Movie night is a special ritual in our home. My husband and I curl up on the big couch with the kids, sharing a cozy evening and a small snack. We only allow food in the living room for this occasion, so it feels like a treat. Even though my husband often drifts off before the end, the time together is what matters most. With family at the center of our evenings, General Mills Big G challenged me to create a snack for our movie night using one of the participating cereals in their free digital HD movie download promotion.
I knew popcorn was essential, and I thought Honey Nut Cheerios would be a delicious addition. To elevate the mix, I added salted cashews—one of our family’s favorites—and tossed everything in a honey-butter glaze.
After combining the popcorn, Cheerios and cashews, I poured the warm honey-butter mixture over the bowl and stirred until everything was coated.
I spread the mixture on baking sheets and baked it for 20 minutes to add a light, satisfying crunch.
The result was delightful—similar to caramel corn or puff corn, but with a thinner, buttery honey coating that let the popcorn and Cheerios shine through.
Honey Nut Popcorn Mix Recipe
Servings
20
Author
Emilie
Ingredients
- 8 cups of microwave popcorn popped (about 2 bags)
- 3 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
- 1 1/2 cups salted cashews or peanuts
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In a large bowl, combine the popped popcorn, Honey Nut Cheerios and nuts.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, hot melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
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Pour the honey-butter mixture over the popcorn mixture and stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
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Line two 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheets with parchment paper if you like, or leave them ungreased.
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Spread the mixture in a single layer across the sheets.
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Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring at least twice during baking so the mix browns evenly.
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Allow it to cool completely before serving so it crisps up.
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Store leftovers in an airtight container to keep the crunch.
To make the snack more fun for the kids, I offered mix-in options like Greek yogurt–covered dried cranberries and colorful chocolate candies. The little extras added both color and a sweet contrast to the salty, crunchy mix.
The candies and dried fruit sat in small bowls, so each child could personalize their snack box. The variety of textures—soft, chewy and crunchy—made it a hit.
I loved the bright colors and the way the toppings made each portion feel special.
For the movie selection, we used the back of the Honey Nut Cheerios box as a family voting tool. Our eldest wanted Diary of a Wimpy Kid, my husband and I preferred We Bought a Zoo, but the younger boys both chose Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. With the kids outvoting us, Ice Age 3 won—and it was exactly the kind of fun, animated choice that kept everyone engaged.
General Mills provided some playful props the kids enjoyed, and they were eager to pose for a few silly snapshots before the film started.
But the snack spread was the real star. I set everything out on the ottoman so the children could help themselves, and they loved being able to pick and choose their favorite bits. I expected the candy to disappear first, but they mostly enjoyed the whole mix together.
All three boys watched the movie with wide eyes, and even our two-year-old sat captivated through much of it. Our simple snacks turned an ordinary evening into an extra-special family memory.
The combination of a cozy setting, a kid-approved movie and a homemade snack made the night feel truly special.
Free Digital HD Movies from Big G
If you want to host your own family movie night, it’s simple to get started. Look for two specially marked Big G cereal packages and redeem the codes at the Big G Cereal Movies redemption site. You can choose services like Target Ticket, Vudu or Google Play to stream your movie. We enjoy streaming through Vudu on our Xbox.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All thoughts are my own.