The Smartfood Popcorn Recipe Change That Left Fans Disappointed

You're not imagining it: The beloved uber-cheddary, sharp-kerneled snack that first got a hold on you in the middle school cafeteria doesn't quite hit the same as it once did. The (oh-so-stinky) powder that used to cover your fingers? Minimal. The excessively salty, cheesy taste that once left you reaching for an ice-cold Fruitopia from the vending machine? Gone. Over the years, the recipe has changed — and cheddar cheese has moved from it's third-place spot on the original ingredients list all the way down to seventh. Since ingredients are listed in descending order by their weight, as determined by U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, this change indicates a significantly less-cheesy recipe than the original.

Reddit users have dedicated hours of discussion to pinpointing the change and journalists have done deep dives to figure out exactly when the recipe went sideways (it seems the original recipe was used until around 2019). Some have spent time finding dupes that are more similar to the original recipe than the company's current offering. The Clancy's brand at Aldi seems to be a good fit for those looking for a replacement, with some saying it tastes more like the original Smartfood recipe than the brand's current recipe. Cabot's Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese flavored popcorn also has some fans among former Smartfood lovers. If you're struggling to recreate the original almost-too-cheesy flavor of Smartfood Popcorn, however, we'd recommend making popcorn at home and loading up on seasoning to your heart's content.

If you're missing the original, addictive flavor of Smartfood Popcorn of years past, you're not alone. We aren't sure why Smartfood changed its recipe, but we have a few ideas (we're purely speculating here — it's tough to know what combination of reasons Smartfood Popcorn may have had for changing a recipe that was loved by so many).

We noticed when comparing the older and newer labels that the amount of calories per serving stayed the same (160), but the serving size did not. The old serving size was 1 ¾ cups, while the new serving size is 2 ½ cups. It's possible the company began to switch up its recipe to increase the serving size while still keeping the calories the same in an effort to appeal to calorie-counting consumers. Another possible reason behind the change: pricing. Cheese prices are climbing, and it's possible that Smartfood reduced the amount of cheese in its recipe in an effort to cut costs. In a time when many companies are cutting product sizes while keeping prices the same — perhaps in an effort to get you to buy more stuff — it's possible Smartfood simply took a different route to try to keep production costs in check. If you're craving an amped-up savory flavor, we recommend buying a bag and loading it up with your own popcorn spice blend.