Aldi's Microwave Popcorn Trick Is Baffling The Internet
Aldi fans are raving about this newly-discovered step the discount grocery chain suggests you take when microwaving popcorn. 7 News reports that in a Facebook post on the page "Alid Mums," user Liz shared a photograph of the back of a package of Aldi brand microwave popcorn. In her photo, she circled a section called "Popping Hints" which includes a step most people would never think to take. The first hint listed is to preheat the oven by microwaving a cup of water on high heat for one minute, which could help the package cook more evenly. In the post, Liz asked if other "Aldi Mums" actually did this step, to which many replied they had never even bothered to read the instructions.
But does this newfound popcorn popping tip really work?
The Aldi microwave popcorn trick has mixed reviews
The new tip had to be put to the test, so Liz and other users got popping to see what they thought. The consensus was pretty split, with some saying they did not notice a difference and others stating that they felt the trick worked great. Yahoo! quotes another user who was more specific about what qualities she felt preheating improved, stating that she felt there were fewer unpopped kernels and the butter was more evenly dispersed.
It turns out, this microwave popcorn hack has been under our noses this whole time. In addition to being on the back of Aldi popcorn packages for who knows how long, it appears to also be quietly listed on other packages of microwave popcorn as well. LifeHacker reported in 2010 on preheating your microwave oven by heating water in it before popping popcorn. They state that a commenter on the site brought it to their attention, sharing the surprising instructions they discovered on the back of a popcorn bag. The outlet says that popcorn company Pop Weaver calls for the step in their instructions as well.
More tips to make better microwave popcorn
Website Wonder How To offers a variety of tips and tricks for popcorn lovers to achieve perfectly cooked popcorn and cut down on unpopped kernels. In addition to preheating your microwave with water, which they suggest helps keep the popcorn fluffy due to the raised humidity levels inside the oven, they recommend cooking the kernels in a glass bowl with a plate on top of it instead of in the bag it comes in and using the sound the popcorn makes instead of the popcorn preset button for timing. There is even an app you can download that will listen for you and let you know when it is time to take your popcorn out of the microwave.