Who is this for?

Weekly shoppers choosing a plain snack base

If you want rice cakes for snacks or toppings, the fat figure per 100 g helps you assess the product without relying on its name or appearance.

Shoppers comparing salt as well as fat

Plain low-fat varieties need not have the same salt content. Ocado lists 0.0 g salt per 100 g for Kallo Organic Unsalted and 0.3 g for Kallo Lightly Salted Wholegrain; Marks & Spencer lists 0.33 g for M&S Lightly Salted.

People adding toppings for lunches or snacks

A plain rice cake lets you choose your own topping, but the topping contributes to the finished snack. Check its label separately if fat, salt or allergens affect your choice.

What should you check?

Start with the fat claim and nutrition panel, then compare salt and any ingredients you plan to add.

Priority What to check Your needs
Fat claim Check fat per 100 g. The nutrition-claims annex on legislation.gov.uk sets no more than 3 g fat per 100 g for a low-fat claim on solid food; a reduced-fat claim requires a comparison with a similar product and at least a 30% reduction. I want to know whether a pack is low fat, without assuming that means its fat content has been reduced against another rice cake.
Salt Compare salt per 100 g as well as fat. Ocado lists 0.0 g for Kallo Organic Unsalted and 0.3 g for Kallo Lightly Salted Wholegrain; Marks & Spencer lists 0.33 g for M&S Lightly Salted. If I am trying to limit salt from the rice cake itself, an unsalted pack is worth comparing with lightly salted ones.
Coatings Read the finished product’s fat and saturates figures, not just the rice-cake description. Marks & Spencer lists 22.7 g fat and 13.7 g saturates per 100 g for its Milk Chocolate Mini Rice Cakes, versus 2.5 g and 0.5 g for its Lightly Salted Rice Cakes. For an everyday plain base, I would check a coated pack separately rather than assume it has the same nutrition values.
Allergens and storage Read the current pack’s allergen declaration and instructions for storing it after opening. Ocado’s Kallo Organic Unsalted listing says it may contain milk, soya and sesame seeds. I need a pack that fits my allergen requirements and can be stored as directed between snacks during the week.

Common buying mistakes

  • Assuming every rice cake is low fat

    Coatings change the nutrition values of the finished product. Marks & Spencer lists 2.5 g fat per 100 g for M&S Lightly Salted Rice Cakes, but 22.7 g for its Milk Chocolate Mini Rice Cakes.

    Compare the fat and saturates figures on the particular pack you intend to buy.

  • Treating ‘low fat’ and ‘reduced fat’ as the same claim

    The nutrition-claims annex on legislation.gov.uk gives these claims different conditions: no more than 3 g fat per 100 g for a low-fat solid food, and at least a 30% reduction against a similar product for a reduced-nutrient claim.

    Use the per-100 g figure to assess a low-fat claim; for ‘reduced fat’, also check what comparable product the claim refers to.

  • Overlooking salt in a low-fat pack

    Ocado lists 0.0 g salt per 100 g for Kallo Organic Unsalted and 0.3 g for Kallo Lightly Salted Wholegrain, while Marks & Spencer lists 0.33 g for M&S Lightly Salted.

    Compare salt independently if it affects which plain variety you choose.

  • Relying on an older allergen listing

    Ocado’s Kallo Organic Unsalted listing carries a may-contain statement for milk, soya and sesame seeds. The current pack is the place to check the declaration for the product in your basket.

    Read that declaration before buying and follow the pack’s storage instructions after opening.

Brand references for this choice

Kallo

Kallo has plain unsalted and lightly salted rice cakes to compare when fat and salt both matter.

  • Ocado lists 2.7 g fat and 0.0 g salt per 100 g for Kallo Organic Unsalted, and 2.8 g fat and 0.3 g salt for Kallo Lightly Salted Wholegrain.
  • Ocado’s Organic Unsalted listing says it may contain milk, soya and sesame seeds; check the current pack for the variety you choose.

M&S

M&S Lightly Salted Rice Cakes are a plain option, but other M&S rice cakes have different nutrition values.

  • Marks & Spencer lists 2.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturates, 3.4 g fibre and 0.33 g salt per 100 g for its Lightly Salted Rice Cakes.
  • Its Milk Chocolate Mini Rice Cakes list 22.7 g fat and 13.7 g saturates per 100 g, so check the specific variety.

Snack a Jacks

Snack a Jacks includes flavoured rice cakes for shoppers considering a seasoned snack rather than a plain base.

  • Tesco Groceries lists Snack a Jacks products among its rice-cake varieties.
  • A Joybuy listing for Snack a Jacks Salt & Vinegar Rice Cakes states 5.8 g fat and 1.3 g salt per 100 g. Check the chosen flavour rather than applying plain-rice-cake figures to it.

Joybuy product options

This lightly salted Kallo option is relevant if you want a rice cake to compare with plain varieties for your weekly shop.

Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes 130g

Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes 130g

For a lightly salted rice cake to use with toppings, check the current pack’s fat, salt and allergen information. Joybuy’s product listing states 27 calories per rice cake.

View on Joybuy

Questions about rice cakes

Do ‘low fat’ and ‘reduced fat’ mean the same thing?

No. The nutrition-claims annex on legislation.gov.uk sets a limit of 3 g fat per 100 g for a low-fat claim on solid food. A reduced-nutrient claim instead requires at least a 30% reduction compared with a similar product, so a low fat figure alone does not establish that a rice cake is reduced fat.

Which of these plain rice cakes lists the least salt?

Of the three plain products compared here, Kallo Organic Unsalted lists the least: Ocado gives 0.0 g salt per 100 g. It lists 0.3 g for Kallo Lightly Salted Wholegrain, while Marks & Spencer lists 0.33 g for M&S Lightly Salted.

Can I treat chocolate-coated rice cakes as low-fat plain rice cakes?

No. Marks & Spencer lists 22.7 g fat and 13.7 g saturates per 100 g for its Milk Chocolate Mini Rice Cakes, compared with 2.5 g fat and 0.5 g saturates for its Lightly Salted Rice Cakes. Compare the finished products’ nutrition panels.

What allergen information should I check on Kallo rice cakes?

Check the declaration on the current pack of the exact variety you are buying. Ocado’s listing for Kallo Organic Unsalted says it may contain milk, soya and sesame seeds; do not assume that a plain rice cake has no may-contain warning.

How should I keep rice cakes after opening?

Follow the storage instructions on the particular pack. Kallo advises keeping opened rice cakes in an airtight container, which is worth checking if you expect to use a pack across several days.