How to Select and Store Your Popcorn Kernels

Whether it’s a sweet or savoury movie night snack or to decorate an impressive cake, we love to make homemade popcorn! With a shelf life of between 500 and 800 days, it is beneficial to keep popcorn kernels properly stored so that their taste and texture remain at their best. Here are some rules to follow for popcorn that’s at the prime of its pop!

How to choose your popcorn kernels

As it is sometimes difficult to know the freshness of different dried goods in the store, choose your kernels visually, looking for a hard shell that is shiny and not too dry.

How to store them at home

Like many foods, popcorn kernels benefit from cool, dry, dark places. Place them in an airtight dish so that they keep some moisture and don’t dry out, as it gives them the ability to burst open once in contact with heat.

How to give them a little pep

If your popcorn kernels don’t burst as much as they used to, they may be a little dried out. To rehydrate them, simply put them in a dish with a little water on the bottom for a few hours before using them. However, they should not be kept in water for more than a day to ensure that they don’t ferment.

Did you know?

Popcorn is classified according to the shape it takes once burst. Are you more of a butterfly type, like what you get at the movies, or a mushroom person, like at home?

How to pop your popcorn

There are so many devices and tools to help cook dried corn kernels in the microwave, in a casserole dish or with a popcorn machine. The important thing is to do it with high heat and make sure to mix the grains with a fatty element. Moisture, in contact with heat, will take care of bursting the hard shell. Pop!