If you want to serve toppings separately
Plain rice cakes provide a crisp base for guests to add their own sweet or savoury toppings. You’ll need to put the toppings on the table, though.
Which option is right for you?
If you want a biscuit with coffee
A digestive biscuit is ready to serve, with no toppings or other preparation needed. Plain and wholemeal varieties are different products, so be sure to compare their labels.
If you check labels for your guests
If someone has an allergy or other dietary requirement, the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values of the specific product matter more than the general name ‘rice cake’ or ‘digestive’.
What should you look for when choosing?
First, decide whether your guests would like to add their own toppings or prefer to pick up a biscuit straight away. Then compare the exact varieties, especially if ingredients or nutritional values affect your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Base for toppings | Choose a plain variety if you want the toppings to provide the flavour; also check how many cakes are in the pack. | If I want guests to choose their own sweet or savoury toppings, I’d rather offer a neutral-tasting cake than a biscuit with a set flavour. An estimated 40% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Ready to serve | Compare plain and wholemeal digestive biscuits by ingredients and portion size, not just by name. | I want something to serve with coffee without toppings or extra preparation. An estimated 30% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Labels and dietary requirements | Check the ingredients and allergens; compare sugars, salt, saturated fat and fibre per 100 g and, where provided, per serving. | If a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients, I want to be able to check the packaging of that exact variety before serving it. Around 30% of consumers prioritise these checks. |
Common mistakes
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Assuming all rice cakes are the same
Plain, salted, multigrain and sweet-flavoured varieties don’t necessarily have the same ingredients or nutritional values.
Check the exact flavour and whether it has a coating. If you’re serving a selection of toppings, a plain rice cake is a more suitable choice than one with a strong flavour.
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Assuming a wholemeal digestive is gluten-free
The product name AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour explicitly mentions wheat; ‘wholemeal’ does not mean ‘gluten-free’.
If gluten-free is essential, base your choice on the current gluten-free claim and allergen information for the specific product.
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Relying on an old label when serving guests
Albert Heijn and PLUS point out that product information can change. So an ingredients list you checked previously may not match the packaging you receive.
If someone has an allergy or dietary restriction, check the packaging of the variety you’ve chosen again before serving it.
Brands to consider
Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn offers plain, salted and sweet-flavoured rice cakes, as well as AH Digestive and AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour.
- You can compare both rice cakes for adding toppings and digestive biscuits that are ready to serve.
- Albert Heijn recommends checking the current packaging, as product information can change.
Jumbo
Jumbo offers plain, multigrain, sea salt and other varieties of rice cakes.
- The range includes both a simple rice cake for adding toppings and varieties with different flavours or ingredients.
- Compare the nutritional information for each product; the features of one Jumbo variety won’t necessarily apply to another.
PLUS
PLUS offers thick rice cakes with sea salt and thick multigrain rice cakes.
- These varieties let you choose between sea salt and multigrain.
- Check the current packaging of your chosen variety for ingredients and allergens.
ALDI / Goud Gebakken
ALDI offers Goud Gebakken rice cakes with sea salt, as well as rice cakes with a sweet coating.
- ALDI lists 17 cakes per pack for the sea salt variety and specifically describes that variety as gluten-free and vegan.
- These claims don’t necessarily apply to coated varieties; check the label on the pack you’ve chosen.
Lidl / Sondey
Lidl offers rice cakes and describes Sondey as a range that includes cakes and biscuits.
- This gives you options for both a rice cake and a biscuit to enjoy with coffee.
- Check the ingredients, allergens and nutritional values on the packaging of each individual product.
Products to enjoy with coffee
This selection includes a digestive biscuit that’s ready to serve, sweet-flavoured rice cakes and a salted rice cake that can be used as a base for toppings. It doesn’t include a plain rice cake.
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McVities Digestive Original 400 g
A digestive biscuit for anyone who wants to serve a biscuit with coffee without adding toppings.
400 g pack. Check the current packaging for ingredients and allergens before offering it to guests.
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Snack A Jacks Smooth Caramel Rice Waffles 140 g
A caramel-flavoured rice cake for anyone looking for a sweet snack with coffee; not a neutral choice for savoury toppings.
140 g pack. Check the current packaging for this variety’s nutritional information and allergens.
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Snack a Jacks Rice Wafers Choc Chip 166g
A chocolate-flavoured rice cake for a sweet coffee break, rather than a neutral base for your choice of toppings.
166 g pack. Before serving, check the current packaging for nutritional information and allergens.
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g'woon Rice Cakes with Salt 130g
A salted rice cake you can serve with toppings, but it doesn’t have the same neutral flavour as a plain variety.
130 g pack. For guests, check the current ingredients, allergens and nutritional information.
Frequently asked questions
Are rice cakes always a better choice than digestive biscuits?
No, it depends on what you want to serve and which variety you choose. Plain rice cakes work well with toppings; a digestive biscuit is ready to serve. Compare the ingredients and nutritional information for each product rather than judging its nutritional value by the category name.
How do I choose something for a guest with an allergy?
Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and any warnings on the current packaging of the exact product you’re serving. The European Commission explains this labelling information for prepacked food in the EU; Albert Heijn notes that product information can change.
Is a wholemeal digestive gluten-free?
‘Wholemeal’ doesn’t mean gluten-free: the product name AH Digestive wholemeal with wheat flour mentions wheat. If gluten-free is essential, check for an explicit, current gluten-free claim and the product’s allergen information.
How should I store rice cakes until coffee time?
Follow the storage instructions on the packaging you’ve chosen. Jumbo advises storing its plain rice cakes in a cool, dry place and its thick multigrain rice cakes in a dry place; keep the pack tightly closed after opening.