Namkeen is part of every Indian home – with chai, on journeys and when guests arrive. But not all namkeen is made the same way. Here's how roasted and fried snacks differ, and what to look for.
How fried namkeen is made
Traditional namkeen is usually deep-fried, so ingredients soak up oil as they cook. That's what gives the familiar rich taste – and the heavy feeling after a handful too many.
How roasted snacks are made
Roasting cooks grains, pulses and seeds with dry heat instead of a vat of oil. At Roastway, our roasted namkeen is slow-roasted, with only a light spray of oil to help the seasoning stick. The result is a toasty, clean crunch.
What to look for on the label
- Ingredients you recognise – chana, oats, flax seeds, bajra, moong, seeds.
- The cooking method – "roasted" vs "fried".
- The oil used – if a snack is fried, rice bran oil is a better choice than palm oil.
- Protein and fibre – seed and pulse-based snacks usually offer more of both.
Roasted favourites to try
- Chana Hing Jeera – roasted chana with hing, jeera and dry mango
- Roasted Oats Alsi Mixture – oats, flax seeds, soyabean, bajra and moong
- Roasted Seeds Mix – pumpkin, watermelon, flax and quinoa seeds with 18.6g protein per 100g
- Multigrain Tangy – a 6-in-1 roasted mix
And when you want chips?
Our chips are made from ragi, millets, quinoa, oats, moong dal and real vegetable pulp, and fried in rice bran oil instead of palm oil – a better-for-you way to enjoy a classic crunch.
Snacking smarter doesn't mean giving up taste. It just means choosing how your crunch is made.