Families sharing classic custard creams
Estimate how many biscuits the group will eat, then check the pack’s stated servings or biscuit count. Pack weight alone does not tell you how many biscuits it contains.
Who is each pack for?
Picnic organisers serving mixed tastes
A mixed pack gives guests other biscuit choices, but its total weight cannot be used as the quantity of custard creams.
Hosts checking food allergies
Read the ingredients on each pack you plan to share. Iceland Foods lists wheat and milk for the McVitie’s and Crawford’s packs, while Marks & Spencer lists wheat, milk and soya for its Extra Cream Custard Creams.
What should you check before choosing?
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Compare the stated pack weight and servings or biscuit count. Tesco lists a 400g pack, Iceland Foods lists 300g McVitie’s and Crawford’s packs, and Sainsbury’s lists approximately 16 servings for its 200g pack; that serving figure applies only to the Sainsbury’s product. | Most of us want custard creams, so I need enough for the group without assuming a heavier pack contains a particular number of biscuits. |
| Biscuit mix | Marks & Spencer lists Extra Cream Custard Creams in a 165g pack. Its 530g Triple Pack contains custard creams, malted milk and bourbon creams, so check the mix rather than counting all 530g as custard creams. | I’d choose a single-biscuit pack if the group mainly wants custard creams, or a mixed pack if people want different biscuits. |
| Ingredients | Check the purchased pack’s full ingredients list. Iceland Foods lists wheat and milk for McVitie’s Tasties and Crawford’s Custard Creams; Marks & Spencer lists wheat, milk and soya for its Extra Cream variant. | If someone has a relevant allergy, I need to check the actual biscuits before offering them. |
| Storage | Follow the pack’s directions during the outing and after opening. Sainsbury’s advises cool, dry storage and an airtight container after opening for its 200g pack; Marks & Spencer says to keep its Extra Cream Custard Creams cool, dry and away from sunlight. | We may open the biscuits before the picnic ends, so I want a way to close and store what remains as the pack directs. |
Picnic pack mistakes to avoid
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Counting a mixed pack’s full weight as custard creams
Marks & Spencer’s 530g Triple Pack also contains malted milk and bourbon creams. Its total weight therefore overstates the amount of custard creams in the pack.
Check the mix before deciding whether it will cover the group’s custard-cream servings.
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Assuming a cream-filled biscuit contains no milk
The listed McVitie’s, Crawford’s and M&S custard-cream products contain milk ingredients; the M&S Extra Cream variant also lists soya.
Read the purchased pack’s full allergen information before sharing it.
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Applying an older taste test to a different pack
Good Housekeeping’s 2020 taste test covered an M&S Custard Creams listing, not the identified 165g Extra Cream variant.
Check the name and variant before using an older review to inform your choice.
Brand and pack references
McVitie’s
The McVitie’s Tasties 300g pack is a mid-sized custard-cream option listed by Iceland Foods.
- Iceland Foods describes a custard-flavoured cream filling between biscuits.
- Its listing identifies wheat and milk; check the purchased pack’s label when sharing with guests.
Crawford’s
Iceland Foods lists Crawford’s Custard Creams as a 300g sandwich-biscuit pack.
- The listing describes a vanilla-flavour cream filling.
- It identifies wheat and milk; check the pack’s ingredients before sharing.
Tesco
Tesco lists a 400g custard-cream pack for shoppers considering a larger quantity of one biscuit type.
- Its stated 400g weight gives a quantity to compare with smaller packs.
- Check the pack’s biscuit count, ingredients and storage directions for the picnic you are planning.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists a 200g custard-cream pack for a smaller planned quantity.
- Its listing states approximately 16 servings and advises cool, dry storage.
- The listing advises an airtight container after opening for best quality; its serving figure should not be applied to other packs.
M&S
Marks & Spencer lists a 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams pack and a 530g Triple Pack containing several biscuit types.
- The Triple Pack includes custard creams, malted milk and bourbon creams for a group that wants a mix.
- The mixed pack’s full 530g is not custard creams. The Extra Cream product lists wheat, milk and soya.
Joybuy custard-cream options
This 125g gluten-free custard-cream pack is a smaller-quantity option to consider when planning biscuits for a picnic.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
The 125g pack offers a smaller quantity to plan around when a larger picnic pack is not needed. It is labelled gluten-free; check the purchased pack’s ingredients for each guest’s requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How many packs of custard creams should I take?
Estimate how many biscuits the group will eat, then check the pack’s biscuit count or stated servings. Sainsbury’s lists approximately 16 servings for its 200g pack, but that figure cannot be applied to another product.
Do custard creams need refrigeration at a picnic?
Follow the purchased pack’s storage directions. The Sainsbury’s and M&S products described here specify cool, dry storage rather than refrigeration; Sainsbury’s also advises an airtight container after opening for its 200g pack.
Does a mixed pack contain more custard creams?
Its total weight does not answer that question. Marks & Spencer’s 530g Triple Pack contains custard creams, malted milk and bourbon creams, so check its custard-cream contents before comparing it with a single-biscuit pack.
Can I use an online description to check guests’ allergies?
Check the label on the actual pack before serving. GOV.UK says that, in the UK, applicable allergens used as ingredients in prepacked food must be clearly identified in the ingredients list.
What does a best-before date mean on biscuits?
The Food Standards Agency distinguishes a best-before date, which relates to quality, from a use-by date, which relates to safety. Check the date and storage directions on the pack you buy.