Who is this for?

Travellers comparing sugar figures

If you want custard creams for the journey, the sugars figure per 100g lets you compare packets on the same weight basis. The per-biscuit figure helps you consider the number you expect to eat.

Passengers packing biscuits to share

Packet weights vary, so consider how many biscuits you need for the people travelling. If the packet will be opened before the journey ends, check its storage directions for what remains.

Passengers checking allergens

Check the ingredients and allergen statements on the specific packet before comparing its sugar figure. The Tesco and Asda standard custard-cream listings identify wheat and milk; a free-from name and a sugars figure answer different questions.

What should you check?

Start with the nutrition panel on the packet you are considering, then match its size and storage directions to the journey.

Priority What to check Your needs
Sugars and portion Compare total sugars per 100g, then check sugars per biscuit against the number you intend to eat. The NHS notes that a manufacturer’s stated portion may differ from yours. I want to compare custard creams without treating the smallest per-100g figure as a reduced-sugars claim. I also need to know what my planned number of biscuits represents.
Packet and storage Check packet weight and any stated serving count. Read the after-opening directions: the Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda listings advise airtight storage once opened. We may share a packet on the train, but I want to pack only what we expect to eat and be able to store the rest as directed.
Ingredients and allergens Read the current pack’s ingredients, allergen information and any precautionary statements. Check a free-from biscuit’s nutrition panel separately from its ingredient exclusions. If I need to avoid an ingredient, the specific packet must meet that requirement; its sugars figure is a separate comparison.

Common packing and label mistakes

  • Treating a lower listed figure as a reduced-sugars claim

    A comparison between particular packets does not, by itself, establish a reduced-sugars nutrition claim for any one of them.

    Use the stated grams of total sugars per 100g to compare the packets, and check the actual label if you are looking for a product carrying a specific claim.

  • Choosing by “free from” or “extra cream” alone

    Those descriptions refer to different product characteristics, not a common sugar measure. Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g sugars per 100g for its Free From custard creams, while M&S lists 40.2g per 100g for its Extra Cream packet.

    Check the current nutrition panel and any allergens you need to avoid as separate parts of the decision.

  • Opening more biscuits than you plan to eat

    The Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda listings advise keeping biscuits in an airtight container once opened, which matters if some are coming home after the journey.

    Decide how many to take out for the train and follow the packet’s directions for the remainder.

Brand and packet references

These figures describe the named packets, not every biscuit made by each brand. Compare the current pack before buying.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists a standard 200g packet and a separate 125g Free From packet.

  • The standard packet lists 26.5g sugars per 100g and 3.3g per biscuit, the lowest per-100g figure among the four standard packets compared here.
  • The Free From packet lists 24.9g sugars per 100g; its ingredient exclusions should not be read as a low-sugars claim.

Tesco

Tesco lists standard custard cream biscuits in a 400g packet.

  • Its listing gives 28.3g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit, providing both a common-weight and a biscuit-level figure to compare.
  • The listed ingredients include wheat and milk; check the packet supplied if either matters to you.

Asda

Asda lists standard custard creams in a 400g packet and a separate Free From product.

  • The standard packet lists 29g sugars per 100g and 3.4g per biscuit; its Free From product lists 25g per 100g.
  • The standard packet identifies wheat and milk. Check the current pack for your ingredient requirements rather than relying on the sugar comparison.

Crawford’s

A Tesco listing describes Crawford’s custard creams in a 300g packet.

  • That listing gives 30.7g sugars per 100g and 3.6g per biscuit.
  • Its listed per-100g sugar figure is higher than those of the three other standard packets compared here; this is a comparison of those packets only.

McVitie’s

McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams are identified as a 300g packet.

  • The named Tasties packet gives shoppers a specific custard-cream product to distinguish from the brand’s other biscuits.
  • McVitie’s less-sugar description for its Digestives concerns a different biscuit; do not apply it to Tasties Custard Creams.

M&S

M&S describes additional vanilla cream in its 165g Extra Cream Custard Creams.

  • The M&S nutrition information gives a per-100g figure for comparison with other packets.
  • This specific product lists 40.2g sugars per 100g; “extra cream” is not a sugar-reduction description.

Custard creams on Joybuy

This gluten-free custard-cream option is relevant if you are checking ingredients as well as comparing sugar figures for a train snack. Check its current label against your own requirements rather than assuming a free-from description answers both questions.

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g packet

Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g

The 125g packet is an option to check if you want gluten-free custard creams for the journey. Read its current ingredients and allergen statements, then compare its labelled sugars per 100g and per biscuit with other packets.

View on Joybuy

Questions about custard creams for the journey

Does the lowest sugar figure here mean “reduced sugars”?

No. Sainsbury’s lists the lowest total sugars per 100g among the four standard packets compared here, but their retailer figures alone do not establish a reduced-sugars claim for any packet. Compare the stated figures without treating this limited ordering as a claim on the product label.

How do I use the per-biscuit sugar figure?

Read it alongside the number of biscuits you plan to eat; use sugars per 100g when comparing different packets on the same weight basis. The NHS notes that a manufacturer’s portion may differ from yours, and labelled total sugars are not the same measure as free sugars.

Does “free from” mean a custard cream has less sugar?

No: the description identifies specified ingredient exclusions, not a sugar level. Sainsbury’s lists 24.9g sugars per 100g for its Free From custard creams and Asda lists 25g per 100g for its Free From product; check each current pack’s nutrition and allergen information separately.

What should I check if I need to avoid wheat or milk?

Check the ingredients, allergen statements and any precautionary wording on the actual packet before eating it. The Tesco and Asda standard custard-cream listings identify wheat and milk, so a comparison of their sugar figures cannot establish whether they meet your ingredient requirements.

How should I pack custard creams once the packet is open?

Follow the directions on your packet. The Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda listings advise airtight storage after opening, so consider how you will store any biscuits left at the end of the train journey.