For a shared afternoon tea, a 400g standard pack is a practical starting point if the guests can eat its ingredients; Tesco and Asda both list packs that size. Choose a separately labelled free-from biscuit when a guest needs to avoid particular ingredients, and check the individual guest’s requirements rather than assuming any biscuit is suitable because of their age.
A 400g packet gives you a larger sharing option than the 125g and 165g packs discussed here. Tesco also lists a 750g pack, but its product page marked it out of stock; check availability before planning around it.
Check the exact pack for ingredients and allergen warnings before serving. If a guest has difficulty swallowing or follows a texture-modified diet, follow their individual advice rather than assuming a biscuit is suitable.
Custard creams can be served as a biscuit accompaniment rather than the focus of the food. The NHS Eatwell Guide includes biscuits among foods high in fat, salt and sugar that should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.
Start with the number of people you are serving, then check each guest’s ingredient and texture requirements before choosing a pack.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Pack size and availability | Compare the net weights: Tesco and Asda list standard 400g packs. Check stock before relying on Tesco’s 750g pack, which its product page marked out of stock. | I’m serving several guests and want a packet I can share without depending on the larger pack being available. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label on the exact pack. Asda’s standard 400g custard creams contain wheat and milk and may contain rye, barley, oats and sesame; its separate 125g Free From biscuits are labelled free from cereals containing gluten and milk. | One guest needs to avoid particular ingredients, so I need to check the biscuit I will actually serve rather than assume all custard creams have the same formulation. |
| Nutrition and portions | Compare the nutrition information on the packs, including values per biscuit or per 100g where shown. The NHS Eatwell Guide advises having foods such as biscuits less often and in smaller amounts. | I’d like to offer a biscuit with tea while leaving room for other food and drinks. |
| Individual texture needs | Ask about any existing chewing or swallowing requirements. NHS guidance says swallowing difficulties can call for individual changes to food and drink, including softer foods. | If a guest has a swallowing plan, I’ll follow it instead of assuming a custard cream—or a softened version—meets their needs. |
Tesco’s 750g custard-cream page marked the pack out of stock, so its listed size alone does not make it dependable for a planned tea.
Check stock when ordering and have a suitable 400g option in mind if you need a sharing pack.
Asda’s standard 400g biscuits contain wheat and milk and carry further may-contain warnings. Its 125g Free From biscuits have a different label and are not the same sharing-size product.
Check the current label against each guest’s requirements before buying or serving.
Age alone does not tell you whether someone has difficulty swallowing. The NHS says people with swallowing problems may need individual changes to what they eat and drink.
Ask discreetly about existing texture requirements and follow any advice the guest has been given.
Asda’s Free From custard creams are labelled free from cereals containing gluten and milk, but their label also lists sugars and saturates per biscuit. The label does not make them a lower-sugar or lower-saturates alternative to a standard pack.
Use the free-from declaration to check a specific ingredient requirement; compare nutrition labels separately if that matters for your choice.
These examples show differences in pack size and labelling; a brand name alone does not establish whether a particular packet suits your guests.
Tesco lists standard custard creams in 400g and 750g packs.
Asda lists standard 400g custard creams and a separate 125g Free From product.
Tesco lists Crawford's custard creams in a 300g pack.
Joybuy’s listing for McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams describes a 300g pack.
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams come in a 165g pack rather than a family-sized packet.
This smaller custard-cream pack is an option to consider when a guest needs a gluten-free biscuit; it is not a substitute for a 400g sharing pack when quantity is the priority.
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A 125g gluten-free custard-cream pack for a guest seeking a separately labelled option. Check the current ingredients and allergen information against that guest’s requirements; this pack is smaller than the 400g standard sharing options.
A 400g standard pack is a practical sharing option if it meets your guests’ ingredient requirements. Tesco and Asda list packs that size; check stock when ordering, particularly if you are considering Tesco’s larger 750g pack, which its product page marked out of stock.
Do not assume so: the standard Asda 400g pack contains wheat and milk. Check the exact pack against the guest’s requirements; Asda’s separately labelled 125g Free From product is listed as free from cereals containing gluten and milk.
Follow that guest’s individual food and texture advice rather than deciding from the biscuit label or changing the biscuit yourself. The NHS says swallowing difficulties may require changes to food and drink and advice from a speech and language therapist or dietitian.
Follow the directions on the pack you buy. Tesco’s listing for Crawford's 300g custard creams says to store them in a cool, dry place and, once opened, in an airtight container.
Treat them as a biscuit accompaniment rather than the whole spread. The NHS Eatwell Guide includes biscuits among foods high in fat, salt and sugar that should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.