Hosts comparing sugar labels
If you want custard creams on the table without calling them a reduced-sugar choice, compare total sugars per 100g first. The per-biscuit figure then helps you decide how to present a serving.
Who is choosing?
Hosts catering for gluten or milk avoidance
A specifically labelled free-from biscuit may meet a guest's dietary requirements. Check those statements on the pack separately from its sugar content: Sainsbury's Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten free and milk free, but declare 24.9g sugars per 100g.
Hosts buying custard creams to share
Pack size, ingredients and the style of biscuit may matter more than finding the lowest sugar figure. Compare the packs you plan to serve, particularly if guests need allergen information.
What should you check?
Start with the per-100g sugar declaration for a like-for-like comparison, then check serving information and dietary labels for the people you are hosting.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar declaration | Compare total sugars per 100g and read any specific nutrition claim on the pack. The NHS describes 22.5g or more per 100g as high in sugar; a free-from label does not establish a reduced-sugar claim. | I want guests to recognise which snack has the lower declared sugar figure, without presenting an ordinary custard cream as reduced sugar. |
| Serving size | Read sugars per biscuit as well as per 100g. Sainsbury's lists 3.3g per biscuit for its standard custard creams and 3.5g for its Free From version; different biscuit sizes make the per-100g figure useful for comparing products. | For a buffet where people may return for another biscuit, I want the per-biscuit figure available alongside the pack. |
| Dietary suitability | Check the purchased pack's ingredients, allergen declaration and suitability statements. Sainsbury's Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans; the standard Sainsbury's and ASDA examples contain wheat and milk. | Some guests need a clearly identified free-from choice, kept separate from standard biscuits and their serving utensils. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Reading “free from” as “reduced sugar”
Sainsbury's Free From Custard Creams meet the stated dietary suitability requirements, but their declared 24.9g sugars per 100g exceeds the NHS high-sugar threshold of 22.5g per 100g.
Use free-from statements for the relevant dietary choice. Compare the nutrition panel and any sugar claim separately.
-
Comparing only the sugar in one biscuit
A per-biscuit figure depends on the size of that biscuit. It does not provide the same like-for-like comparison across different packs as a per-100g declaration.
Compare sugars per 100g when choosing between products, then use the per-biscuit figure when planning what to put out.
-
Putting every custard cream in the same bowl
Standard products in the Sainsbury's, ASDA and M&S examples contain wheat and milk. Mixing them with a free-from option or sharing utensils can undermine a separate serving arrangement.
Keep the free-from biscuits and their utensils separate, and retain the purchased pack so guests can check its allergen information.
Relevant brand ranges
Sainsbury's
The compared range includes both a standard custard cream and a separately labelled Free From version.
- Sainsbury's declares 26.5g sugars per 100g for its standard 200g pack and 24.9g per 100g for its Free From 125g pack.
- The Free From pack is labelled gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans, but its sugar figure is still above the NHS high-sugar threshold.
ASDA
ASDA's 400g Custard Creams are a standard larger pack to consider when buying biscuits to share.
- ASDA declares 29g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit for this pack.
- The product contains wheat and milk; check its current pack for the full allergen and precautionary statements.
M&S
M&S describes its Extra Cream Custard Creams as having extra vanilla cream and real custard powder.
- That described filling style may suit a buffet where guests want a different custard cream alongside a standard pack.
- M&S declares 40.2g sugars per 100g for this product, so its filling style should not be mistaken for a sugar-reduction feature.
Joybuy custard cream option
This gluten-free custard cream is an option for a separate Boxing Day buffet serving. Check its current pack for sugar information and any other dietary requirements before offering it to guests.
No image available
Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
A 125g gluten-free custard cream pack to consider for a separate buffet serving. Product information flags a choking risk for young children and says the biscuits are unsuitable for them; check the purchased pack before serving.
Questions about buffet choices
Are the custard creams compared here low in sugar?
No. The Sainsbury's Free From, standard Sainsbury's, ASDA and M&S examples declare 24.9g, 26.5g, 29g and 40.2g total sugars per 100g respectively. The NHS describes 5g or less per 100g as low in sugar and 22.5g or more as high in sugar.
Does a gluten-free custard cream have less sugar?
Not necessarily. Sainsbury's Free From Custard Creams are labelled gluten free and milk free, but declare 24.9g sugars per 100g. Choose a free-from product for its stated dietary suitability and check its nutrition label separately.
Should I compare sugar per biscuit or per 100g?
Use total sugars per 100g to compare different custard creams, then check sugars per biscuit to understand an individual serving. Biscuit sizes can differ, so the two figures answer different questions.
What if I want to offer a lower-sugar buffet choice?
Offer a separate snack whose current label you can compare with the custard creams per 100g, rather than describing these custard creams as reduced sugar. Keep its pack available so guests can check the declaration themselves.
How can I serve custard creams to guests with different dietary needs?
Check each purchased pack's ingredients, allergens and suitability statements. The standard Sainsbury's, ASDA and M&S examples contain wheat and milk; keep any specifically labelled free-from biscuits separate, with separate utensils.