Parents and carers comparing protein figures
A cake can provide a crunchy component of a packed lunch. Compare protein on the same per-100g basis, then consider how many cakes the pupil is likely to pack alongside other food.
Who is choosing these cakes?
Pupils who prefer savoury snacks
The choice here is between a plain lentil-and-buckwheat cake and a barbecue-flavoured rice cake. Flavour matters if the food is to be eaten rather than left in the lunchbox.
Families managing food allergies at school
Check the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen statements against the pupil’s needs and the school’s arrangements. Gluten-free wording does not answer every allergen question.
What matters when choosing?
Compare the exact products on a per-100g basis, then decide whether flavour, allergen information and the rest of the lunch make either cake suitable to pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein comparison | Kallo’s product page lists 26.0g protein per 100g, while M&S lists 24.8g for its barbecue cakes. Joybuy’s Kallo product information gives 21.0g per 100g instead; use the current pack for the final comparison. | I want to compare the amount in the cakes I will actually pack, not rely on the words “protein packed” or on figures measured on different bases. |
| Flavour and cake type | Kallo’s option is a plain lentil-and-buckwheat cake, not a conventional rice cake. M&S offers a barbecue-flavoured rice cake. | A plain savoury cake may suit this pupil; for another, the barbecue flavour may make more sense. I need to choose a snack they are likely to eat. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack and the school’s arrangements. Kallo labels its cakes gluten-free but says they may contain milk, sesame seed and soya; precautionary wording should be checked for the exact pack. | If the pupil has a food allergy, I need the product label and their school arrangements to agree with what can safely be packed. |
| The whole lunch | Consider the number of cakes being packed and what other suitable food will accompany them. A protein figure describes the cake, not the packed lunch as a whole. | I am choosing one crunchy component, rather than treating a packet of cakes as the entire lunch. |
What should you avoid assuming?
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Assuming every rice cake has the same protein content
A cake’s name or snack format does not give you a comparable protein figure. Standard rice-cake products and the two named cakes here should be assessed individually.
Read protein per 100g on the exact product, then check the portion you intend to pack.
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Reading “gluten-free” as clearance for every allergy
Kallo labels its lentil cakes gluten-free, yet its product page also says they may contain milk, sesame seed and soya. Those are separate pieces of information.
Check the physical pack against the pupil’s specific allergens and follow the school’s arrangements before packing it.
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Letting a snack claim stand in for a whole lunch
Neither a protein figure nor calorie wording describes everything a pupil will eat at lunchtime.
Choose the cake as one component and plan the remaining food around the pupil’s needs and the school’s rules.
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Assuming online figures match the current pack
Joybuy’s product information gives 21.0g protein per 100g for the Kallo cake, while Kallo’s product page lists 26.0g per 100g for the same named product. Product information can also change.
Use online information to shortlist options, then read the physical pack’s nutrition and allergen panels before buying or packing.
Which brands are relevant?
Kallo
Kallo’s Protein Packed Lentil Cakes are a plain savoury alternative to a flavoured rice cake.
- Kallo lists 26.0g protein per 100g and labels this product gluten-free.
- Its product page says the cakes may contain milk, sesame seed and soya. Check the current pack, particularly where an allergy is involved.
M&S
M&S Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes provide the flavoured rice-cake option in this comparison.
- M&S lists 24.8g protein per 100g and describes this product as gluten-free.
- Its panel also lists 16.2g fat and 0.60g salt per 100g. Read the current pack for the figures and allergen information that apply to the cakes you buy.
Snack a Jacks
Snack a Jacks is a reference point for standard rice-cake snacks when a specified protein figure is not the deciding requirement.
- Its range gives shoppers another rice-cake format to consider.
- Check protein per 100g on the individual product rather than assuming that the brand or rice-cake format meets a high-protein preference.
Joybuy product option
This plain lentil-cake option is relevant if you are considering a savoury component for a secondary-school packed lunch.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes 100g
A plain lentil cake to consider as one part of a packed lunch. Joybuy’s product information gives 21.0g protein per 100g, while Kallo’s product page lists 26.0g per 100g for the same named cake; check the physical pack before comparing protein figures. The product is labelled gluten-free, but check its current precautionary allergen wording against the pupil’s needs and school arrangements.
Questions about school packed lunches
Which named cake lists more protein?
Kallo lists 26.0g protein per 100g for its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes, compared with M&S’s 24.8g per 100g for its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes. Joybuy’s Kallo product information gives a different figure of 21.0g per 100g, so check the current pack before making that comparison for a purchase.
Do these high-protein cakes necessarily contain gluten?
No. Kallo and M&S describe the specific cakes discussed here as gluten-free. That does not establish the status of every rice or lentil cake, or settle other allergen questions; read the exact pack you intend to buy.
Should I check the school’s allergy arrangements if a cake is gluten-free?
Yes. Gluten-free wording does not cover every allergen, and a product may carry precautionary statements. In England, Department for Education guidance requires schools to publish an allergy safety policy covering arrangements to reduce contact with pupils’ known allergens; check the product pack and the individual school’s policy or care plan.
Can the cakes make up the entire packed lunch?
Treat a rice or lentil cake as one component rather than the whole lunch. Choose what else to pack according to the pupil’s needs and the school’s food arrangements.