How to Make Microwave Popcorn Without a Bag (And No Oil!)

I grew up popping popcorn on top of the stove but also learned how easy it is to put 2 TBSP of kernels in a brown paper lunch bag and microwave for 2 minutes. I also bought a large rectangular microwavable container with a steam vent lid from Dollar Tree and it worked out fine. The trick is to pop a little at a time, don't let it burn, and let the container cool down before popping 2 or more bowls in succession.

'False Info'. .... This article doesn't mention 'Obliterative Bronchiolitis'. The term 'popcorn lung' sometimes refers to the disorder, but it's not a medical term.

Microwave popcorn however HAS been linked to 'popcorn lung'. Diacetyl, a chemical used to give microwave popcorn its' buttery flavour and aroma, is linked to severe and irreversible lung damage when inhaled.

Popcorn lung makes the small airways in the lungs (bronchioles) become scarred and narrowed to the point where they can’t let in enough air. The disease causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and other symptoms similar to those of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

More that twenty years ago the risk for popcorn lung was mainly among workers in microwave popcorn plants or other manufacturing plants who breathed in large amounts of diacetyl for long periods of time.

Hundreds of workers were diagnosed with this disease, and many died.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health studied the effects of diacetyl exposure at six microwave popcorn plants. The researchers found a link between long-term exposure and lung damage but wasn’t considered a significant risk to consumers of microwave popcorn.

One Colorado man reportedly developed the condition after eating two bags of microwave popcorn a day for 10 years. So it's reasonable to suspect that children inhaling it at home throughout their childhood has risks.

In 2007, major popcorn manufacturers removed diacetyl from their products. But that's not to say it's not still present in bags that readers of this articles or other sources relying on it can get in their own countries.

In any case the article also says that according to the FDA, microwave popcorn contains likely carcinogens. Which is factually correct.

Some scientists say that there's a possible link between microwave popcorn and cancer from chemicals called perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) that are in the bags. PFCs resist grease, making them ideal for preventing oil from seeping through popcorn bags.

As a result of research, food manufacturers voluntarily stopped using PFOA in their product bags in 2011. Five years later, the FDA went even further, banning the use of three other PFCs in food packaging. That means the popcorn you buy today shouldn’t contain these chemicals.

But again, that might not be the case elsewhere, and since the FDA’s review, dozens of new packaging chemicals have been introduced of which little is known about the safety of these chemicals.

Even if it isn't a detailed scientific analysis, this article is RIGHT to mention the possible health hazards of microwave popcorn. But the article is more illuminating on the subject than is your comment, and removing things that alert people into investigating further and arriving at our own judgement, is a TERRIBLE idea.

Living in ignorance is not a virtue.

The main thrust of the article anyway is to reveal what a waste of money microwave popcorn is when it can be easier to do it with loose corn and eat it out of the bowl you've popped it in.

This gives out false information on Obliterative Bronchiolitis and the reference to it should be removed.

I am now very motivated to try this popcorn method myself. Thank you for sharing, this looks like a great idea.

My popcorn BURNT.

Now I miss popcorn. I have not done them in the microwave. I will surely make them when I have bought popcorn kernels. Thanks for the idea of microwaving popcorn without oil.

I'm following the keto plan of eating about 85%--my doctor said not to go 100%, for many reasons--so will add a miniscule amount of coconut oil to pop my next batch. SO glad you posted this as I hadn't thought of how super easy it is to make popcorn this way. I have no stove nor cooktop where I live, but I like popcorn a lot, and hated relying on chemical-laden commercially-made microwave popcorn.

sounds healthy! will definitely try this :)

Didn't like the chewy taste of cooking popcorn in a pot with oil, this technique has solved the problem. Yummy crispy popcorn, and because the bowl is hot after cooking butter shavings melt evenly with a few tosses. Awesome 10/10!

Thanks......

Oh you are THE BEST!!! I have wondered several times how to make popcorn without oil. Now we have a great new way to do so.

I was thinking my largest corningware dish should work perfectly. Thanks for the great tip

Great idea, we're always looking for healthier ways to make popcorn.

