For a summer BBQ dessert or brunch spread, ready-made buttermilk pancakes suit a plan to warm and add toppings, while smaller Scotch pancakes suit individual portions on a self-serve table. Check each pack’s ingredients, storage and serving instructions, especially when guests have dietary requirements. “Best of Both” also appears as a bread name, so it does not identify a particular pancake blend.
Ready-made pancakes avoid mixing batter during BBQ preparation. M&S Food lists microwave, toaster and frying-pan methods for its 4 Buttermilk Pancakes; check that the method on your chosen pack fits the equipment available.
Check the current pack for every guest who needs to avoid an ingredient. The M&S Food and Waitrose buttermilk examples contain wheat and egg alongside buttermilk; Waitrose Essential Scotch Pancakes contain wheat, egg and milk whey powder.
Pack size and storage directions affect how much to buy and when to prepare it. Waitrose lists four pancakes in its buttermilk pack and six in its Essential Scotch pack, with product-specific freezing instructions.
Start with how the pancakes will be served, then check the exact pack for ingredients and instructions that fit the day’s plan.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Compare the number and size of pancakes in a pack. Check whether the chosen product needs warming or cooking before serving. | I want smaller portions for a self-serve spread, or pancakes I can warm and add toppings to as guests order. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. Do not treat a retailer’s wider range as a dietary claim for an individual pack. | If a guest avoids wheat, egg or milk, I need to check their particular requirements against the product label before serving it. |
| Preparation | Check the permitted warming method and whether the necessary equipment will be available. M&S Food lists microwave, toaster and frying-pan methods for its 4 Buttermilk Pancakes. | I would rather finish preparation with the equipment I have than make batter during the BBQ. |
| Shopping ahead | Check the pack’s date, freezing and defrosting directions, and instructions for use after opening. Waitrose gives different product-specific directions for its buttermilk and Scotch pancakes. | Buying in advance works for me only if the storage and preparation instructions fit the time between shopping and serving. |
Ordinary buttermilk and Scotch pancake examples from M&S Food and Waitrose contain wheat, egg and dairy-derived ingredients. A pancake style or retailer name cannot establish whether a particular pack meets a guest’s requirements.
Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen information, and choose an appropriately labelled product where a dietary exclusion is needed.
Freezing, defrosting and opened-pack instructions differ. Waitrose’s buttermilk pancakes say not to refreeze once defrosted, while M&S Food says to eat its buttermilk pancakes within two days of opening.
Plan quantities and preparation around the directions on each pack you buy.
Tesco Groceries lists Hovis Best of Both Medium Bread as bread. That name does not tell you whether a shopping request means buttermilk pancakes, Scotch pancakes or a bread product.
If “Best of Both” is on the shopping list, confirm which product is wanted before choosing pancakes for the BBQ.
Tesco Groceries lists several pancake formats, including Tesco Finest Buttermilk Pancakes and Tesco Scotch Pancakes.
M&S Food’s 4 Buttermilk Pancakes are a ready-made option with microwave, toaster and frying-pan directions.
Waitrose lists four-pancake buttermilk and six-pancake Essential Scotch options with separate storage directions.
For a different kind of BBQ spread, these options include frozen coconut pancakes for a sweet course and mushroom Chinese crepes for a savoury side. Neither is the buttermilk or Scotch format discussed above.
No image available
A frozen coconut pancake option for a sweet course rather than a buttermilk or Scotch pancake. Allow for heating before serving, following the pack instructions, and check the current allergen information for guests with dietary requirements.
No image available
These mixed mushroom Chinese crepes fit a savoury side rather than a pancake dessert. Plan time to cook them according to the pack directions, and check the current ingredients and allergen information before serving.
Do not assume they are. The M&S Food and Waitrose buttermilk examples contain wheat, egg and buttermilk, while Waitrose Essential Scotch Pancakes contain wheat, egg and milk whey powder. Check the current label of any alternative against the guest’s specific requirements.
Yes, if the chosen pack’s date and storage instructions fit your plan. Waitrose lists home-freezing directions for its buttermilk and Essential Scotch pancakes, including defrosting conditions; M&S Food specifies eating its buttermilk pancakes within two days after opening. Follow the instructions for the product you buy.
Some can. M&S Food lists microwave and toaster methods as well as pan-frying for its 4 Buttermilk Pancakes. Check the exact pack before relying on a particular appliance at the BBQ.
Yes, especially when an ingredient matters to a guest. M&S Food and Waitrose advise checking the product label because recipes and allergen information can change.