Choose a ready-to-eat rice cake with a stated protein amount if the rice-cake format matters: Marks & Spencer lists 24.8g protein per 100g for its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes. If the format is flexible, Sainsbury's lists 26g per 100g for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes; plain rice cakes offer another option when you want to add a separate topping. Compare the portion you would eat and check the current pack for ingredients and allergens.
A ready-to-eat cake is an option for short breaks. NHS Lanarkshire suggests keeping a variety of snacks at home and in a pram bag after having a baby; check the protein amount for the portion you expect to eat.
Marks & Spencer describes its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes as vegan, while Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes are described as vegan-friendly. Check the current ingredients if that distinction matters to you.
Read the label for the exact product rather than relying on its format or a dietary claim. Kallo's lentil cakes carry a may-contain warning for sesame seed and soya; warnings differ between products.
Decide whether you want protein in the cake itself or the flexibility of adding a separate food, then compare the portion and label details.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein per snack | Compare protein per 100g and per cake or serving where stated. Marks & Spencer lists 24.8g per 100g for its Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes; Sainsbury's lists 26g per 100g and 1.8g per cake for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes. Check the current pack. | I want to know what the portion I would actually eat contributes, rather than judge it by the product name alone. |
| Cake format | Check whether it is a rice cake, a lentil-based cake or a plain base for a topping. A separate topping changes both the preparation and the ingredients in the snack. | A rice-cake format matters to me, or I am happy to choose a lentil cake or add my own topping. |
| Convenience | Check storage directions and whether the snack needs a topping before you eat it. Follow the pack instructions after opening. | I may only have a brief chance to eat, so I want to decide whether ready-to-eat cakes or a plain base will be more practical. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredient list and may-contain warnings for the exact pack. Sainsbury's lists a sesame seed and soya warning for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, I cannot rely on a vegan or gluten-free description alone. |
Kallo lists 0.6g protein per cake for its Organic Lightly Salted rice cakes, while its Protein Packed Lentil Cakes list 1.8g per cake in Sainsbury's product information. The latter are lentil cakes, not rice cakes.
Compare the same type of measure on each pack, then consider how many cakes you would eat or whether you plan to add a topping.
The NHS says breastfeeding does not require a special diet and advises eating a varied range of foods. A protein-labelled cake is one snack choice, not a requirement for breastfeeding.
Choose the snack for its ingredients and practicality alongside the other foods you eat. Ask a health professional for individual advice if you have a medical dietary requirement.
A plant-based recipe does not rule out allergen warnings. Sainsbury's lists sesame seed and soya as possible allergens for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes; Kallo lists milk, sesame and soya warnings for its Organic Lightly Salted rice cakes.
Read the current pack each time you buy, particularly if an ingredient restriction affects your choice.
A reference point for a rice-cake product with a stated protein amount.
Its lentil cakes offer a different format for someone who does not specifically want a rice cake.
Tesco Groceries provides examples of plain and flavoured rice-cake formats to compare by label.
A flavoured rice-cake comparison when the pack's nutrition details matter to your choice.
These options cover a lentil-cake alternative and a plain rice-cake base. They serve different purposes if you want protein already in the cake or prefer to add a separate food.
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A ready-to-eat lentil-cake option when the snack does not need to be a rice cake. Check the current pack for protein per cake and for milk, sesame and soya allergen information.
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A plain rice-cake base if you prefer to choose a separate topping. Kallo lists 8.5g protein per 100g and 0.6g per cake for its Organic Lightly Salted rice cakes; check the current pack for milk, sesame and soya warnings.
No special rice cake is required for breastfeeding. The NHS says you do not need a special diet while breastfeeding and advises eating a varied range of foods, including protein foods such as eggs, beans, pulses and nuts.
Compare the protein amount for the portion you would eat. Kallo lists 0.6g per cake for its Organic Lightly Salted rice cakes; Sainsbury's lists 1.8g per cake for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes. Lentil cakes are a different product format, and per-cake figures should not be compared directly with per-100g figures.
Choose a topping that suits your ingredients and storage needs. The NHS includes foods such as eggs, beans, pulses and nuts among protein foods; check the topping's label and consider how you will store it.
Read the current pack's full ingredients and allergen warnings. Sainsbury's lists a may-contain warning for sesame seed and soya on Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes, while Kallo lists milk, sesame and soya warnings for its Organic Lightly Salted rice cakes.
Follow the instructions on the exact pack. The supplied product information for Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes and M&S Barbecue High Protein Rice Cakes specifies cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening.