Everyday snack shoppers
If rice cakes are a regular cupboard snack, consider pack size and how many cakes you are likely to use, as well as the stated calories per cake.
Who is this choice for?
Calorie-aware shoppers
Per-cake figures make portions easier to compare, provided you check whether the label refers to a plain cake, a flavoured snack or a smaller thin.
Shoppers checking allergens
A gluten-free label or vegan recipe does not settle other allergy questions. Read the ingredients and precautionary statements on the exact pack.
What should you compare?
Start with the stated serving unit, then consider the pack and any dietary requirements. A per-cake figure only describes that cake, not a snack with several cakes or toppings.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Read kcal per cake, thin or stated serving. Check how many pieces make up the portion you plan to eat. | I want to compare the amount I would actually eat. Sainsbury's lists 29 kcal per plain cake and Kallo lists 27 kcal per Organic Lightly Salted cake; their retailer product information gives those figures for individual cakes. |
| Pack size | Compare pack weights and the stated number of servings where shown. Keep different serving sizes separate. | For a budget shop, I want a pack size that fits how often I will eat rice cakes, rather than choosing by the size of the pack alone. |
| Flavour and toppings | Compare plain, flavoured and coated products by their own declared portions. Account separately for anything added to a plain cake. | If I want a ready-flavoured snack, I will check its portion: Sainsbury's lists Snack a Jacks Jumbo Caramel at 50 kcal per 13g snack, while its listing for Kallo dark-chocolate thins states 60 kcal per thin. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients, allergen declaration and precautionary statements on the exact pack. Do not use a gluten-free or vegan description as a substitute. | I need to check the allergens relevant to me. Sainsbury's says its plain rice cakes are unsuitable for customers with a milk allergy because of manufacturing methods; its Kallo listing says the lightly salted cakes may contain milk, sesame and soya. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming every rice cake has the same calories
The stated portion matters. Sainsbury's lists Kallo's plain cakes at 27 kcal each and its Kallo dark-chocolate thins at 60 kcal per thin; those are different products and serving units.
Check kcal for the exact cake or thin, then count the number you expect to eat.
-
Treating gluten-free or vegan wording as an allergy check
According to Sainsbury's product information, Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes may contain milk, sesame and soya. Sainsbury's own plain cakes are prepared to a vegan recipe but are unsuitable for customers with a milk allergy because of manufacturing methods.
Read the current pack's ingredients and precautionary statements for the allergens relevant to you.
-
Counting the cake but not its topping
A plain rice cake's per-cake nutrition figure does not include a spread or other topping.
If you add toppings, consider their portions separately when comparing snacks.
Relevant brand and own-label options
Sainsbury's
Its plain 135g rice cakes are a straightforward option for comparing an individual cake with a whole pack.
- Sainsbury's lists 29 kcal per cake and 18 servings per pack.
- The product information says they are unsuitable for customers with a milk allergy because of manufacturing methods.
Kallo
The products considered here include Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes and Belgian Dark Chocolate Rice Cake Thins.
- Sainsbury's lists 27 kcal per Organic Lightly Salted cake; that product is labelled gluten free.
- The lightly salted product may contain milk, sesame and soya. The dark-chocolate thin is a different product, listed at 60 kcal per thin.
Tesco
Tesco Lightly Salted Rice Cakes come in a 130g pack.
- The plain, lightly salted format offers an alternative to flavoured cakes.
- Check the current pack's per-cake nutrition panel before making a calorie comparison.
Snack a Jacks
Jumbo Caramel is a ready-flavoured rice-and-corn snack rather than a plain cake for toppings.
- Sainsbury's lists 50 kcal per 13g Jumbo Caramel snack.
- Its product information includes precautionary allergen wording; check the exact pack before buying.
M&S
M&S Lightly Salted Rice Cakes are made from puffed wholegrain brown rice.
- Marks & Spencer lists 386 kcal, 3.4g fibre and 0.33g salt per 100g for this product.
- Those figures are per 100g, not per cake. Marks & Spencer advises reading the current product label because information can change.
Rice cakes on Joybuy
These options include a plain Kallo rice cake and two flavoured Snack a Jacks products. Compare each product's stated portion rather than treating them as interchangeable cakes.
No image available
Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes 130g
A plain option when you want to check calories per individual cake. Sainsbury's and Joybuy product information list 27 kcal per cake; Sainsbury's labels the product gluten free and says it may contain milk, sesame and soya.
No image available
Snack a Jacks Jumbo Caramel 159g
A caramel-flavoured choice if you prefer a ready-flavoured snack to a plain cake. Joybuy and Sainsbury's list 50 kcal per snack for this 159g product. Read the exact pack's ingredients and allergen statements, particularly if you need to avoid specific ingredients.
No image available
Snack a Jacks Jumbos Sour Cream & Chive Sharing Rice Cakes 117g
A savoury-flavoured option in a 117g sharing pack. Check its current nutrition panel for the stated portion and read its ingredients and allergen declaration before comparing it with plain cakes.
Questions about choosing rice cakes
Are all rice cakes equally low in calories?
No. Sainsbury's product information lists 27 kcal per Kallo Organic Lightly Salted cake, 29 kcal per Sainsbury's plain cake, 50 kcal per Snack a Jacks Jumbo Caramel snack and 60 kcal per Kallo dark-chocolate thin. Check the serving unit and how many pieces you will eat; toppings are additional.
Why check pack size as well as calories per cake?
Pack weight and serving information help you work out how a product fits the snacks you plan to make. For example, Sainsbury's lists 18 servings in its 135g plain rice-cake pack, while the Kallo Organic Lightly Salted pack is 130g. Compare the stated serving units before treating their pack sizes as equivalent.
Does gluten free mean a rice cake is suitable for every allergy?
No. Sainsbury's labels Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes gluten free but says they may contain milk, sesame and soya. It also says its own plain rice cakes, though prepared to a vegan recipe, are unsuitable for customers with a milk allergy because of manufacturing methods. Check the exact pack for the allergens relevant to you.
Should I read the pack if I have a dietary requirement?
Yes. Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer advise checking current product labels because ingredients and related information can change. Use the pack's ingredients and allergen declaration rather than relying only on an online description.