A Bourbon biscuit can be a sweet extra after the gym, but it is a poor choice as your only snack when you want protein after a longer session: the McVitie's and Asda biscuits listed by Asda Groceries each provide 0.8 g protein per biscuit. The British Heart Foundation says extra protein can be useful after exercise lasting more than an hour; if that is your reason for choosing a snack, compare protein per portion in a protein-containing food, meal or bar rather than assuming a Bourbon biscuit will serve the same purpose.
If you have exercised for more than an hour and want protein afterwards, do not count on one Bourbon biscuit as your protein source. The British Heart Foundation says extra protein after a session of that length can be useful.
If a meal or protein-containing snack is already planned, a Bourbon biscuit can be a separate treat. Check the serving you actually intend to eat rather than treating the pack as a single portion.
Choose by the exact pack label, not by the Bourbon biscuit category. Asda Groceries labels its own Bourbon Biscuits suitable for vegans; ingredients and allergen statements still need checking for your requirements.
Decide whether you want a sweet biscuit or a protein-containing post-exercise snack, then compare the portion you would actually eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Protein after exercise | Compare labelled protein per eaten portion. The McVitie's and Asda Bourbon biscuits listed by Asda Groceries each provide 0.8 g per biscuit; the British Heart Foundation says extra protein can be useful after exercise lasting more than an hour. | After a longer session, I want a protein-containing food, meal or bar rather than relying on one Bourbon biscuit. |
| Biscuit portion | Check how many biscuits you plan to eat and read the figures for that portion. Asda Groceries lists 9.3 g carbohydrate per McVitie's biscuit and 9.5 g per Asda biscuit. | A biscuit sounds appealing as a sweet extra; I want to know what the portion on my plate contributes. |
| Pack format | Check the pack size and whether it contains separate portions. The listed McVitie's and Asda Bourbon biscuit packs are each 300 g; Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose also list multi-biscuit packs. | I want something easy to take from the gym, so I need to check the format rather than assume a Bourbon listing is a single bar. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients, allergen statement and any dietary-suitability wording on the exact pack. Do not use a vegan label as a substitute for an allergen check. | For a dietary requirement or allergy, the details of the particular product matter more to me than its flavour or pack size. |
The McVitie's and Asda examples listed by Asda Groceries each have 0.8 g protein per biscuit. That figure matters if protein after a longer session is the reason you are buying a snack.
Check protein per portion in a protein-containing food, meal or bar first; keep the biscuit as an optional extra.
Marks & Spencer lists 25.1 g fat and 36.7 g sugars per 100 g for Extra Cream Bourbon Creams, and 25.9 g fat and 47.4 g sugars per 100 g for its chocolate-coated version. A richer format does not establish how much protein your eaten portion provides.
Compare the nutrition values for the portion you would eat instead of using extra cream or chocolate coating as a guide to post-exercise suitability.
Asda Groceries labels its Bourbon Biscuits suitable for vegans. That label answers a different question from whether the exact pack meets someone's allergen requirements.
Read the current on-pack ingredients and allergen statement before buying.
England's food promotion and placement rules address certain retail promotions of products high in fat, sugar or salt. Department for Education guidance addresses food provided in state-funded schools in England under a separate framework; neither description establishes the position of every Bourbon biscuit in every UK school setting.
For a school meal or procurement decision, check the rules applicable to the nation and setting, alongside the exact product information.
These brand examples describe Bourbon biscuit packs and variations, not a ranking of post-gym snacks.
McVitie's Tasties Bourbon Cream Biscuits are listed by Asda Groceries in a 300 g pack.
Asda Bourbon Biscuits are listed as a 300 g pack.
Tesco lists Bourbon Creams Biscuits in a 296 g pack within its cream-biscuit range.
Sainsbury's lists its Bourbon biscuits in a 200 g pack.
Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream Bourbon Creams, chocolate-coated Bourbon creams and Giant Bourbon Biscuits.
Waitrose lists Essential Bourbon Creams Biscuits in a 400 g pack.
These bars and flapjacks are alternatives to relying on a Bourbon biscuit alone after the gym; they are not Bourbon biscuits. Compare the current label's protein and carbohydrate figures for the portion you would eat before choosing one for a longer-session snack.
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A protein-bar format to compare with a Bourbon biscuit when choosing food after a longer gym session. The pack is listed as 4 x 60g; check protein, carbohydrate and allergens on the current label for the bar you would eat.
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A flapjack option for someone comparing a snack with a Bourbon biscuit after the gym. The pack is listed as 3 x 50g; use the current label to check nutrition per flapjack and whether its ingredients meet your requirements.
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A peanut-and-chocolate bar to assess if you want an alternative to a Bourbon biscuit after exercise. The pack is listed as 4 x 40g; check the current protein and carbohydrate figures per bar, and read the allergen statement before buying.
Not if you are choosing it as your protein-containing snack after exercise lasting more than an hour. Asda Groceries lists 0.8 g protein per biscuit for both its own Bourbon Biscuits and McVitie's Tasties Bourbon Cream Biscuits; the British Heart Foundation says extra protein can be useful after a session of that length. Choose by the nutrition of the food or meal you will actually eat.
Have it as a sweet extra alongside a protein-containing food or after a meal, rather than counting it as the protein source. If you are comparing snacks for a longer session, check protein and carbohydrate for the portion you would eat.
No. The McVitie's and Asda Bourbon products listed by Asda Groceries are 300 g biscuit packs; Tesco lists a 296 g pack, Sainsbury's a 200 g pack and Waitrose a 400 g pack. Check the exact product format if you need one portable portion.