Rice cake

Spread a thin layer of something fatty, such as nut butter or cream cheese, before adding juicy toppings; it slows moisture soaking into the crisp surface. Add sliced tomato, cucumber or fruit just before eating.

Try mashed avocado with a little lemon, hummus with grated carrot, or cream cheese with smoked salmon and dill. For a sweet topping, use ricotta with sliced pear or banana.

Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard once the packet is open. If they have gone soft, warming them briefly in a dry oven can help restore some crispness, but watch closely because they brown quickly.

Not usually: puffed rice cakes are light, airy discs made from expanded rice, while rice crackers are generally thinner, denser and often seasoned or baked. Rice crackers tend to be crunchier and saltier.

Rice is heated under pressure and then rapidly released, so moisture in the grains expands and puffs them up. The grains are pressed into a flat cake; plain ones may contain little besides rice.

Use oatcakes, crispbread or a slice of toasted sourdough, depending on whether you want a sturdy base or something light. For a gluten-free option, choose a suitable corn cake or crispbread.

Crumble them over yoghurt or soup for crunch, or crush them into crumbs for a coating on fish or vegetables. They soften quickly in liquid, so add them just before serving.