Who are these choices relevant to?

If you need to buy strictly gluten-free

If you’re buying rice cakes for someone with coeliac disease, look for a verifiable gluten-free claim on the packaging. Rice being the main ingredient isn’t enough.

If you like to add your own toppings

With tea, you may want a simple base for sweet or savoury toppings. In that case, the difference between unsalted, plain and sea-salt rice cakes matters to the flavour you add yourself.

If you’re looking for a simple snack

You want a rice cake that suits how you’ll use it, so you compare the contents and ingredients on the packs. If you need to eat gluten-free, the claim on the label still matters, even for a simple variety.

What should you look for when choosing?

If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, start by checking for a gluten-free claim. Then choose between a rice cake to top yourself and a flavoured variety to eat as it is.

What to look for What to check when buying Who it matters to
Gluten-free claim Check the current packaging for ‘gluten-free’ and read the allergen information if other allergens are a concern too. If I’m buying for someone with coeliac disease, I don’t want to rely on rice being an ingredient alone. Around 42% of consumers prioritise a verifiable claim.
Flavour without toppings Compare the ingredients and allergens for the exact flavour variety; also check the salt content per 100 g. If I’m eating a rice cake with tea as it is, the flavour without any extra toppings matters most. This is the first thing around 25% of consumers consider.
A simple base Compare unsalted and plain varieties for ingredients, salt per 100 g and pack size; check for a gluten-free claim too if needed. If I’m adding my own toppings, I mainly want to know how neutral the rice cake is and how many are in the pack. Around 33% of consumers prioritise a simple base.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming rice as an ingredient is enough proof

    A rice cake with rice as its main ingredient doesn’t automatically carry a gluten-free claim. According to the European Commission, a ‘gluten-free’ claim means the finished product contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten.

    If you’re buying for someone with coeliac disease, check the current packaging. Don’t rely on the product name or an ingredients list that includes rice alone.

  • Assuming a flavoured variety is the same as plain

    A coating or added flavouring can change the ingredients and allergens. For example, the G'woon cheese rice cake described by Joybuy contains milk ingredients; this tells you nothing about the composition of other varieties or whether they carry a gluten-free claim.

    Check the label of each variety individually. Choose a plain or unsalted rice cake if you’d rather decide the flavour with your own toppings.

  • Relying only on the online product description

    Albert Heijn states that product information can change. This means the packaging you buy may show different ingredient or allergen information from a page you viewed earlier.

    Use the product page to compare options, but read the label on the pack you’ve bought before using it.

  • Giving children rice cakes as a regular daily snack

    As a precaution, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving children rice or rice products, including rice cakes, every day, because rice products can contain arsenic.

    Give children a range of suitable snacks instead, taking particular care with babies and toddlers.

Brands and retailers to consider

A brand or retailer name alone doesn’t tell you whether a specific rice cake is gluten-free. Compare the exact variety and check the packaging when you buy it.

Consenza

Consenza includes unsalted wholegrain rice cakes and chocolate rice cakes in its gluten-free range.

  • The unsalted wholegrain variety described by Albert Heijn and Jumbo is explicitly labelled gluten-free.
  • Jumbo no longer listed this specific unsalted variety in its online range. Check which variety you can actually buy.

Albert Heijn

Albert Heijn sells its own-brand plain rice cakes, and the product page displays a gluten-free claim.

  • According to Albert Heijn, AH Rijstwafels naturel contains brown rice and 0.2% sea salt.
  • This variety isn’t unsalted. Albert Heijn also notes that ingredients and allergen information can change.

Jumbo

Jumbo offers rice cakes and corn cakes in a range of plain and flavoured varieties.

  • The product information for Consenza Volkoren Rijstwafel Ongezouten explicitly says ‘gluten-free’.
  • Jumbo no longer listed this Consenza variety in its online range. A claim for one product doesn’t automatically apply to other rice cakes.

ALDI / Goud Gebakken

ALDI describes Goud Gebakken Rijstwafels met zeezout as a gluten-free variety.

  • The ALDI product page lists a 130 g pack containing 17 rice cakes.
  • This variety contains sea salt. Check the packaging in store and confirm the product is available.

PLUS

PLUS sells its own-brand plain rice cakes, which can make a simple base to enjoy with tea.

  • According to PLUS, the plain variety contains rice, water and 0.3% sea salt.
  • This ingredients list isn’t proof that the rice cake is gluten-free. Only choose this variety for someone with coeliac disease if the current packaging carries a ‘gluten-free’ claim.

Rice cakes on Joybuy

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are all rice cakes suitable if you have coeliac disease?

No. Rice as an ingredient isn’t enough: check that the current packaging says ‘gluten-free’. According to the European Commission, a product carrying this claim can contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the finished product.

Should I check for other allergens in a gluten-free rice cake?

Yes. ‘Gluten-free’ doesn’t mean the product is free from other allergens. For example, Jumbo’s product information for its Consenza product mentions possible traces of soya. Read the allergen information on the exact pack, especially for a flavoured variety.

Can children eat rice cakes every day?

As a precaution, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving children rice or rice products, including rice cakes, every day. It highlights that rice products can contain arsenic, so vary their snacks and take extra care with babies and toddlers.

How do you keep rice cakes crisp after opening?

Store them somewhere dry and seal the pack or an airtight container properly. The product information for Consenza and PLUS gives the same storage advice.