Movie Theatres to Sell Healthy Snacks

AMC touts its healthier snacks, including fruit chips and trail mix.

April 12, 2011

KANSAS CITY, MO - AMC Theatres, one of the largest movie chains in the U.S., announced last week that it has begun selling nutritious snacks packs called AMC Smart MovieSnacks, ABC News reports.

Each Smart MovieSnack pack includes fruit chips, a bottle of water, trail mix, and popped corn chips. They are available at all AMC theatres nationwide at a cost of $7.00.

"At AMC, we are all about giving our guests choices ?" in the type and format of entertainment they watch and the food and beverages they consume," said George Patterson, senior vice president of food and beverage at AMC. "We know there are occasions ?" and dietary reasons ?" when guests want more options beyond traditional concession fare."

The new snack bundles contain roughly 450 calories and 10 grams of fat, compared to 1,600 calories and 60 grams of fat for a medium popcorn and soda.

"It shows that people want healthier, more nutritious food if you ask them," said Dr. Louis J. Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at Weill-Cornell Medical College in New York.

Michael Lynton, president and chief executive officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, praised AMC for its new snack options.

"I applaud AMC for making healthier snacks available for theatergoers at concession stands around the country. I believe this will be good for business and for public health," Lynton said.

Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced movie theatres and other establishments that sell food but not as their primary function are exempt from new menu-labeling provisions, a status they had fought to achieve.

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