Let me start by saying Food Finds are products I stumble across and feel the need to share. Anything in this category was not a solicited review or paid post. I always disclose when I have a relationship with a brand. All opinions expressed are always my own.
Do you guys remember in August when I had the weird string of media attention? There was the stolen photos and then the “Today” show chose my turkey burger recipe to featured and I traveled to NYC with Mom. All of it was such an amazing experience!
Anyway, while in the green room for the “Today” show, there were lots of yummy snacks and one in particular caught my eye because (if you didn’t already know) I’m a popcorn FANATIC!
This popcorn was GOOD! And cute with its fun label and ribbon. I turned over the bag to look at the nutritional information (because that’s what I do) and was pleasantly surprised.
Popcorn, oil, sugar, cinnamon and salt. 110 calories a servings and only 275 for the whole bag, ’cause let’s be honest, I’m eating the whole bag.
And I did.
The producer I was working with noticed me looking at the bag and told me the story of IzzyPop. This is from its website…
IzzyPop Popcorn started back in 2011, when 8-year-old Isabella came up with the idea of popping and selling popcorn as a fun summer project. Since popcorn has always been one of Isabella’s favorite healthy snacks, she wanted to be able to share it with everyone! Popping popcorn in an old-fashioned popcorn machine at home, was how it all began.
Isabella’s mom, Teresa, owns Teresa’s Gourmet Cafe and they cater for the “Today” show. Apparently IzzyPop is a big hit with many of the guests who visit the green room, like Patrick Monahan of Train …
Robin Thicke…
And Harry from One Direction!
And seriously, how cute is Isabella?
I was so intrigued I decided to talk to Teresa since the cafe was literally next door to my hotel.
Teresa must have thought I was nuts. I told her I was a blogger and that I fell in love with her daughter’s popcorn, and that’s when she told be the story of how Isabella made it summer project a few years before. She said they were working on a new site to promote and I told her I would definitely post a review once they went live.
Well, they went live, and here I am!
I really do love everything about this popcorn, including the story. As someone who involves her kids in everything she does, I think it’s so great that Isabella is rocking her own product line at 11.
Everything from deciding on a name, picking out the colors, designing labels, and choosing the packaging turned into a huge family project. Isabella made bags of popcorn and sold them with her little brother at a family owned gourmet food store on 51st Street and Rockefeller Plaza in NYC. With her homemade signs and little stand, Isabella sold so many bags that summer, there was no keeping up with the demand. With a little coordination and a lot of effort, IzzyPop Popcorn expanded from a cute summer project into an actual snack product, popped and packaged in a real factory!
So inspiring! Right?
IzzyPop currently comes in 4 flavors, Olive Oil and Sea Salt, Cinnamon Toast, Jalapeño, and Carmel Corn. Teresa sent me more samples today…
I was loving the Jalapeño today alongside my bowl of Red Bell Pepper Soup With White Cheddar Swirl.
It was the perfect side dish!
Isabella’s IzzyPop Popcorn site is now live and open for business — click here to check them out. And they also have a Twitter and Facebook page but be patient with them; they are still trying to figure the social media thing out.
Any New Yorkers out there familiar with Isabella? Hey, you never know. It’s a small world!
I LOVE popcorn and probably have it 2 or 3 times a week. Usually, I buy the corn kernels and air-pop them, but on occasion, I'll have a pack or 2 of microwave popcorn on hand for when I run out. When I first saw Orville Redenbacher's Natural Lime & Salt Popcorn, I thought it was a rather odd flavor combination, and kept on going. But a friend of mine loves it and she let me try it one day while I was at her house, and I have to say - not bad ... not bad at all.
Popcorn is my vice. I love it, I have my own popcorn maker and it's a treat I enjoy a few times a week. I like popping my own and adding toppings (like 
Popcorn, Indiana Gourmet Kettlecorn prompted a plethora of thoughts to run through my mind as I stood in the aisle staring at the bright red bag sitting upon the shelf. The intriguing packaging states that this sweet and salty snack food is authentic (whatever that is supposed to mean), all-natural (that's good), packed fresh daily (... aren't all products that come from a busy plant that's open every day?), provides 16g of whole grains per serving (love that), is produced in Popcorn, Indiana (that's cute) and contains no trans fat (I would hope not). After all this thinking, and noticing that there was a two for one sale was going on, I picked up two bags and hoped for the best.