Some Good-For-You Snacks- Top Seedz and Pop Time

Feb 21, 2026 by Chef David

By Chef David

Snacking goes hand in hand with company, whether it is a gathering to watch sports, to play board games, or simply to socialize. Snacking creates a social atmosphere because it’s a relaxing habit that fills downtime and lightens the mood. Since these get-togethers can be lengthy, snacking prevents the participants from feeling hungry. We think it’s preferable to find snacks that are neither messy nor greasy.

Our search for healthier snacks led us to Top Seedz, snacks and crackers made of roasted seeds, certified kosher pareve by British Columbia (BCK/Check-K), and Pop Time, popcorn popped in avocado oil, certified kosher pareve by the OU.

Top Seedz – Crunchy, Crave-Worthy

Top Seedz uses seeds to make a crunchy, better-for-you snack, hand-made using simple, organic ingredients. Owner and founder Rebecca Brady, a transplanted Kiwi from New Zealand, launched Top Seedz in 2017. Roasted seeds provide the perfect combination of crunchy, clean, and crave-worthy.

Their Crackers

The crackers are rustic, rectangular crisps made entirely from a mix of seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, and flax) with cornstarch, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. Each 7-cracker serving contains 150 calories, and gives you 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, 4% calcium, 6% iron, and 2% potassium. Even though these crackers contain no sugar, they are packed with flavor, crunch, and body. They are packaged in a clear resealable 5-oz box and have a four-month shelf life.

They come in several varieties, including Sea Salt and Cumin [which includes cumin seeds as well as cumin and garlic powder]. These crackers have an orangish hue and give off a Middle Eastern vibe. Rosemary adds garlic powder and rosemary to the base cracker. We thought it was delicious. Our favorite is the 6 Seed, which adds chia, hemp, and flax seeds, along with Arrowroot. The Six Seed cracker has additional nutrition, but we liked the bold, more complex taste. It provides 4 grams of protein, 3 of fiber, with 10% iron and 6% calcium.

These crackers pair well with everything from cheeses to dips to herring. They are strong enough to hold any topping you select and remain crisp. A sophisticated adult cracker with a big taste. These crackers are in a league of their own, aptly named top seed after the sports term where the top-seeded player or team is the one who is given the highest ranking in a seeded tournament, the player who is most favored to win.

Their Seeds

Top Seedz seeds come in a 6-ounce resealable bag and have a six-month shelf life. Each bag has about 160 calories and has no cholesterol or sodium. Each serving provides 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, with 10% iron and 4% potassium.

Pumpkin Spice Roasted Seeds, which was our favorite, brings together sunflower and pumpkin seeds with a touch of warm, cozy fall spices, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. The other ingredients are maple syrup and sunflower oil.

Other flavors are roasted seeds with Sea Salt (which has the least sugar at 1 gram), seeds in their purest form without embellishment. Maple Magic has the sweetness of maple without the touch of fall spices, and Sweet Heat, which is Maple Magic with cayenne pepper and pepper added. This one packs a punch. Its heat level is rated as medium-high.

We were surprised to find that each bag contains a funny message on the bottom. The Maple Magic says, ‘The kind of magic that will put your taste buds under a spell.’ It seems like they thought of everything and captured the essence of these seed snacks, which are addictive, with a melt-in-your-mouth goodness, combined with a satisfying crunch.

Top Seedz can be purchased in the U.S. in stores or online.

Pop Time

Pop Time is a light, airy, crispy popcorn with some interesting flavor combinations, but what distinguishes them is their use of avocado oil. Avocado oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and has a high smoke point, which prevents harmful compounds from forming during popping. Founded in 2012, Pop Time is produced by Pop Time Snack Brands LLC of Clifton, New Jersey.

So Many Choices

Pop Time is a non-dairy, nut, cholesterol, and preservative-free snack that provides a variety of different tastes, including seasonal flavors (which we did not try) of hot chocolate and white chocolate peppermint bark. We did taste their classics – Sea Salt and Sweet & Salty kettle corn. We tried some of their bolder creations, which, despite having names like White Cheddar and Movie Theater Butter, are pareve. Their taste profiles made us stop to read the bag to make sure they were not dairy (they were not). We found their Sea Salt with a Hint of Lime and Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno unusual but enjoyable, with a subtle flavor that builds gradually.

Ingredients included popcorn, avocado oil, and seasonings. A 28-gram serving provides 150 calories. As far as portion size, this varies from 2 to 3 cups depending on the product. Each serving contains 4 grams of fiber, 6% RDA of iron, and 2% RDA of potassium. We were impressed to see that the Sea Salt popcorn did not contain added sugar.

We enjoyed the more familiar sweeter selections, best, and were relieved to find few unpopped kernels (which is our biggest issue with most brands). Popcorn makes a good snack, and Pop Time makes good popcorn.

Pop Time is available in select stores and online.

Consider Top Seedz and Pop Time for your Purim seudah, for kiddish, or when gathering with friends. We found them both finger-friendly, not greasy or messy. These satisfying, munchable, clean foods are a good source of fiber, and make snacking healthier.