Organisers setting out self-service refreshments
Sealed portions let colleagues take a serving without opening a communal pack. Crawford's catering box contains three-biscuit mini packs, but custard creams are one of several varieties.
Who is each format for?
Organisers providing a gluten-free option
Schär custard creams come in five separate two-biscuit portions. Keep the option identifiable and check its current label against the attendee's particular requirements before serving.
Small teams using a shared biscuit plate
A conventional pack can be opened and served on a plate when sealed portions are unnecessary. Keep the packaging available so colleagues can check the ingredients.
What should you check before buying?
Mixed sealed portions
Choose when: A larger self-service meeting can use Crawford's 100-portion catering box and an assortment is acceptable.
Bear in mind: Custard creams are one of six varieties, so the box does not provide 100 custard-cream portions.
Specialist custard-cream portions
Choose when: You need an identifiable gluten-free custard-cream option and two biscuits make a suitable serving.
Bear in mind: Schär's 125 g pack contains five portions, so count the servings needed and check the label for other dietary requirements.
Shared retail pack
Choose when: You can serve biscuits from a plate and do not need individually sealed servings.
Bear in mind: A shared pack does not provide sealed portions; keep its ingredient information available during service.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Check whether portions are individually packed and how many biscuits each contains. Schär portions contain two biscuits; Crawford's mixed mini packs contain three. | I want colleagues to take a self-contained serving rather than use an open communal pack. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack label for the specific product. Schär's custard creams are listed as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free; those descriptions do not establish suitability for every allergy. | A colleague needs a separately identifiable option, and everyone should be able to check ingredients before taking a biscuit. |
| Meeting quantity | Count portions or stated servings against attendance. Sainsbury's lists approximately 16 servings in its 200 g shared pack; Crawford's mixed catering box contains 100 mini packs. | For a small meeting, I would rather plan the servings than assume a catering-sized box is necessary. |
| Nutrition information | Compare the current label using the same basis, such as per biscuit or per serving, and account for biscuits per portion. Tesco lists 59 kcal per biscuit for its 400 g custard creams. | I want to know what a serving contains when setting out more than one biscuit per person. |
What could cause a mix-up?
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Assuming “single bar” means one wrapped biscuit
The identified portion packs contain two or three biscuits per serving, while conventional packs contain multiple biscuits for sharing.
Decide whether you need one sealed serving per attendee or literally one biscuit, then check the biscuit count on the pack.
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Using a standard pack as the gluten-free option
The standard Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S and Crawford's products described here contain wheat and milk. Similar-looking biscuits need not have the same ingredients.
Keep a specialist option separately identifiable and check its current label against the attendee's stated requirements.
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Counting every catering portion as custard creams
Crawford's 100-portion mini-pack box is a six-variety assortment, so its total portion count is not a custard-cream count.
Use the mixed box only if the range of biscuits suits the meeting; check the assortment before planning custard-cream servings.
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Discarding the pack before colleagues can check it
Ingredients and allergen details on the product received matter when biscuits are served to other people.
Check the physical label before service and keep it available until the refreshments have been cleared away.
Relevant brand and product references
Crawford's
Its catering mini-pack box offers 100 sealed three-biscuit portions for serving an assortment at meetings.
- Custard creams are included among the six varieties.
- The box is not custard-cream-only; its standard 300 g custard-cream pack is a separate, shared format.
Schär
Its 125 g gluten-free custard-cream pack contains five individual portions of two biscuits.
- Waitrose also lists the product as wheat-free and lactose-free.
- Check the current label against each attendee's requirements; a gluten-free description is not an assurance about every allergy.
Sainsbury's
Its 200 g custard creams are a shared pack listed at approximately 16 servings.
- The stated serving count helps with meeting quantities.
- The pack contains wheat and milk; Sainsbury's says it is not suitable for customers with a barley allergy because of manufacturing methods.
Tesco
Its 400 g custard-cream pack is a conventional shared format.
- Tesco lists nutrition per biscuit, including 59 kcal.
- The product contains wheat and milk and may contain sesame; it is not an individually portioned option.
M&S
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams come in a 165 g shared pack with vanilla cream made using custard powder.
- The product description identifies its filling and pack size.
- It is not listed as individually portioned; check the current label for ingredients, including wheat, milk and soya.
Joybuy portion-pack option
This custard-cream option is for a meeting needing separate servings and a gluten-free alternative; check the current pack against each attendee's dietary requirements.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g
For separate meeting servings, the 125 g pack contains five portions with two custard creams in each. The product is listed as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free; check the current pack label for the attendee's specific requirements and count how many portions the meeting needs.
Questions about meeting refreshments
Does a custard-cream portion pack contain just one biscuit?
Not necessarily. Schär's listed portions contain two custard creams each, while Crawford's mixed catering mini packs contain three biscuits each. If you need exactly one biscuit per person, check the serving unit before ordering.
How can colleagues check allergens at the meeting?
Keep the current product packaging available before and during service, and identify any separately provided option clearly. Check each product's label: the standard custard-cream examples discussed here contain wheat and milk, with additional cautions varying by product.
Is a gluten-free custard cream suitable for every food allergy?
No. Schär custard creams are listed as gluten-free, wheat-free and lactose-free, but those descriptions do not cover every allergy or intolerance. Check the physical pack against the individual attendee's requirements.
How many custard creams should I buy for a meeting?
Choose a serving size, count attendees and then use the pack's stated biscuit or portion count. For example, Schär's 125 g pack contains five two-biscuit portions, while Sainsbury's lists approximately 16 servings for its 200 g shared pack; Crawford's 100 mini packs are a mixed assortment rather than 100 custard-cream servings.