For a midnight snack where reducing fat matters, start with a plain rice cake and compare fat per 100g, then check calories and salt for the number of cakes you expect to eat. Sainsbury’s No Added Salt lists less than 0.01g salt and 29kcal per cake, while Kallo Organic Lightly Salted lists 27kcal per cake but carries precautionary milk, sesame and soya information, according to Sainsbury’s and ASDA Groceries. Include any toppings when assessing the whole snack.
If you plan to eat one or two cakes, a per-cake calorie figure helps you assess that portion. Keep the per-100g fat figure in view too: a smaller cake can have fewer calories per cake without having less fat per 100g.
No-added-salt, lightly salted and flavoured cakes are different choices. Check the salt value for the exact product and the number of cakes you expect to eat, especially if you will add a savoury topping.
A gluten-free description does not address every allergen. ASDA Groceries’ information for Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes, for example, includes a precautionary warning for milk, sesame and soya; check the current pack for the variant you buy.
Compare the rice cake on a consistent per-100g basis first, then work out what your intended number of cakes and any toppings add to the snack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | Compare fat per 100g, not the words “lightly salted”. Sainsbury’s lists 2.4g per 100g for its No Added Salt cakes; Tesco lists 3.1g per 100g for its Lightly Salted cakes, according to their product information. | I want to compare reduced-fat options using the same quantity of food, rather than judging them by their appearance or flavour name. |
| Portion | Check calories per cake and decide how many cakes you will eat. Kallo Lightly Salted lists 27kcal per cake, Sainsbury’s No Added Salt 29kcal and ASDA Slightly Salted 30kcal, according to their respective product information. | One cake may be enough on some nights; on others, I might have several or add a topping. I need figures for the portion I actually choose. |
| Salt | Read the salt value for the exact variant. Sainsbury’s No Added Salt lists less than 0.01g per cake, whereas Snack a Jacks lists 0.26g per Salt & Vinegar jumbo cake. | If I am choosing a plain base to keep salt down, a flavoured cake or savoury topping could change that decision. |
| Flavour and toppings | Check the exact flavour’s nutrition panel. Compare the rice cake and any spread or topping as parts of the same snack; a per-cake figure describes the cake alone. | I might prefer a flavoured cake on its own or a plain cake with something added. Either way, the finished snack matters more than the base alone. |
| Allergens | Read the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements. ASDA Groceries lists a “may contain” warning for milk, soya and sesame on Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes. | If I need to avoid an allergen, I cannot rely on a gluten-free description or on the label from a different variety. |
Salt and fat are separate parts of the nutrition panel. Tesco Groceries lists 3.1g fat per 100g for Tesco Lightly Salted Rice Cakes, compared with 2.4g per 100g for Sainsbury’s No Added Salt variety, according to Sainsbury’s.
When fat is the deciding factor, compare the per-100g fat values before looking at salt or calories per cake.
A per-cake figure applies to that product’s cake size and does not describe how many you will eat. It also leaves out toppings and other differences between flavours.
Check per 100g as well as per cake, then use the number of cakes you intend to eat for your portion comparison.
ASDA Groceries identifies Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes as gluten free but also lists a precautionary milk, sesame and soya warning.
If an allergen matters to you, check the ingredients and precautionary wording on the exact pack before eating it.
The rice cake’s nutrition figures describe the cake, not a finished snack with a spread or other addition.
Choose the cake and topping together, checking the amount of each you plan to eat.
These examples show differences between named products and ranges; figures for one variety should not be applied to every cake from the same brand.
Kallo’s Lightly Salted wholegrain rice cakes offer a plain savoury base; its organic variety is a separate product with its own label.
Sainsbury’s No Added Salt Rice Cakes are a plain option when salt is an important part of the choice.
ASDA Slightly Salted Rice Cakes provide a plain brown-rice-and-sea-salt option with per-cake figures.
M&S Lightly Salted Rice Cakes are a wholegrain brown-rice option for eating plain or with a topping.
Tesco Lightly Salted Rice Cakes have a stated per-cake calorie figure, but that alone does not settle a fat comparison.
Snack a Jacks jumbo cakes offer named savoury flavours rather than a plain base for toppings.
These options cover an organic lightly salted cake and two flavoured cakes. Compare each product’s pack details against your priorities for fat, portion size, salt and allergens.
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A lightly salted option if you want to compare a plain cake with flavoured varieties. ASDA Groceries lists 2.7g fat per 100g and 27kcal per cake for this organic product. Its information also carries a precautionary warning for milk, soya and sesame; check the current pack if these affect you.
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The apple-and-cinnamon flavour offers a different choice from a plain base. If reducing fat is your main reason for buying rice cakes, compare its current per-100g fat figure and per-cake calories with the plain varieties; check its allergen statement as well.
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A Marmite-flavoured choice rather than a plain cake for toppings. Product information flags barley, wheat, oats and rye, so check the current ingredients and allergen statement if you need to avoid gluten. Compare the pack’s fat per 100g, calories per cake and salt before choosing it for a late-night portion.
No. Check both figures: Sainsbury’s lists 2.4g fat per 100g and 29kcal per cake for its No Added Salt variety, while Kallo UK lists 2.8g fat per 100g and 27kcal per cake for Kallo Lightly Salted. The number of cakes and any toppings also affect the snack you eat.
A plain no-added-salt option is a useful starting point. Sainsbury’s lists less than 0.01g salt per No Added Salt rice cake; compare that with the label of any lightly salted or flavoured alternative and account for toppings.
No. A gluten-free description does not cover other allergens: ASDA Groceries lists a precautionary milk, sesame and soya warning for Kallo Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes. Read the ingredients and precautionary statement on the exact pack.
Compare the exact flavour rather than treating jumbo cakes as interchangeable. Snack a Jacks lists 38kcal and 0.3g fat per Black Pepper & Sea Salt cake, while its Salt & Vinegar cake lists 41kcal and 0.26g salt per cake. If fat per 100g is your deciding measure, check that figure on the pack too.
Use the storage instructions on your pack. Marks & Spencer advises keeping its Lightly Salted Rice Cakes in an airtight container once opened.