How to Make Colorful Popcorn

Popcorn is a healthy snack that is high in fiber and low in fat. Served hot and sprinkled with herbs and spices, it makes a delicious, spicy treat without all of the preservatives that are found in snack foods purchased at a store. However, this versatile food also serves as the base for many creative craft projects, from wooly white lamps to delicate pink apple blossoms amid the branches of a hand-painted tree. How you color the popcorn depends on whether your goal is to create a colorful snack or use it in crafts.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Popcorn
• Food coloring
• Liquid tempera paints
• Tempera powder
• Paper bag
• Waxed paper/aluminum foil
• Vegetable oil

1. Make edible colored popcorn in any shade you choose by covering the bottom of a large kettle with oil and adding a few drop of food coloring. Allow the mixture to heat. Drop two or three kernels of corn into the oil and cover loosely. When the kernels pop, the oil is ready to cook popcorn. Pour popcorn kernels into the pan, covering the entire bottom with one layer of kernels. Cook over medium heat, shaking the pan to distribute the kernels and oil to prevent burning. The resulting popcorn emerges with subtle pastel coloring.

2. Use powdered tempera paints to color popcorn designed to use in crafts. Place the popped corn in a brown paper bag and sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the desired color. Close the bag and shake vigorously. The brightness of the color will depend on the amount of tempera used. Create richer colors by using more tempera powder or pastels by using less.

3. Create quick colored popcorn by placing the popped corn in the bag and adding liquid tempera or poster paints. Shake to distribute the paint and pour the popcorn onto wax paper or aluminum foil. Spread the popcorn over the paper so kernels are in a single layer and allow to air-dry for several hours. Turn the kernels to dry all sides if necessary.

4. Mix food coloring with 1 or 2 tsp. of water and follow the same procedure for coating the popcorn. Use water sparingly, as too much moisture will cause popped corn kernels to shrink, resulting in unattractive corn that may not dry well. Experiment to find the right combination of food coloring and water for the results you desire.

5. Color several batches of popcorn. Allow to dry completely. Mix the colored corn together to create a multicolored corn suitable for a wide range of crafts. Popcorn strings made with multicolored popcorn make festive necklaces that resemble Hawaiian leis. Spring bulletin boards decorated with multicolored popcorn flowers among green paper leaves create a burst of spring color.

Tips & Warnings

• Explain to young children that popcorn colored with paints is not edible. If children as too young to understand, provide edible popcorn instead.