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The microwave is the workhorse of the modern kitchen, whether at home or in the office lunchroom. All day long, it dependably handles quick grab-and-go chores, as well as more complex food prep chores. But don't take it for granted. To keep it working, here is a look at five things you should never put in your microwave.

Paper Bags

Did you know a standard paper bag from the grocery store can catch fire in the microwave? That's because it doesn't have susceptors, a specialized material that can handle the radio waves produced by the microwave. Popcorn bags have them, but everyday bags don't. As a result, fumes and toxins from the paper get released during the heating process, potentially causing a fire.

Aluminum Foil

The metal interior of your microwave is made to reflect back radio waves, which are usually called microwaves. These waves are responsible for the electromagnetic energy that warms up food. Aluminum foil reflects back the waves. The results are sparks and potentially a fire.

Plastic and Steel Travel Mugs

These handy cups are perfect for sipping coffee on the go. But don't try to reheat your tea or coffee in them. Steel mugs can cause friction from the buildup of energy in the appliance. Many plastic mugs can't take the heating process. Some plastic on-the-go coffee mugs do say "microwave safe" on the outside. In that case, it's ok to use them.

Eggs too Hard Cook

An eggshell traps steam that forms when the microwave does its job of heating. When that reaches critical mass, it can explode. The result is a very messy, hard-to-clean microwave.

Styrofoam Anything

Takeout is often packaged in polystyrene foam, better known as styrofoam. But don't try to reheat your General Tso's Chicken or your breakfast burrito in the container. The material can melt, releasing unappetizing and unhealthy toxins into your food.

How to Pop Popcorn in a Paper Bag in the Microwave (It’s Simple!)

By Melissa

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Jump into my quick and easy guide on how to pop popcorn in the microwave using just a paper bag — no oil or equipment needed!

How to Pop Popcorn in the Microwave Using Just a Paper Bag

Making popcorn has never been easier! It’s one of my all-time favorite easy and healthy snacks for the whole family. And did you know you can make popcorn in a brown paper bag in the microwave? It’s so simple and doesn’t require any popcorn-making gear that you might’ve *thought* you needed to make popcorn at home (I know that’s what I thought!).

I’m not a huge microwave person, but this is completely an exception because this method is a lifesaver. You don’t need an air-popper, stovetop-popper, or any oil, and you can ditch the store-bought chemical-filled microwaveable popcorn, too! Making it in a paper bag in the microwave is silly easy, and you can have a whole-grain, fiber-filled snack on the regular with little effort on your part! Score.

(I also love adding a little butter and salt. So delicious.)

How do you know when the popcorn is done?

The goal is to pop as many kernels as you can, without burning the popcorn. The time that will take varies depending on the age and water content of the kernels, your area’s climate, and your microwave.

Be sure you stick close by while it’s popping so you don’t end up with burnt popcorn. Listen as it begins to rapidly pop, and when there’s a one-second pause in popping, it’s done. Go ahead an open the microwave and remove the bag.

What are some ways to spice up traditional popcorn?

Butter and salt are always a favorite topping, but you can also get creative and try recipes like my chili lime popcorn, the best sticky caramel corn, or this fun (and non-sticky) spiced caramel corn with white chocolate. All of them are delicious!

What size paper bag do I use to pop popcorn?

You can use just about any size brown paper bag that will fit in your microwave. The little lunch sack size is easy to find, but there’s a size just a bit bigger which also works great.

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How to Pop Popcorn in a Brown Paper Bag in the Microwave

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4.6 from 18 reviews

• Author:

  Melissa Griffiths-Bless this Mess

• Total Time:

  7 minutes

• Yield:

  2

  -

  3

  cups

  1

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Description

A quick and easy guide on how to pop popcorn in the microwave using just a paper bag, no oil needed. Making popcorn has never been easier!

Ingredients

Scale

• 1/3 cup

  popcorn kernels

• 1

  medium brown paper bag
• Melted butter and salt or other seasonings to taste

Cook Mode

Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Add the popcorn to the paper bag and fold the top over a time or two.
2. Microwave on high until the popping has a one second gap in it, 1.5-2.5 minutes.
3. Stop the microwave, dump the popped popcorn into a large bowl and season as desired.
4. Repeat as needed to get the desired amount of popcorn.

Notes

• The goal is to pop as many kernels as you can without burning the popcorn. The time that will take will vary depending on the age and water content of your popcorn, your climate/weather, and your microwave.
• Don’t walk away from the popping or you’ll end up with a bag of burnt popcorn. Stand there and listen until, after the popping starts going rapidly, you hear a one second pause in popping. As soon as you hear that little break, stop the microwave.

• Prep Time:

  5 min

• Cook Time:

  2 min

• Category:

  Snack

• Method:

  Microwave

• Cuisine:

  American

Looking for more healthy and easy snack ideas?

More popcorn recipes you’ll love:

This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated in July 2019.

I hope you found this hack for how to pop popcorn in the microwave using just a paper bag just as genius and exciting as I did! Enjoy fresh popcorn any day of the week and pop on.

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