If you want protein from the cake itself, compare purpose-made products by the amount in the portion you will pack: Kallo lists 1.8g per Protein Packed Lentil Cake, while M&S lists 24.8g per 100g for its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes. Tesco and Sainsbury's plain rice cakes list just 0.7g and 0.6g protein per cake respectively, so they make more sense as a base when you plan to pack a separate protein food. If the snack is for shortly before training, consider its carbohydrate and fat as well as its protein.
The useful distinction is whether the cake must provide protein on its own or will be packed with another food.
A purpose-made lentil or protein-enriched cake is worth comparing if you do not want to carry a separate topping. Check protein per cake, not only per 100g: Kallo lists 1.8g per Protein Packed Lentil Cake, while Tesco's plain rice cake lists 0.7g.
If you have not eaten a meal in the preceding 2–3 hours, the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describes a snack 60–90 minutes before exercise that includes carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. Compare the whole snack, including anything eaten alongside the cakes.
Kallo's Protein Packed Lentil Cakes and M&S's Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes are labelled gluten free and vegan-friendly or vegan. Those descriptions do not replace the current pack's allergen statement: Kallo warns that its cakes may contain sesame and soya, and its shop also warns of possible milk cross-contamination.
Start with the portion you will carry, then check how the cakes fit with any other food in your bag and when you intend to eat them.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein in the portion | Read protein per cake or serving as well as per 100g. Kallo lists 1.8g per lentil cake; Tesco and Sainsbury's list 0.7g and 0.6g per plain rice cake. | I want the cakes themselves to contribute protein, rather than relying on the words ‘rice cake’ or ‘high protein’ on the front of a pack. |
| Training time | For a snack 60–90 minutes before exercise when no meal was eaten 2–3 hours earlier, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. Compare the figures for the portion you plan to eat. | If I am packing a pre-training snack, I need to consider the other food I will eat with the cakes, not protein alone. |
| Pack and storage | Check the pack size and storage directions. Tesco instructs buyers to keep its rice cakes in a cool, dry place and use an airtight container after opening. | I may take only part of a pack to the gym, so I need a way to keep the remaining cakes dry and sealed. |
| Dietary suitability | Read the specific product's ingredients, dietary labels and allergen statement. Kallo's shop warns that its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes may contain milk, sesame and soya. | Even if a cake is labelled vegan-friendly or gluten free, I need to check whether its may-contain statement matters to me. |
Tesco's Lightly Salted Rice Cakes list 0.7g protein per cake, and Sainsbury's plain Rice Cakes list 0.6g. Neither figure tells you that a plain cake will provide the protein you intended for your snack.
Compare protein for the number of cakes you will actually pack. If you choose plain cakes, plan any accompanying protein food separately.
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat for a snack 60–90 minutes before training when a meal was not eaten 2–3 hours beforehand. Products with substantial protein can still have different fat figures: M&S lists 16.2g per 100g for its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes, while Kallo lists 1.9g per 100g for its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes.
Decide when you will eat the snack, then compare carbohydrate, protein and fat using the same portion or per-100g basis.
Kallo labels its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes gluten free and vegan-friendly, but warns of possible sesame and soya; its shop also warns of possible milk cross-contamination.
If an allergen matters to you, read the ingredients and allergen statement on the current pack before eating.
Nutrition information shown for the Kallo lentil cakes on a retailer listing differs from Kallo's own published information. A listing also cannot establish what is currently on the pack you receive.
Confirm the full product name and check the current pack's nutrition and allergen information before relying on either listing.
These examples cover different kinds of crisp cake; a brand name alone does not establish the protein content of every product it sells.
Protein Packed Lentil Cakes are a lentil-based alternative to conventional rice cakes. Kallo lists 26g protein per 100g and 1.8g per cake.
Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes contain wholegrain rice, buckwheat, pea protein and lentil flour. M&S lists 24.8g protein per 100g.
Lightly Salted Rice Cakes are a plain option to pair with a separate protein food. Tesco lists 5.5g carbohydrate and 0.7g protein per cake.
Its 135g Rice Cakes are another plain base: Sainsbury's lists 6.1g carbohydrate and 0.6g protein per cake.
Its flavoured multipacks offer a portioned rice-and-corn snack format. Check the nutrition panel of the particular flavour if protein is your reason for buying.
Its Milk Chocolate Rice Cakes are a different choice from the plain or purpose-made protein cakes. Asda lists 1.0g protein and 5.0g sugars per cake.
This Joybuy option is a protein-focused lentil cake for a gym bag, not a conventional rice cake. Check the current pack if its protein figure is important to your choice.
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A lentil cake to consider when you want the snack itself to contribute protein rather than packing a separate topping. Nutrition figures associated with this listing differ from Kallo's published figures, so check the current pack before relying on an amount. Kallo labels the product gluten free and vegan-friendly, but its shop warns that it may contain milk, sesame and soya.
Do not assume they are. Tesco lists 0.7g protein per Lightly Salted Rice Cake and Sainsbury's lists 0.6g per plain Rice Cake. Check the protein in the number of cakes you intend to pack, and account separately for any food eaten with them.
Compare carbohydrate, protein and fat for the snack as a whole. For a snack 60–90 minutes before exercise when no meal was eaten 2–3 hours earlier, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. The timing and any accompanying food matter as much as the product name.
Keep the remaining cakes dry and sealed. Tesco instructs buyers to store its rice cakes in a cool, dry place and in an airtight container once opened; check the directions on the pack you buy.
No. Kallo labels its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes gluten free and vegan-friendly, but warns that they may contain sesame and soya; its shop also warns of possible milk cross-contamination. Read the current pack's allergen statement if those ingredients matter to you.
Use the nutrition information on the current pack for the product you receive. Information associated with the Kallo lentil-cake retailer listing differs from Kallo's published figures, so confirm that the product and portion shown match what you are buying.