Who is choosing?

Hosts putting out biscuits to share

A conventional multipiece pack suits a biscuit table. If you want one item to divide between guests instead, check the size and serving format of an oversized biscuit.

Shoppers buying for dietary requirements

Standard custard creams and free-from versions have different ingredient and allergen statements. Choose by the exact pack label, not by the category name.

Shoppers looking for one oversized treat

Marks & Spencer lists a 270 g giant chocolate-coated custard-cream biscuit. Its size may suit a sharing plan, but its description does not make it a single bar.

What should you check?

Decide how you will serve the biscuits first, then check each product’s allergen statement and, if comparing varieties, its nutrition information on the same per-100 g basis.

Priority What to check Your needs
Serving format Check whether the product is a multipiece pack, individual portion packs or one oversized biscuit. Tesco lists a 400 g standard pack; Tesco Groceries describes Schär’s 125 g product as five portion packs, while Marks & Spencer lists a 270 g giant biscuit. I’m putting biscuits out for a group, carrying separate portions, or looking for one large biscuit to divide. A portion pack or giant biscuit should not be mistaken for a single bar.
Dietary fit Read the exact product’s ingredient and allergen statements. Tesco Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten free and milk free; Tesco Groceries describes Schär’s separate product as wheat free and lactose free. Standard Tesco and Sainsbury’s custard creams list wheat and milk ingredients. Someone eating these biscuits needs a particular allergen or free-from label. I’ll check that the current pack states what they require rather than treating wheat free and milk free as interchangeable.
Nutrition labels Compare sugars and saturates per 100 g for the exact varieties. Marks & Spencer lists 43.2 g sugars and 15.3 g saturates per 100 g for its chocolate-coated custard cream, against 40.2 g and 13.5 g respectively for its Extra Cream Custard Creams. I want to compare an extra-cream biscuit with a chocolate-coated one using the same stated quantity, rather than assuming their nutrition labels are alike.

Buying pitfalls

  • Assuming “single bar” describes the pack

    A conventional pack, individually portioned biscuits and one giant biscuit serve different plans for a gathering.

    Check the product description for the number of biscuits, any individual wrapping and whether the item is described as a biscuit or a bar.

  • Assuming every custard cream meets the same dietary needs

    Tesco’s standard custard creams list wheat and milk and may contain sesame. Sainsbury’s standard product lists wheat and milk and carries a barley-allergy warning linked to manufacturing methods.

    Read the current allergen declaration for the exact product. If buying a free-from version, check that its particular claims match the eater’s requirements.

  • Comparing pack size without considering portions

    A 125 g pack divided into five individual portions is a different serving arrangement from a 400 g multipiece pack or a 270 g giant biscuit.

    Check pack weight and portion format alongside the number of people you plan to serve.

  • Treating chocolate-coated and extra-cream versions as identical

    Marks & Spencer’s stated sugars and saturates per 100 g differ between its chocolate-coated and Extra Cream Custard Creams.

    Compare the nutrition panels per 100 g and check the exact pack’s allergens; the chocolate-coated product also lists soya lecithin.

Brand references

These examples show how specific custard-cream products differ; a feature or allergen statement for one product does not apply to every biscuit from that brand.

Tesco

Tesco Groceries lists both a conventional 400 g custard-cream pack and a separate 125 g Free From product.

  • The Free From product is labelled gluten free and milk free.
  • The conventional product lists wheat and milk ingredients and may contain sesame.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury’s lists a conventional 200 g custard-cream pack.

  • The listing identifies the pack as suitable for vegetarians.
  • It lists wheat and milk-derived ingredients and says the product is unsuitable for customers with a barley allergy because of manufacturing methods.

Crawford's

Tesco Groceries lists Crawford’s Custard Creams in a 300 g pack.

  • The listing describes a vanilla-flavour cream filling and states that the product has no artificial colours or flavours.
  • Check the current pack’s ingredient and allergen statements before serving it to guests with dietary requirements.

Schär

Tesco Groceries describes Schär’s 125 g custard creams as five individual portion packs, each containing two biscuits.

  • The listing labels this product wheat free and lactose free.
  • Lactose free does not establish that a product is milk free; check the exact pack if milk avoidance is required.

M&S

Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream, chocolate-coated and giant chocolate-coated custard-cream products.

  • The giant chocolate-coated biscuit is listed at 270 g, giving shoppers an oversized biscuit format to consider.
  • The chocolate-coated product lists wheat, milk and soya lecithin; check the exact product label when comparing varieties.

Joybuy custard-cream option

This portion-packed custard-cream option is relevant if you want separate servings for a Bonfire Night gathering. It is a pack of biscuits, not a single bar.

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g pack

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

For serving biscuits in separate portions, Tesco Groceries describes this Schär product as five individual packs containing two biscuits each. Its listing states wheat free and lactose free; check the current pack’s full allergen statement if buying for someone who needs to avoid milk.

View on Joybuy

Common questions

Is a giant custard cream the same as a single bar?

No. Marks & Spencer describes its 270 g giant chocolate-coated custard cream as a biscuit. If you need a wrapped single bar rather than an oversized biscuit or a pack of smaller ones, check the exact product format before buying.

Can someone avoiding gluten or milk eat ordinary custard creams?

Do not assume so: the standard Tesco and Sainsbury’s products listed here contain wheat and milk-derived ingredients. Tesco Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten free and milk free, while Tesco Groceries describes Schär’s separate product as wheat free and lactose free. Read the current pack to confirm that its declarations meet the eater’s particular requirements.

What should I check if I’m buying custard creams for guests with allergies?

Check the current packaging for the exact product you intend to serve, including its ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. A free-from claim on another custard-cream product does not establish the suitability of the pack in your hand.