Choose custard creams by the recipient’s allergens before comparing portion format or packet size. Schär’s 125 g custard creams are described as gluten- and wheat-free and sold as five separate portions; Tesco’s 125 g Free From custard creams are labelled gluten- and milk-free, but separate inner packs are not established. The ordinary packets considered here contain wheat and milk, so check the ingredients and precautionary statements on the pack supplied before putting any biscuits in a lunchbox.
Match the biscuit to the child’s specific allergens before choosing a convenient format. Schär describes its custard creams as portion-packed, and Asda lists five individual packs; separate wrapping does not replace an ingredient and precautionary-label check.
Read the precise claim on each product. Schär describes its custard creams as gluten- and wheat-free, while Tesco labels its Free From custard creams free from cereals containing gluten and milk. Neither description answers questions about every other allergen.
A larger packet can be divided between lunches if its current ingredients and precautionary statements suit the person eating it. The ordinary Tesco, Asda, Crawford’s and McVitie’s custard creams in the cited retailer listings contain wheat and milk.
Start with the recipient’s allergens, then decide whether separately packed servings matter or whether you can portion a larger packet yourself.
Consider when: You need a separately packed lunchbox serving and Schär’s stated gluten- and wheat-free claims match the recipient’s requirements; Asda lists five 25 g packs with two biscuits in each.
Still check: Those claims do not cover every allergy, so read the supplied pack for other ingredients and precautionary statements.
Consider when: You need the gluten- and milk-free claims on Tesco Free From Custard Creams and can portion the biscuits yourself.
Still check: The 125 g listing does not establish separate inner packs, and its vegan label is not a substitute for checking allergens.
Consider when: Wheat and milk are suitable for the recipient and you can divide a 300–400 g packet for individual lunches.
Still check: Tesco, Asda, Crawford’s and McVitie’s ordinary products contain wheat and milk; their precautionary statements must be assessed product by product.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Compare the supplied pack’s ingredient and allergen declarations with the recipient’s specific allergens. The ordinary Tesco, Asda, Crawford’s and McVitie’s products listed by retailers contain wheat and milk. | I need to rule out ingredients that matter to the person eating the biscuits before choosing a brand or pack size. |
| Precautionary wording | Read any “may contain” statement separately from the ingredients. Asda lists possible rye, barley, oats and sesame; Tesco and Crawford’s list possible sesame for their ordinary custard creams. | A warning about an allergen matters to me even when that allergen is not listed as an ingredient. |
| Portion format | Look for an explicit inner-pack count rather than relying on total weight. Asda lists Schär’s 125 g product as five 25 g packs, each containing two biscuits. | I want a portion I can put straight into a lunchbox, rather than biscuits I must pack separately. |
| Free-from claims | Check which substance each claim names. Schär describes its product as gluten- and wheat-free; Tesco labels its Free From product free from cereals containing gluten and milk. The Food Standards Agency cautions that vegan labelling alone is not a proxy for allergen labelling. | If milk or wheat is my concern, I need the relevant declaration on this particular biscuit, not a different dietary term. |
A packet’s total weight does not tell you whether it has individually packed servings. Asda explicitly lists five separate packs for Schär; the ordinary larger-packet listings do not establish that format.
Check the stated number of inner packs when a wrapped serving matters for the lunchbox.
Without separate servings, you will need to portion and pack the biscuits yourself.
The cited ordinary custard creams have different precautionary wording: Asda names possible rye, barley, oats and sesame, while Tesco and Crawford’s name possible sesame.
Check the exact product’s current statement against the recipient’s allergens each time you change products.
These labels answer different questions. The Food Standards Agency cautions that a vegan label alone should not stand in for allergen information.
Where milk is the concern, read the product’s milk declaration and relevant precautionary wording on the supplied pack.
A familiar brand name does not establish an allergen profile or an inner-pack format; compare the particular product.
A portion-packed custard cream to consider when separate lunchbox servings and its stated gluten- and wheat-free claims are relevant.
Its listed 125 g Free From custard creams and ordinary 400 g custard creams have different ingredient declarations.
Its ordinary custard creams come in a 400 g packet; that weight does not establish individually wrapped servings.
The listed 300 g ordinary custard creams are a larger-packet option where their ingredients suit the recipient.
Tasties Custard Cream Biscuits are listed by Iceland Foods as a 300 g ordinary packet, not a separately packed free-from option.
Extra Cream Custard Creams are a distinct 165 g variation to assess by their own ingredients.
This option addresses the separate-portion lunchbox route; its free-from claims still need to be checked against the recipient’s allergens.
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For a lunchbox needing separate portions, Asda lists this 125 g product as five 25 g packs with two biscuits in each. Schär describes its custard creams as gluten- and wheat-free; check the supplied pack’s full ingredients and precautionary statements for the recipient’s other allergens.
Check the actual outer pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements against the recipient’s allergens. Keep the relevant packaging information available when sending an individual portion away from home; the inner wrapper’s appearance is not an allergen check.
No: read the separate wheat and milk declarations for the exact product. Coeliac UK explains that the gluten-free labelling threshold concerns gluten content and can apply to some foods containing gluten-free wheat starch. Schär separately describes its custard creams as wheat-free, while Tesco separately labels its Free From custard creams milk-free.
An ingredient declaration identifies what was used to make the food; a “may contain” warning concerns possible unintended presence. Food Standards Scotland explains how allergens used as ingredients are identified on prepacked food labels, while the Food Standards Agency describes precautionary wording as a warning about possible unintended presence.
Use the current physical pack’s information and resolve a discrepancy with the retailer or manufacturer before offering the biscuits to the person with the allergy. Asda cautions that online ingredients and allergy information can change.
Follow that packet’s storage directions. Tesco’s ordinary custard-cream listing says to use an airtight container once opened; storage does not change the biscuits’ allergen profile.