Has anyone ever made popcorn for PTA event? Where do I start...

[sydenhamhiller]

This is ridiculously pathetic post, I am blushing, but have realised I really don't know what I am doing, so hoping the power of MN will come to my aid...

Going to provide about 100 small boxes/ tubs of popcorn at a school event. Easy, I thought, as I volunteered for that, before wondering:

1. How much popcorn (kernels) do I need?
2. How best to make big batches? In microwave/ on stove/ invest in a popper?
3. Should I flavour? Bung in butter/ salt/ sugar? Nothing, and claim Healthy Eating status?
4. How much can I charge? For 10 x 16 cm ish box

I am a popcorn novice, what was I thinking? Any/ all advice gratefully received. (Am 30 wks pregnant, and foolishly have got over-involved in PTA stuff now maternity leave has started, while brain just wants to think about cleaning and IKEA storage solutions...)

Its incredibly easy. Buy 3 or 4 packets like this www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=250255943
You will find it next to the crisps.
Inside there will be 3 packets. Do one at a time.
Put it in the microwave for 3 minutes. . Listen for the popping sound beginning to die down. Take it out and serve (mind your fingers for steam escaping).

Its impossible to get 100% of the corns to pop (if you leave it too long the first ones burn, too soon and you won't get enough). You should get about 95% success.

you can buy big bags of ready popped popcorn e.g. from here

We used this from costco for a film night for 270 children. Each bag made I think about 10 cups full of popcorn and takes just over 2 mins in the microwave.

We use the Costco popcorn (in Runout's post) in the microwave at our pta events. We put it in cups or plastic bags (less spillage) and sell it for about 30p. Easy :-)

we just buy the ready popped mini packs (only comes in toffee unfortunately). Poundland/Sainsburys have them.

Microwave popcorn is vile and tastes and smells of chemicals.
Popping your own is cheaper and easy enough.

Cover the base of a pan with a couple of millimetres of sunflower/vegetable oil and sprinkle in a couple of teaspoons of sugar. Begin to heat it on high heat on your stove, then sprinkle in a layer of popcorn kernels. Put the pan lin on. Shake or swirl the pan (holding lid tightly) every ten seconds or so so the corn doesn't stick to the bottom. When it's hot enough, the corn will start popping. Keep shaking the pan and pausing until all the popping has pretty much stopped.

Popcorn done. Tip into bowl and portion into bags.

I'm with Coffee, make your own it costs pennies.
I have a popping machine, it was a present but the pan method works just as well.

I did something similar for around 100 children. I brought 10 big bags of ready popped corn - Asda I think and cups with lids. I filled the cups on the day.

For us it was for a film night at my DS's last school. We used paper sandwich bags and each child got a lidded cup of popcorn a small bag of sweets and a drink.

I always make it like Coffee does, in a pan. Really easy and much cheaper.

I always make it like Coffee does, in a pan. Really easy and much cheaper.