Coffee drinkers with coeliac disease
For you, an explicit gluten-free statement on the exact rice cake matters more than having a choice of flavours. You should also check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging.
Who are these rice cakes for?
Fans of a plain coffee break
You’re looking for a cake without a sweet coating, to enjoy on its own or top yourself. The ingredients and salt content can help you choose between plain and unsalted.
Sweet snack lovers
You’re after a chocolate variety, but also want to compare the sugars, saturated fat and any allergens relevant to you in that specific rice cake.
What should you look for when buying?
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who is it most important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free statement and allergens | Look for ‘gluten-free’ on the exact packaging and check the ingredients and allergen information. | If I’m looking for a rice cake to have with coffee because I have coeliac disease, I want to see the gluten-free statement first and check whether any other allergens are relevant to me. For around 46% of consumers, this check comes first. |
| Plain ingredients | Compare the ingredients and salt per 100 g; ‘plain’ does not automatically mean ‘unsalted’. | I want an uncoated cake that I can eat on its own or top myself, without mistaking ‘plain’ for ‘unsalted’. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this type of product. |
| Chocolate and nutritional values | Compare sugars and saturated fat per 100 g, and check for milk and possible traces of other allergens. | If you mainly want a ready-to-eat sweet rice cake with your coffee, you’ll choose based on taste but will also want to know what’s in the coating. Around 27% of consumers prioritise this. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming a rice cake is automatically gluten-free
The name of an ingredient is no substitute for a gluten-free statement on the product. For someone with coeliac disease, the ingredients and allergen information for the exact rice cake matter too.
Before buying, check the packaging for ‘gluten-free’ and read the ingredients and allergen information.
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Confusing plain with unsalted
Albert Heijn lists sea salt as an ingredient in its plain rice cakes. So a plain variety is not necessarily unsalted.
Look for an explicit ‘unsalted’ statement or compare the salt content per 100 g.
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Thinking a chocolate coating only changes the flavour
The chocolate varieties we looked at also differ from a simple plain rice cake in their sugars, saturated fat and allergen information.
Read the nutritional information and allergen statement for the chocolate variety itself, even if both rice cakes are labelled gluten-free.
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Relying on old product information
Ingredients and allergen information can change. The availability of a particular variety can also vary from shop to shop.
Check the latest product information just before buying, and read the packaging of the exact variety when it arrives.
Brands to compare
Consenza
The Consenza product lines we looked at include an unsalted wholegrain rice cake and a chocolate variety with a gluten-free statement.
- Jumbo describes the unsalted wholegrain variety as organic and gluten-free.
- According to PLUS, the chocolate variety may contain traces of soya, milk, nuts and sesame. Check whether the variety you want is available too.
Albert Heijn
The AH rice cakes we looked at offer a choice between a plain variety and one with milk chocolate.
- Albert Heijn labels its plain variety gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free; its ingredients are brown rice and 0.2% sea salt.
- The milk chocolate variety contains milk. Compare the nutritional information and allergens for each variety separately.
Goud Gebakken (ALDI)
ALDI describes a Goud Gebakken rice cake with sea salt for anyone looking for an uncoated variety.
- ALDI labels the 130 g pack gluten-free and vegan, and says it contains 17 rice cakes.
- The sea salt variety is not an unsalted option; check the product information and availability at the shop where you’re buying it.
Jumbo
Jumbo’s range includes different types of rice cakes, including a Consenza wholegrain variety with a gluten-free statement.
- The product information for the Consenza variety makes it easy to compare options that are unsalted and gluten-free.
- Being listed in the rice cake category does not mean every other cake is gluten-free. Check the packaging of each product.
Rice cakes on Joybuy
Related products will appear soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is every rice cake suitable for people with coeliac disease?
No. Don’t rely on rice as an ingredient alone. Check the exact packaging for a ‘gluten-free’ statement and read the ingredients and allergen information.
How should I store an opened pack of rice cakes?
Keep the cakes in a cool, dry place and seal the pack tightly after opening. This follows the storage advice in the product information from Albert Heijn and Consenza for the varieties we looked at.
Does a chocolate rice cake have the same ingredients as a plain rice cake?
No. Albert Heijn lists 32 g of sugars and 13 g of saturated fat per 100 g for its milk chocolate variety, compared with 1.4 g of sugars and 0.5 g of saturated fat per 100 g for its plain variety. Also compare the portion size and ingredients of the variety you want to buy.
Should I check for other allergens in a gluten-free chocolate rice cake?
Yes. A gluten-free statement says nothing about other allergens. According to PLUS, the Consenza chocolate variety we looked at may contain traces of soya, milk, nuts and sesame. Check the latest packaging if any of these allergens are relevant to you.