Tea-break biscuit buyers
If you want a custard cream with tea or coffee, consider the biscuit’s texture and filling alongside pack size and the nutrition information for your intended serving.
Who is choosing?
Filling-led shoppers
If vanilla cream is the main attraction, an extra-cream variety may suit your preference. Check its nutrition panel rather than assuming the different filling makes it lower in sugars.
Shoppers with dietary requirements
If you need to avoid particular ingredients or want a gluten-free product, check the exact pack’s ingredients, allergen statement and suitability labelling before buying.
What should you check?
Start with the biscuit and filling you want, then compare serving information and ingredients for the exact products you are considering.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit and filling | Read the description for texture and filling style. Tesco describes its classic biscuit as crunchy with a smooth vanilla filling; M&S describes its Extra Cream version as having more vanilla cream and real custard powder. | With my tea or coffee, would I prefer the classic biscuit-and-filling balance or a more filling-led style? |
| Serving information | Check energy and sugars per biscuit where given, or compare products per 100 g. Tesco lists 59 kcal and 3.4 g sugars for one biscuit in its 400 g pack; M&S lists 502 kcal and 40.2 g sugars per 100 g for its Extra Cream product. | I want to know what the figures mean for the number of biscuits I plan to have, without treating a per-biscuit figure and a per-100 g figure as equivalent. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current pack. Tesco’s custard creams contain wheat and milk and may contain sesame; M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams contain wheat, milk and soya. Check any gluten-free or lactose-free claim on the specific alternative. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, suitability matters more to me than whether the biscuit follows the conventional recipe. |
| Pack size | Check the stated pack weight and serving information. The Tesco classic pack is 400 g, while M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams come in a 165 g pack. | A larger pack might suit sharing, but I still want to decide how many biscuits make up my snack. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming extra cream means less sugar
Filling style does not establish a product’s sugar content. M&S lists 40.2 g sugars per 100 g for its Extra Cream Custard Creams.
Choose that style for the filling if it appeals to you, and use the current nutrition panel to compare sugars on the same basis as another product.
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Overlooking the serving line on a larger pack
Pack weight does not tell you the nutrition for the number of biscuits you intend to eat. Tesco lists 59 kcal and 3.4 g sugars for one biscuit in its 400 g pack.
Check the per-biscuit information where available and decide on your serving separately from the pack size.
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Treating an older taste test as a current buying list
The Good Housekeeping Institute’s September 2020 test assessed 10 custard creams for appearance, aroma, taste and texture. Its findings do not establish what a retailer stocks now.
Use an older taste assessment for its stated criteria, then check the current product, ingredients and availability before buying.
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Assuming every custard cream has the same allergen profile
The Tesco and M&S products list different allergen information, while Joybuy describes a Schär alternative as gluten-free and lactose-free.
Read the ingredient list, allergen statement and suitability labelling on the exact current pack rather than relying on the biscuit category.
Relevant brand references
Tesco
Tesco describes its 400 g custard creams as crunchy biscuits with a smooth vanilla filling.
- Tesco lists 59 kcal and 3.4 g sugars per biscuit.
- The product contains wheat and milk and may contain sesame; check the current pack label.
M&S
M&S describes its 165 g Extra Cream Custard Creams as having more vanilla cream and real custard powder.
- M&S provides nutrition information per 100 g for this product.
- The product contains wheat, milk and soya; its listed figures include 502 kcal and 40.2 g sugars per 100 g.
McVitie's
The McVitie's Tasties range includes a 300 g custard-cream biscuit pack listed by Joybuy.
- Joybuy marks that pack as no longer available.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This option is a specifically labelled gluten-free and lactose-free custard cream for shoppers considering a dietary alternative.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g
For a mid-morning custard cream when gluten-free or lactose-free labelling matters, Joybuy describes this 125 g pack as gluten-free and lactose-free. Check the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement against your specific requirements.
Questions about custard creams
Are custard creams and digestives the same biscuit?
No. Custard creams are vanilla-cream sandwich biscuits, while digestives are a separate biscuit type. If you want a digestive for your mid-morning snack, shop that category rather than treating a custard cream as a substitute.
Which allergens should I check in custard creams?
Check the exact current pack. Tesco’s custard creams contain wheat and milk and may contain sesame; M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams contain wheat, milk and soya. Ingredients and allergen information can change.