CLEVELAND, Ohio — Jan. 19 is National Popcorn Day, a fitting celebration for one of America’s most reliable snacks — especially in the depths of winter, when movie nights, binge-watching and staying in feel like the right call. And while microwave popcorn may seem like a simple grab-and-go option, our taste test proved there’s far more popping beneath the surface.
With football playoff games filling the weekend and a holiday Monday for some, it’s prime popcorn season.
Last January, the Best of Cleveland team set out to answer a question many snack lovers have strong opinions about: Which buttered microwave popcorn is actually worth buying? To find out, we popped, tasted and ranked 24 different varieties, judging everything from butter flavor and salt balance to how well each bag popped (and how many kernels cruelly refused to)…