Choose a chocolate-coated custard cream if it is the biscuit you want, but check the portion, ingredients and fat content rather than assuming the coating improves running performance. For exercise lasting under 45 minutes, the Australian Institute of Sport lists no need for carbohydrate during the activity; if you want a snack before your 5k, consider when you will eat it and what you tolerate.
If you are deciding when to eat, consider your expected run duration separately from whether you would enjoy a biscuit beforehand. The Australian Institute of Sport bases its during-exercise carbohydrate guidance on duration, not distance alone.
Compare the coating, pack size and nutrition information for the portion you intend to eat. Tesco Groceries and M&S Food list chocolate-coated custard creams in different pack formats.
Read the allergen information on the pack you receive, particularly if an ingredient affects what you can eat. Do not rely on an online listing as a permanent record of the recipe.
Decide whether you want a biscuit as a snack or are looking for food to eat during the run. Then compare the actual portions and ingredients of coated and plain options.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| When you will eat | Estimate how long your 5k will take. The Australian Institute of Sport lists no during-exercise carbohydrate need for activity under 45 minutes; individual medical needs require separate advice. | I want to distinguish a biscuit I might eat before a run from food I need to carry during it. |
| Portion and nutrition | Compare figures on the same basis, such as per 100g, then check the biscuit or serving you intend to eat. Tesco Groceries lists 17.5g carbohydrate and 6.9g fat for one 27g coated biscuit; M&S Food lists 65.3g carbohydrate and 26.0g fat per 100g for its coated 64g product. | If I have one biscuit rather than a whole pack, I want figures that let me work out that portion without treating every biscuit as the same size. |
| Coating or plain biscuit | Check the product name and ingredients for a chocolate coating. Tesco Groceries and M&S Food each list 52% milk chocolate for the coated products described here; the referenced Tesco and Sainsbury's plain custard creams are different products. | The chocolate coating matters if that is the biscuit I fancy. If it does not, I would also consider a plain custard cream, without assuming either type improves a 5k. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredient and allergen declaration on the actual pack before eating, and check that it is for the precise product and variant you chose. | I need to know whether the biscuit I receive contains an ingredient I must avoid. |
A 5k distance does not tell you how long you will be exercising. The Australian Institute of Sport lists no during-exercise carbohydrate need for activity under 45 minutes.
Consider your expected duration before buying a biscuit specifically to eat mid-run. A biscuit you choose as an ordinary snack is a separate decision.
Biscuit weights and labelled servings differ. Tesco Groceries lists its coated custard cream at 27g per biscuit, so a per-biscuit figure is not automatically comparable with that of a plain biscuit.
Use per-100g figures to compare composition, then check the labelled portion to understand what you plan to eat.
The ingredient information you need is the information for the specific pack you receive, especially when an allergen affects your choice.
Check that pack's label before eating and resolve any uncertainty about its ingredients.
Tesco Groceries lists both a milk-chocolate-coated custard cream and a plain custard cream.
M&S Food lists chocolate-coated custard creams in 64g and 191g formats.
Sainsbury's lists a plain 200g custard cream for comparison with coated biscuits.
Tesco Groceries describes Crawford's 300g custard creams as biscuits with a vanilla-flavour cream filling.
Joybuy describes McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams 300g as cream-filled biscuits.
This plain custard cream is an option if you want to compare an uncoated biscuit with the chocolate-coated products discussed above.
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A plain custard cream to consider if you do not want a chocolate coating. The product name identifies it as gluten free; check the pack for the full ingredients and allergen information.
Not simply because the route is 5k. The Australian Institute of Sport lists no during-exercise carbohydrate need for activity under 45 minutes; consider your expected duration, while treating individual medical needs separately.
The coating does not establish a running-performance benefit. Tesco Groceries lists 17.5g carbohydrate and 6.9g fat per 27g coated biscuit; if you want one before running, consider the portion, timing and what you tolerate.
Read the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack before eating. An online product description is not a substitute for checking the food you receive.
For a UK purchase, GOV.UK says a seller must offer a full refund if an item is faulty or not as described. That is distinct from changing your mind about an order; contact the seller about the problem with the item.