Parents planning everyday snacks
If you are deciding what to offer routinely, make that choice before comparing biscuit packs. NHS snack guidance recommends fruit and vegetables for children.
Who is this choice for?
Carers packing an occasional treat
An inner pack can be convenient to carry, but check its biscuit count rather than assuming the wrapper contains one biscuit or one bar.
Families checking milk or wheat ingredients
Check the exact pack before serving. The conventional ASDA and Crawford's custard creams described by their retailers list both milk and wheat; a separately labelled free-from recipe has different ingredients.
What should you check?
Decide whether this is an everyday snack or an occasional biscuit, then compare the amount you would serve and the exact pack label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday snack | Decide whether you need a routine snack or an occasional biscuit. NHS guidance recommends fruit and vegetables for children's snacks. | For ordinary snack time, I want something other than a sweet biscuit. |
| Pack and portion | Count biscuits in the inner wrapper and read the pack weight. Schär lists a 125 g product in 25 g portion packs; ASDA identifies two biscuits per pack. | I want something easy to take out, without mistaking a two-biscuit pack for a single bar. |
| Ingredients and sugars | Read the exact ingredients and allergen label. If comparing biscuits, use total sugars on the same per-biscuit basis rather than comparing a per-biscuit figure with one per 100 g. | If milk or wheat must be avoided, the precise recipe matters to me. I also want to know what the label says about the biscuit I would serve. |
| Serving situation | Decide how much to serve and have the child sit down while eating. NHS choking-prevention advice says to supervise children and not let them walk or run with food. | When offering a snack, I need to be able to seat and supervise the toddler. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming one wrapper means one biscuit
ASDA describes two biscuits in each Schär portion pack. Opening one wrapper could therefore mean serving two when you intended to offer one.
Check the biscuit count and decide what to serve rather than using the wrapper as a serving measure.
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Assuming ‘free from’ means lower in sugar
ASDA lists 3.5 g total sugars per biscuit for its milk- and gluten-free custard creams. The free-from label addresses specified ingredients, not whether the biscuit suits routine snack time.
Check ingredient suitability and the nutrition information separately on the exact product.
Brand and product-line references
These examples show why pack format, ingredients and nutrition need checking on the particular custard cream, not just by brand name.
Schär
Schär describes gluten- and wheat-free custard creams in portion packs.
- The manufacturer lists a 125 g product with 25 g portions; ASDA identifies two biscuits per inner pack.
- An inner pack is not a single bar or automatically one serving for a toddler.
ASDA
ASDA lists both conventional and milk- and gluten-free own-label custard creams.
- Its conventional 400 g listing states 3.4 g total sugars per biscuit; its 125 g free-from listing states 3.5 g per biscuit.
- The conventional recipe lists milk and wheat. Check the ingredients of whichever version you choose.
Crawford's
Tesco lists Crawford's custard creams in a 300 g pack.
- The listing gives 3.6 g total sugars per biscuit.
- It lists wheat and milk ingredients and possible sesame cross-contact; the 300 g pack is not a single-serve bar.
M&S
M&S lists an Extra Cream Custard Creams variant in a 165 g pack.
- The listing gives 40.2 g total sugars per 100 g for this variant.
- It lists wheat and milk ingredients. Do not apply this variant's figures to a standard custard cream.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists conventional own-label custard creams in a 200 g pack.
- Its listing states 3.3 g total sugars per biscuit.
- The listed ingredients include milk and wheat; the larger pack does not define a toddler serving.
Custard cream option on Joybuy
This portion-packed custard cream is relevant if you are considering an occasional biscuit to take out, rather than choosing an everyday toddler snack or a single bar.
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Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams 125g
For an occasional biscuit to take out, Schär's 125 g product has five 25 g portion packs; ASDA identifies two biscuits in each pack. Schär describes the biscuits as gluten and wheat free. Check the actual pack's ingredients and allergens before serving, and do not treat an inner pack as a single bar or a toddler-sized serving.
Common questions
Is a custard cream portion pack the same as a single bar?
No. Schär describes a 125 g product divided into 25 g portion packs, and ASDA identifies two biscuits in each pack. Check the inner wrapper before deciding how much to serve.
Does ‘total sugars’ on a biscuit label mean free sugars?
Not necessarily. The NHS explains that total sugars on food labels also include naturally occurring sugars. When comparing custard creams, use figures with the same basis, such as per biscuit, and do not treat an adult reference-intake percentage as a toddler allowance.
What if my child needs to avoid milk?
Check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact pack before serving. The conventional ASDA, Crawford's and M&S products listed by their retailers contain milk ingredients, while ASDA separately labels a custard cream product milk free.
How should I keep an opened larger pack?
Follow the instructions on that pack. ASDA says its conventional custard creams should be kept in an airtight container once opened.