient list: popcorn, sunflower or safflower oil, real cheddar cheese, nonfat milk, and salt. It is real cheese doing the flavoring, not artificial cheese powder or dyes, which is why the popcorn is off-white instead of neon orange. It is still a salty, oil-and-cheese snack, so treat it as an occasional snack rather than an everyday food.

Why this verdict

• Short, fully organic ingredient list with no artificial additives
• Flavored with real cheddar cheese and milk, not cheese powder or dyes
• No preservatives, no artificial colors or flavors
• Still a salted, oil-coated cheese snack, moderate sodium and fat

Ingredients (5)

• Organic Popcorn (safe) — Whole-grain corn, the base of the snack and a legitimate whole food with fiber.
• Organic sunflower and/or safflower oil (safe) — Organic seed oil used to pop and coat. Fine in the modest amounts here; adds fat and calories.
• Organic Cheddar Cheese (safe) — Real cheese made from organic milk, salt, cultures, and enzymes. This is the flavor source, not synthetic cheese powder.
• organic nonfat milk (safe) — Dairy solids that carry the cheddar coating. A whole-food ingredient.
• Salt (moderate) — Main sodium source; keep an eye on it if you use large amounts.

Healthier alternatives

• HIMALAYAN PINK ORGANIC POPCORN, HIMALAYAN PINK
• SkinnyPop Organic Original Popcorn
• SkinnyPop Original Popcorn
• Popcorn by SkinnyPop
• POPCORN HIMALAYAN PINK SALT