Runners carrying a snack to training
If you want a sealed portion for travel or for before or after a run, an assorted mini pack could work. Check that you are happy to receive different biscuit varieties rather than custard creams in every portion.
Who is choosing these snacks?
Long-run and race-day planners
If you need to eat and drink during a lengthy session, plan the carbohydrate you will carry and when you can drink. World Athletics emphasises a personalised, practised approach that takes gut comfort and practical opportunities into account.
Runners checking ingredients
If particular ingredients matter to you, read the label of the exact product and, with an assortment, each biscuit variety. The listed Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda custard creams contain wheat and milk; other ingredient and precautionary statements differ.
What matters when choosing?
Decide whether you need a snack to carry around training or a repeatable way to take in carbohydrate during a run. Then check the portion, label and carrying format of the product you would actually use.
Wrapped assorted biscuits
Choose when: You want sealed biscuit portions and are content with a mix of varieties; Buzz Catering Supplies lists custard creams in Crawford's assortment.
Bear in mind: An assorted portion does not give you a predictable custard-cream-only snack.
Standard custard-cream packs
Choose when: You want custard creams at home or can portion them into your own container before leaving.
Bear in mind: The Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda packs are conventional multi-biscuit packs, not individual wrapped portions.
Drinks, gels or confectionery
Choose when: You need a format that fits a practised carbohydrate-and-fluid plan during a long run; World Athletics identifies these as practical endurance formats.
Bear in mind: Check the amount per serving and rehearse the product, timing and fluids in training rather than assuming a new format will suit you.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Portable portions | Check whether each portion is sealed and how many biscuits it contains. Crawford's assorted mini packs contain three biscuits per wrapped pack, according to the product information cited by Buzz Catering Supplies; check the variety in the portion you take. | I want a snack I can carry without opening a larger biscuit pack. An assortment is fine if I do not need every portion to be custard creams. |
| Carbohydrate planning | Read carbohydrate per biscuit or serving and consider how you would carry and consume the required quantity. World Athletics gives 30–60 g of carbohydrate per hour for endurance exercise lasting 1–2.5 hours and up to 90 g per hour for events lasting more than 2.5 hours. | For a long run, I need to know what each portion contributes to my practised plan, rather than choose a snack because it is sweet or individually wrapped. |
| Practised use | Check the serving size, the fluids available and whether the food is practical to eat while moving. World Athletics advises balancing a practised carbohydrate-and-fluid plan with gut comfort. | I would rather try the exact product and timing in training than introduce a new biscuit or gel on race day. |
| Ingredients | Read the current ingredient and allergen statements for the exact product and every relevant variety in an assortment. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list wheat and milk in their custard creams; Asda also gives precautionary information for rye, barley, oats and sesame. | I need to check ingredients that matter to me, without assuming that different brands or assorted biscuits share one recipe. |
What should you avoid assuming?
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A wrapper makes a biscuit a race fuel
Wrapping helps with carrying and portion separation, but it does not establish how the biscuit fits your carbohydrate, fluid or timing plan. Crawford's mini packs are assorted, too.
Check the exact portion and try it during training. For a long run, build the plan around what you intend to consume and what you can comfortably carry.
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A standard pack is already portioned for a kit bag
Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda custard creams come in multi-biscuit packs. Their storage directions call for the opened biscuits to be kept sealed or in an airtight container.
If you want to take some with you, portion them before leaving into a clean, protective reusable container.
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A sweet taste tells you enough about a serving
Tesco lists 8.4 g carbohydrate and 2.5 g fat per biscuit; Sainsbury's lists 8.6 g carbohydrate and 2.4 g fat; Asda lists 8.1 g carbohydrate and 2.6 g fat. The number of biscuits you take matters when comparing a serving with your run plan.
Use the current pack label to work out the amount you intend to carry, and practise eating it with your usual fluids during training.
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Every custard cream has the same ingredients
The listed supermarket products contain wheat and milk, while other ingredients and precautionary allergen statements vary. An assorted pack also contains other biscuit types.
Read the label on the exact pack before using it, particularly if you need to avoid a particular ingredient.
Which brands are relevant?
These brand examples show the difference between an assorted wrapped format and standard custard-cream packs; they do not imply that every product in a brand's range has the same format.
