If you want to serve small portions
You’d rather serve a few rice cakes with each coffee than open a whole roll. A portion pack could be a good fit; just check how many rice cakes are in each inner pack.
Which option is right for you?
If you’re after a sweeter option
You’d like to serve a yoghurt- or chocolate-flavoured rice cake alongside coffee and cake. Check the nutritional information and allergen details for the exact variety.
If you prefer plain rice cakes with your own toppings
You’d rather choose what goes on your rice cake yourself. Compare the ingredients in plain varieties and check the packaging for potential allergens.
What should you look for when choosing?
First decide whether a small portion will do, or whether you need each rice cake to have its own wrapper. Then choose a flavour and check the details of the variety you plan to serve.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Portion size and packaging | Check how many rice cakes are in each inner pack and how to store the rest after opening. The 3 x 3 pack size doesn’t prove that each rice cake is individually wrapped. | I’d rather serve a small amount without opening a whole roll. For around 50% of consumers, portion size is the main consideration. |
| Flavour to go with cake | Choose between plain and flavoured varieties; for coated rice cakes, compare the nutritional values per 100 g and per portion. | I want to be able to choose between a plain and a sweeter rice cake to go with cake. For around 30% of consumers, flavour is the deciding factor. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information for the exact variety on the current packaging. | If I’m serving rice cakes to others, I want to know which ingredients and allergens they contain. For around 20% of consumers, this is the main consideration. |
Common mistakes
-
Assuming a portion pack means one wrapper per rice cake
Jumbo lists some rice cakes in packs of 3 x 3, but that doesn’t confirm that all nine are individually wrapped. This matters if you want to take or serve just one rice cake at a time.
Check the photo of the inner packaging or find out how many rice cakes are together in one sealed portion.
-
Treating coated and plain rice cakes as the same choice
A coating changes the ingredients and nutritional information of a rice cake. Jumbo’s yoghurt-flavoured variety lists milk as an allergen; its dark chocolate variety may contain milk.
Compare the labels for the exact varieties, even if the flavour you want with your coffee is the main factor in your choice.
-
Assuming an older portion pack is still available to buy
Albert Heijn describes a rice cake portion pack containing 4 x 5 rice cakes, but notes that the product has been discontinued.
Use that pack as an example of portion sizing, and check the product and its availability again when making a current purchase.
-
Giving children rice cakes as a regular daily snack
As a precaution, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving children rice or rice products every day because of the arsenic they can contain.
Give children a variety of snacks and grain products instead of rice products every day.
Brands to consider
Jumbo
Jumbo sells plain rice cakes and coated varieties; some coated products are listed in its portion pack category.
- For its yoghurt-flavoured and dark chocolate varieties, Jumbo lists 3 x 3 rice cakes, along with ingredients and allergen information for each product.
- That portion size doesn’t confirm that each rice cake has its own wrapper.
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn’s rice cake portion pack shows how a pack can be divided into four portions of five rice cakes.
- The 4 x 5 rice cake format makes the portion size clear.
- Albert Heijn says this product has been discontinued.
PLUS
PLUS sells plain rice cakes in a 130 g roll.
- For this plain variety, PLUS lists rice, water and 0.3% sea salt as ingredients.
- PLUS recommends storing the rice cakes in an airtight container after opening; the roll isn’t confirmed as a pack of individually wrapped rice cakes.
Goud Gebakken
Goud Gebakken is the brand under which ALDI lists, among other products, sea salt rice cakes and coated varieties.
- ALDI specifically describes its sea salt variety as gluten-free and vegan, and lists 17 rice cakes per pack.
- The number of rice cakes doesn’t tell you whether each one is individually wrapped; claims for the sea salt variety don’t automatically apply to other flavours.
Sondey
Lidl includes rice cakes in its Sondey snack brand range.
- The brand is worth considering if you’re looking for rice cakes at Lidl.
- Check the packaging, ingredients and allergens for the exact variety before choosing.
Rice cakes at Joybuy
These two flavoured varieties are options if you’d like a rice cake with your coffee. Check the inner packaging if you need each rice cake to have its own wrapper.
Image unavailable
Snack A Jacks Smooth Caramel rice cakes, 140 g
A caramel-flavoured option if you’d like to serve a rice cake with your coffee. Before buying, check how many rice cakes are wrapped together, and read the current label if you have allergies.
Image unavailable
Snack a Jacks chocolate chip rice cakes, 166 g
A chocolate chip option if you’re after that flavour to go with coffee and cake. Check the inner packaging to see whether the rice cakes are individually wrapped, and read the current label if you have allergies.
Frequently asked questions
Is a portion pack the same as an individually wrapped rice cake?
No, not necessarily. For example, Jumbo describes rice cakes in packs of 3 x 3 as a portion pack, but that doesn’t tell you whether each rice cake has its own wrapper. Check the inner packaging if individually wrapped rice cakes are important to you.
How should I store rice cakes after opening?
Follow the storage advice for the variety you choose. PLUS recommends storing its plain rice cakes in an airtight container after opening; for the varieties reviewed, Jumbo advises keeping them in a cool, dry place and also says to protect its dark chocolate variety from moisture and heat.
Which allergens should I check for in these varieties?
It varies by product. Jumbo lists milk in its yoghurt-flavoured rice cakes, says its dark chocolate variety may contain milk, and notes that its plain variety may contain sesame and soya. Always check the label on the exact pack before buying.
Are rice cakes suitable as a daily snack for children?
As a precaution, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises against giving children rice or rice products, including rice cakes, every day because of the arsenic they can contain. So offer a variety of other snacks and grain products instead.