Rice cakes are a healthy snack made of whole grains that taste great on their own or dressed up with toppings. They can have a savory or a sweet flavor and can also be used in a sandwich in place of bread. But are Quaker Rice Cakes vegan? The answer is that some favors are and some aren't. Read on to find out more.
All ingredients and nutritional information can be found on the Quaker website.
Flavors and Ingredients of Quaker Rice Cakes
Depending on the flavor, rice cakes can fit in with a vegan diet as the main ingredients are whole grain brown rice and a little salt. Plain rice cakes are vegan but sometimes the seasoning of the other flavors include animal-derived ingredients. Listed below is the ingredients list for each flavor of Quaker Rice Cakes. Any non-vegan ingredients are in bold.
- Apple Cinnamon Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, sugar, fructose, maltodextrin, natural flavor, cinnamon, soy lecithin.
- Butter Popcorn Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, degerminated milled corn, salt, natural flavor. (Contains Milk Ingredients)
- Caramel Corn Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, degerminated milled corn, sugar, fructose, maltodextrin, caramel color, natural flavor, salt, soy lecithin.
- Chocolate Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, sugar, fructose, milk chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, dry whole milk, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), corn maltodextrin, cocoa, vegetable oil (canola and/or sunflower oil), natural and artificial flavor, salt, soy lecithin, tocopherols (to preserve freshness). (Contains Milk Ingredients)
- Everything Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, degerminated milled corn, sunflower oil, onion, corn maltodextrin, nonfat dry milk, salt, buttermilk powder, natural flavor (contains sesame oil), dextrose, garlic powder, black pepper, calcium silicate, silicon dioxide, tocopherols (to preserve freshness). (Contains Milk Ingredients)
- Lightly Salted Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, salt.
- Salt Free Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice.
- Tomato and Basil Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, degerminated milled corn, sunflower oil, tomato powder, corn maltodextrin, salt, sugar, natural flavor, lactose, spices, garlic powder, yeast extract, hydrolyzed canola protein, citric acid, tricalcium phosphate, caramel color, paprika (color), tocopherols (preservative), annatto (color), soy lecithin. (Contains Milk Ingredients)
- White Cheddar Ingredients: Whole grain brown rice, degerminated milled corn, nonfat dry milk, buttermilk powder, salt, cheddar cheese (cultured milk, salt, enzymes), butter (cream, salt), whey, sunflower oil with natural tocopherol added to preserve freshness, corn syrup solids, maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavor, modified food starch, citric acid, yeast extract, potassium chloride, lactic acid, milk fat, onion powder. (Contains Milk Ingredients)
Vegan Flavors of Quaker Rice Cakes
There are four flavors of Quaker Rice Cakes that do not contain any animal products.
- Apple Cinnamon
- Caramel Corn
- Lightly Salted
- Salt Free
Plain Rice Cake Nutritional Information
Plain Rice Cakes are a healthy snack option. While they only have a little protein and no fiber, they also are fat and cholesterol free. Let's check out the nutritional information for the Lightly Salted flavor. (Information is for 1 rice cake.)
Total Calories: 35
Total Fat: 0 grams
Sodium Content: 15 mg (1% of the daily recommended value)
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 7 g (3% of the daily value)
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: < 1g
What to Put on Your Plain Rice Cake?
Plain rice cakes can be dressed up in so many ways. Adding a few basic ingredients can turn the humble rice cake into a delicious snack. Check out the following ideas:
Nut Butters
- peanut butter (or any nut butter or seed butter)
- peanut butter and dairy-free chocolate chips
- Peanut butter and banana slices
- Almond butter with thin apple slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Nut butter and raisins or dried cranberries
- Nut butter, berries and a sprinkling of chia seeds
Avocado
- Avocado (sliced or mashed) with a sprinkling of Everything seasoning
- Mashed avocado and a tomato slice
- Mashed avocado and a spoonful of salsa
Hummus
- Hummus and cucumber slices
- Hummus and tomato slices
- Hummus and sun-dried tomatoes
- Hummus and sauteed mushrooms
- Hummus and thin bell pepper slices
Or you can use it in place of bread or a roll. You can eat them with a veggie burger or make a pb&j.
FAQ
Some Quaker Rice Cakes contain sugar. Is sugar vegan?
Some vegans worry about white sugar because of the use of bone char. According to Peta.org, "Bone char—often referred to as natural carbon—is widely used by the sugar industry as a decolorizing filter, which allows the sugar cane to achieve its desirable white color." So cane sugar doesn't technically contain any animal products. But, the desire for sugar to have a pure white color makes some companies use animals bones in the production of it. It's up to you whether or not you consume regular sugar but some strict vegans choose to avoid it.
Are Quaker Chocolate Rice Cakes vegan?
Unfortunately, the Chocolate flavor contains milk ingredients and is not vegan. If you want a chocolatey flavor, I recommend topping a plain rice cake with a little peanut butter and some vegan chocolate chips.
Are Quaker Rice Cakes healthy?
Yes! They are made with whole grain brown rice and are a great option when you need a snack.
Are Quaker Rice Cakes a gluten-free food?
Yes! The good news is that all flavors of their rice cakes are gluten-free.
Can rice cakes be eaten with a dip?
Yes. You can break the rice cakes into pieces and use them in place of chips with some dip.
Summary
Quaker Rice Cakes can be a healthy replacement to potato chips and other snack foods. There are numerous varieties and different flavors. Adding your own toppings can turn these crunchy snacks into anything you want.
While the chocolate flavor contains common non-vegan ingredients, the Quaker Caramel Corn Rice Cakes are vegan so there is an option if you have a sweet tooth. The popular snack is a great choice for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Wondering if other snack foods are vegan? Check out:
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