Who is this choice relevant to?

Organisers of a low-key coffee break

You want to put out a snack without toppings and with no preparation, but without the same sweet biscuit experience as a digestive biscuit.

Buyers comparing salt and fibre

You want to compare the nutritional information for plain, multigrain and no-added-salt varieties, rather than relying on the name ‘rice cake’ alone.

Organisers catering for allergens

You’re serving snacks to several people and want to be able to check the ingredients and any warnings on the packaging of the exact product you’ve chosen.

What should you look for when choosing?

First decide whether you want to serve a plain rice snack or a sweet biscuit. Then compare the nutritional information on a like-for-like basis, and check the packaging if anyone has specific requirements around ingredients or allergens.

What to consider What to check when buying Who it matters to
Plain snack or biscuit Compare the type of product and, for nutritional values, equal portions; a rice cake is not a digestive biscuit. If you’d rather not put out a sweet biscuit with the coffee, a plain snack without toppings is likely to be the priority; this is the main consideration for around 42% of consumers.
Salt and fibre Compare salt and fibre per 100 g on the exact packaging, and check the portion size too. If salt or fibre is the deciding factor, you’ll want to see the differences between varieties; around 33% of consumers give this nutritional information the highest priority.
Ingredients and allergens Read the ingredients list, the stated allergens and any ‘may contain’ warnings for the product you’ve chosen. If I’m sharing snacks, I want to know what I’m serving; checking ingredients and allergens is most important to around 25% of consumers.

Common mistakes

  • Treating rice cakes like digestive biscuits

    A plain rice cake isn’t a sweet biscuit. So if someone’s expecting a biscuit with their coffee, a rice cake will be a different kind of snack.

    Decide what type of snack you want to offer. If both preferences matter, you can put out rice cakes and biscuits separately.

  • Assuming all rice cakes have the same nutritional values

    Products vary. Jumbo states that its plain rice cakes contain less than 0.01 g of salt per 100 g; Jumbo Dikke Rijstwafels Meergranen is listed as containing 0.65 g of salt and 4.9 g of fibre per 100 g.

    Compare the nutritional information for the exact varieties per 100 g before choosing based on salt or fibre.

  • Assuming rice means allergen-free or gluten-free

    Jumbo Rijstwafels Naturel states that the product may contain sesame and soya. The main ingredient alone doesn’t tell you which warnings apply to a particular pack.

    Read the label on the pack you’ve chosen before serving. If you need a gluten-free option, only rely on an explicit statement on that product.

Relevant brands to compare

Albert Heijn

The range includes AH Rijstwafels naturel and AH Dikke rijstwafels zonder toegevoegd zout.

  • The different varieties let you compare a plain product with one labelled ‘no added salt’.
  • That label alone doesn’t tell you about the ingredients or allergen information for other varieties; check each pack individually.

Jumbo

Jumbo lists both plain and thick multigrain rice cakes.

  • You can compare the salt and fibre values per 100 g for the varieties mentioned.
  • Jumbo Rijstwafels Naturel states that the product may contain sesame and soya. Don’t use the ingredients for this variety as a description of all Jumbo rice cakes.

PLUS

PLUS Rijstwafels Naturel is a plain variety with published ingredient and nutritional information.

  • PLUS lists rice, water and 0.3% sea salt as ingredients, along with 0.28 g of salt and 3.4 g of fibre per 100 g.
  • PLUS notes that product information can change; compare the details with the pack you buy.

Zonnatura

Zonnatura Rijstwafels Naturel is listed in the PLUS range.

  • It’s a familiar plain variety to compare with supermarket own-brand options.
  • Compare the ingredients, nutritional information and allergens on the packaging of the variety you choose before deciding you prefer it.

Rice snacks at Joybuy

This rice toast is an option if you’re considering a rice snack for your work meeting. It isn’t a classic rice cake, so don’t use the nutritional information for rice cakes above as a product specification for this toast.

Van Der Meulen Rice Toast Natural, 65 g pack

Van Der Meulen Rice Toast Natural 65 g

A rice toast to consider if you want to serve a rice snack at your meeting; it’s not the same product as a classic rice cake.

The pack contains 65 g. Before serving, check the ingredients, allergen warnings and salt content on the packaging, especially if this information matters to anyone attending.

View at Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Are rice cakes the same as digestive biscuits?

No, they’re different products. According to the Voedingscentrum, an average 15 g plain rice cake contains 58 kcal and 0.2 g of sugars; a 15 g digestive biscuit contains 74 kcal and 2.6 g of sugars. Check the nutritional information on the packaging for the specific product you’re considering.

How should you store rice cakes for a meeting?

Store them in a dry place and follow the instructions on the packaging. PLUS recommends keeping its plain rice cakes in an airtight container after opening; put them out just before the break if you want them to stay crisp.

What allergen information should you have to hand when serving?

Keep the label from the pack you’ve chosen available so that people can read the ingredients, stated allergens and any warnings. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains how allergens are listed on the labels of prepacked foods.

Are all rice cakes gluten-free?

Don’t assume they are. If you need a gluten-free option for a shared snack, check that this is stated explicitly on the exact pack you’ve chosen and read the rest of the allergen information too.