The TikTok Popcorn Hack That Could Burn Your House Down

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It isn't uncommon to find so-called "hacks" floating around the internet for just about every food these days, including popcorn, which is absolutely a legitimate meal. You're better off avoiding some of these tricks, like the viral popcorn hack that's a waste of foil, or the latest TikTok trend of microwaving popcorn kernels in a plain brown paper bag, which could potentially burn your house down. 

If you haven't heard of this so-called hack involving the paper lunch bag, it's relatively simple. Take a small amount (about one-quarter cup) of popcorn kernels and put them in a brown paper bag. Then close the bag and fold over the opening a few times to hopefully prevent any popcorn overflow before microwaving it for several minutes, or until there are three seconds or more between each pop.

Why is this popcorn method a great way to set your home on fire? As it turns out, brown paper bags are different than bags designed specifically for microwaving popcorn. Brown paper bags (like other paper products) are combustible and may start smoking or even catch fire when exposed to the high temperatures of the microwave. Even if the bag doesn't catch on fire, there are still other risks associated with a brown paper bag in the microwave. The glue that holds the seams of the bag together can leach onto your food, along with any chemicals from the ink printed on the bag. For a paper bag to withstand the microwave as well as a commercially manufactured popcorn bag, there's a lot that goes on.

The inner lining of a microwaveable popcorn bag is more than just paper. It's layers of heat-resistant materials like silicone and polyethylene. These layers keep the oils and moisture contained inside the bag to prevent it from catching on fire. Though, most of us have experienced a burnt popcorn bag at least once in our lives anyway. If you still don't want to use regular bags of microwave popcorn because you'd rather add your own butter or oil, there are other ways to attain popcorn freedom without the fire hazard.

Instead of microwaving non-heat-resistant paper products, you can pop some kernels on the stovetop and use as much or as little oil or butter as you wish. However, part of the paper bag hack's allure is that it's fast and convenient with little to no clean-up. Another way to achieve speedy snack-time bliss is to use a popcorn-specific microwaveable container, like the Ecolution Micro-Pop Popcorn Popper. Such products typically allow you to add the kernels, butter, and oil through a specific part of the lid. It's the safer choice compared to microwaving a paper bag of popcorn. Some TikTok hacks are great, others aren't really worth the risk.