Parents packing regular lunchboxes
A larger pack may cover several lunchboxes, but per-biscuit sugar information, ingredients and school food rules still matter.
Who is choosing a pack?
Home bakers using biscuits as an ingredient
For a recipe that calls for crushed or layered custard creams, check that the pack supplies enough of that biscuit alone. A mixed pack’s total weight includes other varieties.
Small households and occasional bakers
A smaller pack may leave fewer biscuits to store after one bake or an occasional lunchbox. Follow the pack’s instructions once opened.
What should you check?
Work out the quantity of custard creams you will use, then compare pack formats and labels for the people who will eat them.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit quantity | Match pack weight to the recipe. Where given, check the stated biscuit or serving count: Asda suggests 34 servings in 400g, while Sainsbury’s gives approximately 16 in 200g. | I want enough custard creams for the bake and any planned lunchboxes, without choosing a larger pack solely for its size. |
| Pack contents | Check whether every biscuit is a custard cream. Marks & Spencer’s 530g triple pack also contains malted milk and bourbon biscuits. | If my recipe specifies a weight of custard-cream crumbs, the weight of a mixed pack will not tell me how much I can use. |
| Lunchbox portions | Read nutrition per biscuit as well as per 100g. Tesco lists 59 kcal and 3.4g sugars per biscuit for its 400g pack; check the school’s food rules separately. | For a lunchbox, I want to see the sugar figure for the biscuits I plan to pack. In Field Agent UK’s July 2026 report on a survey of 500 parents packing lunchboxes, 57% said high sugar or sweeteners would stop them buying a product. |
| Allergen information | Read the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements. The cited Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Crawford’s and McVitie’s examples declare wheat and milk; their other warnings differ. | When biscuits are going to school or into a bake shared with others, I need to check the particular pack against the eaters’ requirements and any school rules. |
| Storage after opening | Check the pack’s cool, dry storage directions and how it should be closed or transferred after opening. Tesco and Sainsbury’s advise using an airtight container. | If I will use one pack across several baking sessions or lunchboxes, I need somewhere to store the opened biscuits as directed. |
Pack-choice pitfalls
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Choosing the largest pack without planning its use
A 400g pack leaves more biscuits to store if the recipe and planned lunchboxes use only a small portion.
Calculate the quantity you expect to use, and check how the remainder should be stored after opening.
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Counting a mixed pack as custard creams alone
Marks & Spencer’s 530g triple pack includes malted milk and bourbon biscuits, so its total weight is not the weight of custard creams available for a recipe.
Use an all-custard-cream pack when the recipe requires a measured amount of that biscuit.
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Assuming similar biscuits have identical allergen labels
The cited standard custard creams declare wheat and milk, but additional statements vary. Sainsbury’s warns that its product is not suitable for customers with a barley allergy due to manufacturing methods.
Read the physical pack before purchase and before sharing a bake, particularly where allergy requirements or school policies apply.
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Using pack size to judge a lunchbox portion
A pack’s total weight does not show the sugars in the biscuits being packed. The nutrition information also varies by product.
Check the stated per-biscuit figures and the number of biscuits you intend to include.
Brand and product-line references
Tesco
Tesco Groceries lists a 400g own-label pack containing custard creams throughout.
- Its label states 59 kcal and 3.4g sugars per biscuit.
- It declares wheat and milk; opened biscuits should be kept in an airtight container.
Asda
Asda Groceries lists a 400g own-label custard cream pack and suggests 34 servings.
- The stated pack weight and serving estimate can help plan repeated use.
- It declares wheat and milk and says it may contain rye, barley, oats and sesame.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams are listed by Morrisons Online Groceries in a 300g pack with 26 servings.
- The serving estimate offers another way to check the pack against planned use.
- The listed product contains wheat and milk and may contain sesame.
Crawford’s
The Crawford’s pack listed by Tesco Groceries contains 300g of custard creams, with a typical count of 26 biscuits.
- The typical count can help with recipes that specify biscuits rather than weight.
- The product contains wheat and milk and may contain sesame.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 200g own-label pack containing approximately 16 servings.
- The smaller stated weight may suit a recipe that calls for fewer biscuits.
- It declares wheat and milk and carries a specific warning for customers with a barley allergy; store it in an airtight container after opening.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams and a separate 530g mixed triple pack.
- The 165g product supplies custard creams alone for a smaller planned use.
- The Extra Cream product lists wheat, milk and soya ingredients. The triple pack also contains other biscuit varieties, so its full weight cannot be counted as custard creams.
Joybuy product options
This smaller custard cream pack is an option to consider for a modest bake or occasional lunchbox; check that its 125g weight covers the quantity you need.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
For a small bake or occasional lunchbox, compare this 125g pack with the biscuit quantity you plan to use. It is labelled gluten-free; check the current pack ingredients and allergen information for the intended eaters.
Common questions
How do I choose a pack size for biscuit baking?
Start with the recipe’s required weight or biscuit count, then include any biscuits you plan to use for lunchboxes. The cited all-custard-cream examples range from Marks & Spencer’s 165g pack to Tesco’s and Asda’s 400g packs; a mixed pack’s total weight cannot be treated as custard-cream weight.
Do custard creams all have the same allergen information?
No. The cited Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Crawford’s and McVitie’s standard products declare wheat and milk, but their additional warnings differ. Check the current physical pack against the requirements of anyone who will eat the biscuits or a bake made with them.
What should I check before packing custard creams for school?
Check the school’s food and allergy rules, the current pack’s ingredients and its per-biscuit nutrition information. Pack size alone does not tell you what is in a lunchbox portion.
How should I store a large pack after opening?
Follow the pack’s storage directions. Tesco and Sainsbury’s advise keeping their custard creams in an airtight container after opening, which matters when one pack is being used across several bakes or lunchboxes.
Can I use the full weight of an M&S triple pack in a custard-cream recipe?
Not if the recipe calls specifically for custard creams. Marks & Spencer’s 530g triple pack also contains malted milk and bourbon biscuits, so the total pack weight includes biscuits of other types.