When the dough runs out, we'll just pop dinner

It's the end of the month, and I'm kinda feeling the budget crunch. My kids get home from school and they're hungry, and of course they want a yummy snack. Well, some of those so-called "snacks" cost me as much a week as their lunches! OK, let's face it--do they really NEEEEED the Scooby Snack graham cracker as an essential part of their daily diet, despite the awesomeness of eating a dog biscuit shaped cookie? NO! But I still buy them once in a while, because I love that look on my kids' faces when I say, "Hey, if you do your homework, I'll give you a Scooby snack," and they nearly get as excited as the cartoon characters do when offered the treat (which, by the way, I still don't know if it's human food or dog food in the show--gross.)
But I can't do that all the time because not only do my kids (ok, when I say "kids" I really mean my boys) eat them in, like, 32 seconds, but I have neighbor kids coming over too! Not to say that I don't like neighbor kids over--I do, but I have to get smarter at the snack thing.
That's where popcorn comes in.
Dude! One half cup of uncooked plain popcorn, one air popper, a little salt and a little butter--it's like crack or something to these mini people! Today, I made a bowl and all I did was open my front door, yell, "Guys! Popcorn!" I had 5 kids (yes, not all mine) yell, "POPCORN!!!!!" and run to my doorstep like ravenous wolves to a kill. I kinda just had to put the bowl on the concrete and step back to avoid them running into me.
Cheap, easy, and yummy.
I wish dinner could be this easy.