I will definitely will try his bag-less popcorn in microwave. It's cool to know there's no oil needed. Thanks for the cool idea.

I like the fact that you can make your own without butter or salt, plain popcorn is a healthy treat

Resurrecting to get it back t the top of the pile. Have a great weekend.

And the weekend and football championships is a great time for popcorn of any variety.

I have been making it in brown paper lunch bags in the microwave for years. It takes 2 1/2 minutes and then I drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Absolutely the best treat ever and guilt free for me.

How can it be that this "simple" but simply great Hub doesn't have a comment yet from breakfastpop?

Popcorn is a great diet snack, and this article is very useful. I am gonna make use of this article, and share it, too.

I recently read about eliminating all oil from cooking since it's bad for our arteries. So I stopped making popcorn. I didn't know there was a way to make it without oil. Thanks to your article I now have a solution that is "heart friendly." I always focus on health, so I'm going to try this. Thanks for writing about it.

This is an awesome, healthier alternative to the oil popping that I usually do, and I don't even have to feel bad about wasting paper bags! Love it. :)

Popcorn is our favorite snack when watching movies at home. We use the stove top but this idea may be a new adventure for us soon.

Wow, I'm blown away! I had no idea that it was so easy to make popcorn in the microwave without a bag. I am dying to give this a try now. Thanks for sharing!

I didn't even know you could do this! Great and healthy snack idea. Voted up & shared!

We have a bubble hot oil popper. It is wonderful when you have little kids around. I was craving popcorn the other day, but cleaning the popper was more work than I had energy. Three cheers for "The no mess microwave method". Have to share this one.

Great plan. I will go to my favorite thrift store and look for a corelle plate. Do you have any suggestions for a sweet flavored popcorn recipe?

Who knew? So simple we're probably all wondering why we didn't try this years ago. Pinning this!

Great and useful hub. I usually make popcorn on the stove with a lot of oil and even though it may taste good, it's more healthy without any oil.

I never knew you could do this. Gotta try this. So easy and 5 minutes isn't long to wait :)

Here, here!

With all of the chemicals and preservatives we are putting into our bodies by buying and eating pre-made food products at the store, it's nice to know that we can still have some of our favorites in a light and healthy way!

Thank you for the wonderful recipe! Voted up!

This is a really great idea. Store-bought microwave popcorn is indeed a healthy risk. I should really try out your version. Thank you for sharing this.

Thanks for sharing this with us. I have never thought or tried to do this. Your instructions are simple to follow. I actually prefer to pop my own popcorn on the stove - I think it tastes better and I agree with you the nasty stuff put in the bags of microwave popcorn can gag me. LOL! I will be trying this!

Great idea, easy to follow instructions :-) I don't have a machine and I like to have popcorn not greasy!

Thank you for sharing!

Very nice idea, more because it is oil free. I do make it but had no idea, it can be done without oil.

Thanks for this, voted up and shared!

I love popcorn but always buy the bagged variety. Thanks for sharing this. I'm sure buying the kernals are much cheaper. Sharing and pinning this one.

We eat a lot of popcorn but have never tried this...thanks for the tip young lady.

Oh ho ho! And we didn't think of this before because…? I like to use a hot air popper with coconut oil, but I don't like pulling out the popper and cleaning up the stuff and such. I would've thought that everyone was by now aware of the concerns re store bought microwave popcorn. This just goes to show that recycling information is not always a bad thing, especially if it's wrapped in a solution for a problem. Looking forward to trying this soon!

This is awesome. We no longer buy microwave popcorn after all the info about it came out some time ago. We have a microwave popper, but this is a great way to do it. Thanks for a really useful hub.

Awesome, I don't know why I hadn't thought of that. BTW, I absolutely LOVE your graphics!

Great idea. I was not aware of al the issues with microwave popcorn but this is good to know. Thanks for sharing.

Very clever! I have been hearing the bad scoop on microwave popcorn, too. Now they tell us. Thanks for this awesome tip. Shared!