Crawford's
Buzz Catering Supplies describes an assorted box of individually wrapped, three-biscuit mini packs that includes custard creams.
- Sealed portions suit carrying a biscuit snack separately.
- The box contains several biscuit varieties, so it is not a custard-cream-only choice.
Tesco
Tesco's 400 g custard-cream product is a standard multi-biscuit pack for shoppers who can portion biscuits themselves.
- Tesco lists 8.4 g carbohydrate and 2.5 g fat per biscuit.
- The pack is not individually portion-wrapped; Tesco advises an airtight container after opening.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's 200 g custard-cream pack is another standard-pack option for home use or self-portioning.
- Sainsbury's lists 8.6 g carbohydrate per biscuit and identifies wheat and milk ingredients.
- Its storage directions call for an airtight container once opened, rather than indicating individually wrapped portions.
Asda
Asda's 400 g custard-cream pack provides per-biscuit information for comparing a self-portioned snack.
- Asda lists 8.1 g carbohydrate and 2.6 g fat per biscuit.
- It is a standard pack, and its allergen information includes wheat and milk plus possible exposure to rye, barley, oats and sesame.
M&S
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams are an extra-cream variation rather than an identified individually wrapped format.
- M&S describes extra vanilla cream and lists 68.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g.
- Its listed 23.4 g fat per 100 g is a reason to check the portion you would use, not to assume the variation suits an in-run plan.
Joybuy options for snacks and drinks
These options include drinks and gels to consider for a practised long-run plan, plus a custard-flavoured snack in small packs. The snack is a pie rather than a custard-cream biscuit; check each product's label and format against what you intend to carry.
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DP Electrolyte Drink, Lemon Flavour, 555ml
A bottled drink to consider if you prefer carrying a liquid rather than biscuits. The title specifies lemon flavour, sweetener and a 555ml bottle; check the nutrition label for how it fits your carbohydrate plan.
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Applied Nutrition Endurance Elite Tri-Source Energy Gel, Orange Burst Flavour, 20 Gels
A gel format for a runner planning what to carry during a long session, rather than a biscuit snack. The product title states 40g carbohydrate per gel and a pack of 20; practise the serving and timing in training.
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Applied Nutrition Energy Gel + Electrolytes Endurance, Fruit Burst Flavour, 20 x 60g
Another gel format to assess against a practised in-run plan. The title specifies electrolytes and 20 x 60g; check the current serving information, including caffeine if relevant to your choice, before deciding when to use it.
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Lucozade Energy Original, 8 x 380ml
A bottled alternative if a drink suits your carrying plan better than biscuits. The pack contains eight 380ml bottles; use the current bottle label to check its carbohydrate contribution and practise how you would carry and drink it.
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Orion Custard Pie, 138g, Six Small Packs
A custard-flavoured snack to consider around training, but it is a pie rather than a custard-cream biscuit. The title states 138g across six small packs; check the packaging if separate sealed portions are essential, and read the ingredient and nutrition labels for the exact serving.
Common questions
Can custard creams contribute to fuelling during a marathon?
They can contribute carbohydrate if you can comfortably eat them, but they are not a complete plan on their own. Tesco lists 8.4 g carbohydrate per biscuit, Sainsbury's 8.6 g and Asda 8.1 g; World Athletics gives 30–60 g per hour for endurance exercise lasting 1–2.5 hours and up to 90 g per hour beyond 2.5 hours. Practise the quantity, timing and fluids you intend to use.
Does an individual wrapper make a biscuit suitable for race day?
No. It separates a portion for carrying, but you still need to check what that portion contains and whether it fits your practised plan. Buzz Catering Supplies describes Crawford's wrapped mini packs as an assortment that includes custard creams, not a custard-cream-only pack.
Should I first try a custard cream during the race?
Try the exact product, portion and timing in training instead. World Athletics advises a personalised, practised race-nutrition plan that accounts for carbohydrate, fluids, practical opportunities and gut comfort.
Which ingredients should I check in custard creams?
Read the current label of the exact pack. The listed Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and M&S custard creams contain wheat and milk; Asda also lists possible exposure to rye, barley, oats and sesame. With an assorted pack, check the other biscuit varieties as well.