Who are these options for?

Hosting someone with coeliac disease

You want to choose a pack that says it’s gluten-free, and serve the rice cakes without exposing them to crumbs from regular biscuits.

Looking for a neutral coffee-time snack

You’re after a rice cake you can top with sweet or savoury ingredients, and want to compare the ingredients and nutritional information of the varieties you’re considering.

After a ready-to-eat sweet snack

You want to serve a coated rice cake with coffee and check that it’s explicitly labelled gluten-free and suitable for any other allergies your guests may have.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you’re choosing for a guest with coeliac disease, start by checking the gluten-free statement on the current packaging. Then compare the flavour, nutritional information and serving style to find what suits your coffee break.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Choosing and serving gluten-free Check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. If you’re also serving regular biscuits, use clean, separate serving utensils. If I’m also serving regular biscuits, I want to be able to identify the rice cakes for my guest and keep them separate from crumbs. Gluten safety would be the top concern for around 50% of consumers.
A neutral base Check the ingredients and compare the sugar and salt per 100 g when weighing up plain varieties. I want to choose my own toppings, without a coating deciding the flavour for me. Around 30% of consumers would mainly be looking for that neutral base.
A sweet snack with no toppings For coated varieties, also read the nutritional and allergen information on the packaging. For a coffee break without separate toppings, I want to be able to serve a sweet rice cake straight away. A ready-to-serve option would be the priority for around 20% of consumers.

Pitfalls when buying and serving

  • Assuming ‘made from rice’ means gluten-free

    The fact that rice is an ingredient doesn’t confirm that the finished rice cake is gluten-free. Under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, the statement ‘gluten-free’ may only be used on food for consumers if it contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.

    For a guest with coeliac disease, check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. If in doubt, let your guest check the label themselves.

  • Serving the right rice cake with shared utensils

    Contact with crumbs or used serving utensils can undo the separation between gluten-free rice cakes and regular coffee-time snacks.

    The Dutch Coeliac Society advises opening gluten-free products at the last moment or, ideally, serving them while still packaged. Also use clean hands and separate serving utensils.

  • Assuming ‘gluten-free’ tells you about all the ingredients

    A gluten-free statement doesn’t, by itself, tell you how much sugar or salt a product contains, or whether it contains other allergens. A chocolate coating also changes which nutritional information you should compare with that of a plain variety.

    Before choosing a variety for guests, check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional values per 100 g on the specific packaging.

  • Relying only on a product page

    The packaging you buy or receive is what determines the ingredients and statements you can check at that time.

    Use a product page to help you decide, then read the label on the pack you actually receive.

Brands to explore

Consenza

Among the products mentioned, Consenza offers both an unsalted wholegrain rice cake and a chocolate rice cake labelled gluten-free.

  • Albert Heijn lists the unsalted wholegrain variety as gluten-free and with no added salt; PLUS lists the chocolate variety as gluten-free.
  • Check the current packaging for each variety, especially if other allergies are a consideration or you want to compare nutritional values.

Smaakt

The Smaakt variety mentioned combines brown rice and quinoa, and is salted.

  • PLUS product information lists 99.3% brown rice and 0.5% quinoa as ingredients in this variety.
  • Choose this variety for a guest with coeliac disease only if the current packaging also says it’s gluten-free; check the other allergen information too.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn is a place to browse individual rice cakes, including a Consenza product listing.

  • The Consenza unsalted wholegrain rice cake listing explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
  • A general statement about a gluten-free range doesn’t confirm that every rice cake is gluten-free. Always check the packaging of the product you choose.

Related products on Joybuy

Related products will appear soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are all rice cakes suitable for someone with coeliac disease?

No. Rice as an ingredient isn’t enough to confirm that the finished rice cake is gluten-free. Check the current packaging for the statement ‘gluten-free’; under European Commission Regulation (EU) No 828/2014, this statement is permitted when the food contains no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg.

How can I serve gluten-free rice cakes alongside regular biscuits?

Keep the rice cakes and serving utensils separate from the regular biscuits. The Dutch Coeliac Society advises serving gluten-free products while still packaged if possible, or opening them at the last moment. Also avoid shared toppings where crumbs could get in.

Should I choose a plain rice cake or a coated variety?

Choose plain if you want to add your own sweet or savoury toppings, or go for a coated variety if you’re after a snack that doesn’t need toppings. In either case, check the gluten-free statement and compare the nutritional information per 100 g and any other allergens for the varieties you’re considering.

How should I store opened rice cakes for another coffee break?

Store opened rice cakes in a cool, dry, dark place in a well-sealed container, as the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises for rice cakes. Also follow the storage instructions on the packaging for your variety.