Shoppers choosing a biscuit style
Custard creams offer a filled sandwich biscuit. Digestives provide a different option when a cream filling is not what you want.
Who is choosing?
The useful starting point is whether the biscuits are for a particular taste, a dietary exclusion or a shared tea-time selection.
Shoppers checking gluten or milk
Standard custard creams can contain wheat and milk. If either ingredient must be avoided, start with a product labelled for the relevant exclusion and read its current allergy information.
People buying for a biscuit tin or gathering
A single-variety pack keeps the choice straightforward; a mixed pack offers several biscuit types. Check which varieties everyone can eat before choosing one to share.
What should you check?
Decide on the biscuit format first, then check dietary requirements and the information for the exact pack you intend to buy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Biscuit style | Check whether the pack contains filled custard creams, digestives or several biscuit varieties. M&S lists custard creams, malted milk and bourbon creams in its Triple Pack. | I want cream-filled biscuits, or I would rather have digestives without that filling. For a tea-time spread, several varieties might be more useful than one. |
| Allergens | Read the current ingredients, allergen declaration and any ‘may contain’ wording. ASDA lists wheat and milk in its standard custard creams; its separate Free From product is labelled free from cereals containing gluten and milk. | If someone needs to avoid gluten or milk, I need a pack labelled for that exclusion—not an assumption based on the biscuit’s name. |
| Nutrition | Compare the same measure on each pack, such as sugars and saturates per 100g or per biscuit. Sainsbury’s lists 3.3g sugars and 1.2g saturates per biscuit for its 200g custard creams. | I want to compare the biscuits I am actually considering, using their stated serving sizes as well as the per-100g figures. |
| Pack format | Check pack weight, whether biscuits are portion-packed and whether nutrition information describes one variety or a mixed assortment. | For a biscuit tin, I may prefer a single variety; for carrying or sharing, portion packs or an assortment may fit the occasion better. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading ‘digestive’ as a dietary benefit
Digestives and filled custard creams are different biscuit styles; the name alone does not tell you how their nutrition compares.
Choose the style you want, then compare the exact products’ ingredients and nutrition panels if those details affect your decision.
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Assuming standard custard creams exclude wheat or milk
ASDA’s standard custard creams declare both wheat and milk. A similarly named free-from biscuit is a separate product with its own labelling.
Check the current pack for the required exclusion, its ingredients and any precautionary allergen wording. The Food Standards Agency explains that ‘may contain’ wording communicates possible unintended allergen presence.
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Applying mixed-pack figures to one biscuit
The M&S Triple Pack contains custard creams, malted milk biscuits and bourbon creams. Figures for the assortment should not be treated as figures for its custard creams alone.
Choose a standalone product with its own nutrition panel if you need to compare custard creams specifically.
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Assuming free-from describes the nutrition panel
A free-from label identifies stated ingredient exclusions; it does not, by itself, tell you the sugar or saturated-fat content.
Check the required exclusions first, then compare the current nutrition panels separately.
Brand and product references
These examples illustrate different packs and label checks; a brand name alone does not establish the ingredients of another product in its range.
McVitie's
McVitie's Tasties Custard Creams are a 300g branded custard-cream option.
- Iceland Foods lists the examined pack as suitable for vegetarians.
- The same listing declares wheat and milk.
Crawford's
Crawford's Custard Creams Sandwich Biscuits come in a 300g pack.
- Iceland Foods describes them as sandwich biscuits with vanilla-flavour cream.
- Check the exact pack’s allergen information before buying for someone with an exclusion.
Tesco
Tesco lists Custard Cream Biscuits in a 400g pack.
- The pack size offers a point of comparison with smaller custard-cream packs.
- Read the product’s own ingredients and nutrition panel when making dietary comparisons.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Custard Creams are listed in a 200g pack.
- Sainsbury's lists 3.3g sugars and 1.2g saturates per biscuit for the examined product.
- Use the current pack when comparing ingredients or serving sizes.
ASDA
ASDA lists both standard 400g custard creams and a separate 125g Free From product.
- ASDA labels the Free From product as free from cereals containing gluten and milk, and suitable for vegans.
- ASDA’s standard custard creams contain wheat and milk; do not treat the two packs as interchangeable.
M&S
The M&S Triple Pack offers custard creams alongside malted milk and bourbon creams.
- It offers several biscuit styles for a tea-time spread.
- Check the ingredients for every variety when sharing with someone who has a dietary exclusion.
Custard creams on Joybuy
This product is a labelled gluten-free custard-cream option in a smaller pack. If milk must be avoided, check its current milk-allergen declaration separately: lactose-free labelling does not state that a product is milk-free.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
Consider this smaller pack when you want custard creams labelled gluten-free. Joybuy describes the product as gluten-free and lactose-free; those are distinct claims, so check the current ingredients and milk-allergen information if milk avoidance matters. Sainsbury’s lists five portion packs for its Schar 125g custard creams.
Common questions
Are custard creams and digestives the same biscuit?
No. The examined custard creams are filled sandwich biscuits, while M&S lists digestives as a separate biscuit product. Choose according to the biscuit style you want, then check the individual pack for ingredients and nutrition.
Can I assume standard custard creams are free from gluten or milk?
No. ASDA’s standard custard creams declare wheat and milk. For a required exclusion, choose a product labelled accordingly and read its current ingredients, allergen declaration and any precautionary wording.
Does free-from mean lower in sugar or saturates?
No. A free-from claim addresses the stated ingredient exclusion, not the nutrition figures. Compare sugars and saturates on the exact packs’ nutrition panels, using the same per-100g or per-serving measure.
How should I store custard creams?
Follow the instructions on the pack you buy. Waitrose & Partners specifies a cool, dry place for its Essential Custard Creams and directs shoppers to the front of the pack for the best-before date.