Who each format suits

Picnickers handing out separate servings

Schär’s 125 g pack contains five individual packs of two biscuits, so guests can take a portion without passing around an opened packet.

Guests checking gluten or lactose

Schär’s custard creams are described as gluten-free and lactose-free. Check the current physical pack against each guest’s requirements before serving.

Small groups sharing classic biscuits

Sainsbury’s 200 g, Crawford’s 300 g and Tesco 400 g custard-cream packs offer different quantities for sharing. Plan how to close the packet after opening and keep it cool and dry.

What to check before choosing

Decide whether you need separate servings or one packet for the group, then check storage, ingredients and the nutrition basis on the particular product.

PriorityWhat to checkYour needs
Portion format Check whether servings are individually packed. Schär’s 125 g pack has five packs of two biscuits; M&S’s 64 g chocolate-coated snack is compact, but its listed format does not establish separate wrapped portions. I’d rather hand each guest a portion than keep an opened packet circulating. If everyone is sharing, one larger pack may be simpler.
Picnic storage Read the cool, dry storage instructions and plan how to close a share pack. M&S also says to keep its chocolate-coated custard creams away from sunlight. For a sunny picnic, I need somewhere shaded to keep a chocolate-coated snack; I can bring an airtight container if we open a share pack.
Ingredients and allergens Check the current pack for ingredients, allergens and precautionary statements. The listed standard examples contain wheat and milk; Tesco and Crawford’s also state that their biscuits may contain sesame. Before offering biscuits to guests with dietary requirements, I want to check the exact product rather than assume all custard creams have the same ingredients.
Nutrition basis Compare like with like: look at values per 100 g and per serving, then check the portion you intend to offer. Marks & Spencer lists 43.2 g sugars and 15.3 g saturates per 100 g for its 64 g chocolate-coated product. I want to compare the amount likely to be eaten, not mistake figures for one biscuit, one serving and 100 g for the same measure.

Picnic packing mistakes to avoid

  • Treating a share pack as a single serving

    A 200 g, 300 g or 400 g packet is intended to provide multiple biscuits, and the listed share packs call for airtight storage after opening.

    If separate servings matter, choose a pack explicitly divided into portions. Otherwise, bring an airtight container for the opened biscuits.

  • Packing chocolate-coated biscuits without shade

    Marks & Spencer instructs shoppers to store its chocolate-coated custard creams in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

    Choose that format only if your picnic packing can meet those storage instructions; check the instructions on any alternative pack too.

  • Assuming the flavour tells you the allergens

    The listed standard custard creams contain wheat and milk ingredients. Tesco and Crawford’s also carry sesame precautionary information, while Schär’s product has different dietary labelling.

    Check each physical pack’s ingredients and allergen statements before buying or serving it to someone with dietary requirements.

  • Comparing unlike nutrition figures

    A value per biscuit cannot be compared directly with one per 100 g or per pack; the amount served matters as well.

    Use the same measurement basis on both labels, then check how many biscuits or portions guests are likely to take.

Relevant brand and retailer ranges

Schär

Its 125 g gluten-free custard creams come as five individual packs of two biscuits.

  • The product is also described as lactose-free and suitable for vegans.
  • These are portioned biscuits, not one bar. Check the current physical label for dietary requirements.

M&S

The range here includes a 165 g Extra Cream biscuit pack and a 64 g milk-chocolate-coated custard-cream snack.

  • The 64 g format offers a compact alternative to a larger share pack.
  • Its storage instructions specify a cool, dry place away from sunlight; check its ingredients for guests with dietary requirements.

Sainsbury’s

Its own-label custard creams come in a 200 g sharing pack.

  • A smaller listed pack size than the 300 g Crawford’s and 400 g Tesco examples.
  • The ingredients include wheat and milk; keep the biscuits cool and dry and store them airtight after opening.

Tesco

Its own-label custard creams come in a 400 g sharing pack.

  • The pack provides a larger quantity than the 200 g Sainsbury’s and 300 g Crawford’s examples.
  • The ingredients include wheat and milk, and the listing says the biscuits may contain sesame. Store airtight after opening.

Crawford’s

Its custard creams are listed in a 300 g sharing pack.

  • The pack sits between the listed 200 g Sainsbury’s and 400 g Tesco sizes.
  • The ingredients include wheat and milk, and the listing says the biscuits may contain sesame. Store airtight after opening.

McVitie’s

McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams are vanilla-cream sandwich biscuits listed by Pioneer Foodservice in a 12 × 150 g format.

  • The biscuits are described as suitable for vegetarians.
  • They contain gluten-containing cereal and milk and may contain sesame; the listed format does not establish individually wrapped servings.

Joybuy portion-pack option

This custard-cream option is for a picnic where separate biscuit portions are more useful than opening a packet for everyone. It is not a literal single bar.

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g pack

Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g

Five individual packs of two biscuits make it possible to hand out separate picnic portions without opening every serving at once.

Described as gluten-free, lactose-free and suitable for vegans. Keep in a cool, dry place, and check the physical label for individual dietary requirements. This is a multipack of biscuits, not a single bar.

View on Joybuy

Frequently asked questions

Is a portion pack the same as a single custard-cream bar?

No. Schär’s 125 g product contains five separate two-biscuit packs, while M&S’s 64 g option is a chocolate-coated custard-cream snack. Choose either for its actual format, rather than expecting one bar-shaped item.

Which custard creams are easiest to hand out separately?

Schär’s 125 g pack has five individual packs of two biscuits. If you choose a standard share pack instead, plan to close it airtight after opening.

Can guests avoiding gluten or milk have standard custard creams?

The listed Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Crawford’s and McVitie’s products contain wheat or gluten-containing cereal and milk ingredients. Schär’s custard creams are described as gluten-free and lactose-free, but check the current physical label against each guest’s requirements.

How should I pack chocolate-coated custard creams for a sunny picnic?

Keep M&S’s 64 g chocolate-coated custard creams cool, dry and away from sunlight, as its storage instructions specify. If you cannot provide that storage, choose a different format after checking its own instructions.

What should I check on the pack before serving guests?

Read the current ingredients, allergen and precautionary statements, then check the best-before date and storage instructions. The listed standard examples contain wheat and milk, and some state that they may contain sesame.