1. Bridges of Madison County and Lover's Lane
For a sweet movie about a forbidden and intense romance, Lover's Lane from Almost Famous was an easy match. With white and dark chocolate drizzled over vanilla-flavored red caramel corn, this tasty mix will make your romantic movie night even sweeter. As a film that is known for being a severe tear-jerker, you may want to consider adding a box of tissues to this pairing. Buy online or at Almost Famous' locations in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.
2. Twister and The Twist
While there's nothing sweet about tornadoes, the movie Twister, which was filmed in Iowa, offers a chaotic story that matches the chaos in the Twist popcorn mix. Made by Jolly Time Koated Kernels in Sioux City, this mix features fluffy chocolate- and vanilla-coated popcorn thrown together in a bag, creating a flavorful surprise with each handful. Jolly Time specializes in handmade gourmet popcorn that can be purchased on their website or in store.
3. Field of Dreams and the Patriotic Mix
There's nothing more American than the beloved sport of baseball and nothing more Iowan than the Field of Dreams movie and Dyersville movie site. In honor of the country's favorite pastime, we've paired this famous Iowa movie with Lotta-Pop Popcorn's Patriotic mix, a sweet blend of blueberry, cherry and vanilla popcorn. If you ever find yourself in Ankeny or wanting to feel patriotic from home, grab or order a bag and turn on the TV.
4. Superman Returns and Superman
With the titular character played by Des Moines native Brandon Routh, Here's What's Poppin' in Cedar Falls and Waterloo offers the best way to pay homage to an Iowa actor. Pair your Superman experience with the superman mix, a combination of cherry and blueberry flavored popcorn. Order online or visit their two locations.
5. It's a Wonderful Life and Peppermint
A popular Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life's popcorn partner is the simple yet festive peppermint flavor from the family-owned Popcorn Charlie's in Davenport. Call the shop to place an order for pickup or shipping and choose from 76 sweet and savory flavors.
Fun fact: Donna Reed, who played Mary Hatch Bailey in the movie, is from Denison and demonstrated her rural Iowa roots by winning an impromptu bet with actor Lionel Barrymore when he challenged her to milk a cow on set.
6. The Final Season and Sweet Caramel Corn
For another Iowa baseball movie and popcorn pairing, grab a copy of The Final Season and head to Freddie's Popcorn to grab a bag of their classic sweet caramel corn. For a little extra something, you can get a bag with pecans or almonds. Currently offering only curbside pickup, it's a quick stop in Dubuque before bringing the feel of the baseball game right to your home.
7. State Fair and Puppy Chow Mix
There's few things Iowans love more than the Iowa State Fair and puppy chow. Nothing is more exciting than hopping in the car and driving to the state's largest and most exciting summer event, and pairing that plotline with our favorite snack seems like an easy choice. Big River Popcorn's "paw-some" puppy chow popcorn mix features a creamy peanut butter flavor with chocolate and butter, dusted with powdered sugar. This perfect Iowa snack can be found in their West Burlington store.
8. Children of the Corn and Three Way Combo
A movie featuring Iowa corn fields and a popcorn company whose kernels are grown in western Iowa seem like a good pair. When watching the frightful happenings of Children of the Corn, you'll want a predictable snack like Iowa Popcorn Company's Three Way Combo mix. This caramel corn, cheddar cheese and butter popcorn mix will help ease your nerves and remind you of the happy things in Iowa. Stop by their Marion location or avoid the cornfields and order online.
9. Aquaman and Watermelon
For a water-based action-packed thriller starring Jason Mamoa, who was raised in Norwalk, you need a refreshing and sweet Iowa snack like Kernel Cody's watermelon flavored popcorn. This popcorn shop's tasty flavors have attracted visitors from across the country, including former president Barack Obama, making it a must-stop in Le Claire.
10. Lord of the Rings and Tie Dye
An action-packed sci-fi thriller deserves nothing less than a fantastical snack. Pair this epic series, starring Cedar Rapids native Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, with the tie dye popcorn mix from Sonrisers Popcorn in Clarinda. This snack includes a bright and flavorful punch with its mix of cherry, orange, banana, blue raspberry and green apple flavors.
11. The Music Man and Sweet Cinnamon
Written by Meredith Willson, who gained inspiration for this book and musical from his boyhood in Mason City, this sweet story needs to be accompanied by a sweet yet classic snack. Find the perfect match at Pearl City Popcorn in Muscatine, whose sweet cinnamon popcorn matched with The Music Man's lyrics will create a refreshing and delicious movie-snack experience.
12. What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Grape
This simple pairing may seem too easy, but there's good reason behind it. For an emotional drama like What's Eating Gilbert Grape, based in a fictional Iowa town called Endora, you'll need a calming snack to distract you from the film's strong emotions. Amana Popcorn's grape flavored mix offers just that. But if you think you can find a more soothing snack, visit the Amana shop and choose from over 50 unique flavors or order online.
