Hosts filling a biscuit bowl
If several people are watching, decide whether they would prefer chocolate-cream bourbons or plain digestives, then check the pack size against the number of guests.
Who is choosing?
Guests who prefer digestives
McVitie’s Original Digestives offer a plain wheatmeal format rather than a chocolate-cream sandwich biscuit. They contain wheat, so they are not an option for someone avoiding gluten.
Households checking dietary requirements
Choose by the exact ingredient and allergen statement. Sainsbury’s lists its Free From Bourbon Creams separately from its standard bourbon biscuits and describes the Free From product as gluten free and milk free.
What should you check?
Settle the biscuit format first, then compare packs and labels within the options your guests can eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit format | Check for a chocolate-cream filling or a plain wheatmeal biscuit. Ask guests which they prefer rather than treating the two as interchangeable. | For our football spread, would we rather have bourbon creams, digestives or some of each? |
| Nutrition label | Compare sugars and saturates per 100g on the packs. If using per-biscuit figures, check serving sizes before comparing different biscuits. | I want to compare the labels on the biscuits we are actually considering, especially if people may take more than one. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack for the specific allergen. Do not use a vegan label as evidence that a biscuit is gluten free or milk free. | Someone joining us needs to avoid gluten or milk, so the exact product label matters more than the biscuit’s name. |
| Pack size | Check the weight and, where stated, biscuit count. Compare pack sizes alongside the displayed unit information when choosing between similar products. | Will there be enough of the biscuit everyone wants to share through the match? |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming a digestive has the same filling as a bourbon
McVitie’s Original Digestives are plain wheatmeal biscuits, whereas the bourbon creams considered here are chocolate sandwich biscuits.
Ask which format guests want before choosing the pack; compare nutrition labels separately if that affects your decision.
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Choosing by pack appearance alone
A 200g bourbon pack and a 400g pack provide different amounts for a group, even when both are standard bourbon creams.
Check the pack weight and any stated biscuit count against the number of people you are serving.
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Assuming vegan means suitable for every allergy
Tesco and Waitrose list vegan standard bourbon creams, but their product information also identifies wheat and warns of possible sesame. M&S Extra Cream Bourbon Creams include milk ingredients.
Read the current ingredient and allergen statement for each guest’s requirement. Where a gluten- and milk-free biscuit is needed, check a product specifically labelled for those exclusions.
Relevant brand and retailer options
These references describe particular biscuit products, not every product sold under each name.
Tesco
Tesco Bourbon Creams are a 296g standard chocolate sandwich biscuit option.
- Tesco lists this product as suitable for vegans.
- Its product information identifies wheat and warns that it may contain sesame; check the current pack.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a standard 200g Bourbon and a separate 150g Free From Bourbon Creams product.
- Sainsbury’s describes its Free From Bourbon Creams as gluten free and milk free.
- Do not apply the Free From product’s labelling to the standard Bourbon; check the exact pack.
Waitrose
Waitrose Essential Bourbon Creams come in a 400g pack.
- Waitrose lists the product as suitable for vegans and describes approximately 30 biscuits per pack.
- It contains wheat and may contain sesame; check the current label before serving.
M&S
M&S Extra Cream Bourbon Creams are a 165g variant that M&S describes as containing extra chocolate cream.
- The extra-cream description distinguishes this variant from the standard bourbon packs above.
- Its listed ingredients include whey solids (milk) and soya lecithin; it is listed as vegetarian, not vegan.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Digestives The Original are a wheatmeal digestive option rather than a bourbon cream.
- The plain biscuit format gives guests a choice alongside chocolate-cream bourbons.
- Original Digestives contain wheat; check the label for the particular pack being served.
Joybuy product options
This Joybuy option is for guests who prefer Original Digestives to bourbon creams. It is a two-pack of digestives, not a chocolate-cream bourbon biscuit.
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McVitie’s Digestives the Original 2x315g
Choose this plain digestive format if your guests prefer it to a chocolate-cream bourbon. The listing is for two 315g packs; check the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statement before serving anyone who avoids wheat or gluten.
Questions about serving biscuits
Are bourbon creams and digestives the same biscuit?
No. The bourbon creams considered here are chocolate sandwich biscuits with a cream filling; McVitie’s Original Digestives are plain wheatmeal biscuits. Choose according to the format your guests want.
Can I serve a standard bourbon to someone avoiding gluten or milk?
Do not assume a standard bourbon meets either requirement. The standard Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose products identify wheat, while M&S Extra Cream contains a milk ingredient. Sainsbury’s separately labels its Free From Bourbon Creams as gluten free and milk free; check the current pack for the guest’s specific needs.
Should I check the packet if I have read the supermarket listing?
Yes. Ingredient and allergen information can change, so check the product you will serve, particularly when a guest has an allergy or intolerance.
How should I store bourbon creams after opening?
Follow the directions on your pack. Tesco and Waitrose advise keeping their bourbon creams in a cool, dry place and using an airtight container once opened.