Are Rice Cakes With Peanut Butter Healthy?

If you’re wondering whether a rice cake with peanut butter is a healthy food option, the answer is yes! However, it’s essential not to go too overboard with the amount of rice cakes or peanut butter you consume. 

A couple of the recipes I’m about to share are fun treats and are not intended to be a regular part of a healthy meal plan, but the others are relatively clean. To give you an idea, let’s look at the nutritional value of a single plain rice cake with one tablespoon of peanut butter.

A Quaker Lightly Salted Rice Cake contains 35 calories, mostly from 7 grams of carbs. A tablespoon of Jif Natural Peanut Butter contains 95 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of protein. 

Therefore, one rice cake with peanut butter contains 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of protein. Of course, you can adjust the nutritional content by varying the amount of rice cakes or peanut butter you consume.

When to Eat Rice Cakes With Peanut Butter

A few years ago, I was a competitive bodybuilder and would eat rice cakes and peanut butter as a quick meal on the road or in the office. But it also makes an easy snack anytime you need some extra energy or calories.

Now, I’m a nutrition coach, and I generally prescribe rice cakes and peanut butter as a pre-workout snack for my weight loss clients. However, if you’re on a bulking meal plan, you can eat them for pretty much any meal or snack.

5 Rice Cake With Peanut Butter Recipes

Now it’s time for the fun part! We will be exploring five delicious recipes that you can easily make using rice cakes, peanut butter, and some basic ingredients.

I will provide you with step-by-step instructions for each recipe, along with nutritional information, so that you can determine how it fits into your meal plan. Let’s get started and dive right in!

1. Plain Rice Cakes and Peanut Butter With Jelly

This first recipe is a gluten-free take on a lunchtime classic – the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. To make it, simply spread the peanut butter and jelly or jam on one side of the rice cake. If you like, you can put another rice cake on top to form a crunchy sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 tablespoon jelly
• 2 plain rice cakes

Nutrition – 140 calories, 4g protein, 22g carbs, 4g fat

2. Flavored Rice Cakes With Peanut Butter

If you’ve perused the rice cake aisle, you may have noticed a variety of flavors ranging from apple cinnamon to everything bagel. These flavorful options are ideal if you’re looking for something with more taste or calories.

However, it’s important to note that flavored rice cakes contain added sugars, which contributes to their higher calorie count. While added sugar isn’t typically a healthy addition to your diet, it’s acceptable in moderation, particularly if you’re physically active.

This flavored rice cake and peanut butter recipe is designed to be a higher-carb version of the previous meal. The idea is to create rice cake sandwiches with peanut butter in the middle.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 4 flavored rice cakes

Nutrition – 288 calories, 8g protein, 52g carbs, 12g fat

I prefer chocolate rice cakes with this recipe because it tastes like a giant peanut butter cup. One high-carb day, I took this recipe up a notch and made a double-decker chocolate rice cake peanut butter sandwich!

3. Flavored Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes

Another way to add some spice to your rice cakes is with flavored peanut butter. You can usually find options like honey peanut butter at most grocery stores, but there are other seasonal varieties as well.

Just be aware that flavored peanut butter typically contains more sugar and carbs. I use plain rice cakes for this recipe so they don’t clash with the peanut butter flavor. But you can mix and match flavors however you’d like.

I also prepared it like an open-face sandwich, where each rice cake gets 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon flavored peanut butter
• 2 plain rice cakes

Nutrition – 165 calories, 6g protein, 20g carbs, 8g fat

One fall, I found cinnamon-flavored Jif peanut butter at the grocery store. I spread it on my rice cakes and sprinkled pumpkin spice seasoning on top for a tasty fall treat.

4. Rice Cakes With Peanut Butter and Banana

Adding healthy toppings like nuts or fruits to your rice cakes and peanut butter can enhance the flavor and nutrients. Sliced bananas are a popular choice of topping.

This combination of banana with rice cakes and peanut butter offers healthy carbohydrates and fiber without any added sugars, making it a perfect snack for those who want to improve the nutritional value of their food without compromising on health.

Ingredients

• 1 banana sliced
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 lightly salted rice cakes

Nutrition – 270 calories, 7g protein, 47g carbs, 8g fat

5. Rice Cake With Nutella

Of course, peanut butter isn’t the only spreadable topping you can add to rice cakes. Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread made with sugar and palm oil, providing a sweeter taste than peanut butter.

With 19 grams of added sugar per two tablespoons, I wouldn’t recommend using Nutella in your nutrition plan regularly. But it can be a delectable treat now and then.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon Nutella
• 1 lightly salted rice cake

Nutrition – 135 calories, 2g protein, 18g carbs, 5.5g fat

I took this sweet treat one step further and topped it with a melted chocolate bar. It wasn’t my cleanest post-workout meal, but it was a creative use of the free Hershey’s bar in my hotel room. 😂

More Easy Meal Ideas

Now you have a few options for creating rice cake and peanut butter snacks, or maybe you’ll come up with a tasty creation of your own! Here is some additional inspiration for more quick snacks and meals.

Simple 3 Minute Proats Recipe

Bone Broth Rice Recipe For Better Tasting & More Nutritious Rice

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe

Healthy Homemade Salad Dressing

3 Ingredient Kodiak Pancake Recipe – High Protein Pancakes

19 Best Bodybuilding Breakfast Ideas

Easy Protein Pudding Recipe with Greek Yogurt