If sugar-free is essential, do not assume that a traditional custard cream or a pack labelled ‘free from’ meets that need: Tesco lists 28.3 g sugars per 100 g for its classic custard creams and 19.9 g for its Free From version. Diablo lists 0.4 g sugars per 100 g for its cocoa-and-vanilla cream sandwich biscuits, but they are not custard creams and contain wheat, milk and soya. If the traditional biscuit matters more, compare the nutrition and serving information on the particular custard-cream pack instead.
Decide whether the sugar-free claim, the familiar custard-cream taste or an allergen requirement is the condition you cannot compromise on.
A cocoa-and-vanilla cream sandwich biscuit is an alternative if the sugar-free claim matters more than having a traditional custard cream. Check the exact pack’s sugars per 100 g, ingredients and serving information.
If the traditional biscuit and filling are the priority, compare the serving and sugar information on the pack you plan to buy rather than treating it as a sugar-free choice.
Choose by the specific allergen declaration you need. A gluten- or milk-free custard cream is not necessarily sugar-free, so read the nutrition panel separately.
Start with the requirement that determines the type of biscuit, then compare flavour, pack format and the rest of the label.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar claim | Read sugars per 100 g on the exact pack. Tesco lists 28.3 g for its classic custard creams and 19.9 g for its Free From version; ‘free from’ on that version refers to specified allergens. | I want a biscuit with a substantiated sugar-free claim, even if that means choosing something other than a custard cream. |
| Biscuit and filling | Check which part has the vanilla flavour. Diablo describes cocoa biscuits with vanilla cream and a separate vanilla-biscuit version with cocoa cream; these are sandwich biscuits, not traditional custard creams. | The familiar custard-cream biscuit and filling matter more to me than a sugar-free label. |
| Pack format | Diablo lists 44 g packs and 176 g versions described as containing individually wrapped two-packs. Check the stated serving as well as the per-100 g figures. | For one TV night, I would rather choose a pack format that suits the number of people eating. |
| Other nutrients | Read total carbohydrate and energy separately from sugars. Diablo lists 66 g carbohydrate per 100 g for its 44 g extra-dark sandwich biscuits with vanilla cream, alongside 0.4 g sugars. | Reducing sugar is not the only thing I want to consider when deciding how much to serve. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the exact pack’s allergen and sweetener information. Diablo identifies wheat, milk and soya in its checked 44 g sandwich biscuits and lists maltitol as a sweetener. | Someone sharing the biscuits needs to avoid particular ingredients, so one dietary claim is not enough for our choice. |
Tesco’s Free From custard creams declare 19.9 g sugars per 100 g, while Asda’s Free From version declares 25 g. Their stated exclusions concern allergens, not sugar.
Check what each free-from statement covers, then read sugars per 100 g on the same pack.
Diablo’s checked cream sandwich biscuits contain wheat, milk and soya. Its 44 g extra-dark version also declares 66 g total carbohydrate per 100 g.
Read the full ingredient, allergen and nutrition panels before deciding which biscuits to serve.
Diablo offers checked 44 g and 176 g versions; the manufacturer describes the 176 g format as individually wrapped two-packs.
Compare the pack format with the number of people sharing and the servings you intend to put out.
These examples show how sugar content and other label claims differ between specific products; a brand name alone does not settle the choice.
Makes cocoa-and-vanilla cream sandwich biscuits for shoppers willing to choose a different biscuit from a custard cream.
Its checked range includes classic custard creams and a separate Free From version.
A traditional custard-cream reference for shoppers who do not require sugar-free.
Its checked custard creams are described by the manufacturer as gluten- and wheat-free.
Offers a custard-cream variation that M&S describes as having extra vanilla cream.
Its checked products include conventional custard creams and a separate Free From version.
This Oreo sandwich biscuit is an option to examine if you are willing to replace a custard cream with a different type of cream-filled biscuit for TV night. Check the exact pack’s sugar declaration and ingredients against your requirements.
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For a TV-night alternative to custard creams, this 97 g sandwich-biscuit pack is named Zero Sugar. Check its per-100 g nutrition declaration and ingredients if the sugar-free claim or allergens determine your choice; it is not a traditional custard cream.
No. Diablo declares 66 g total carbohydrate per 100 g for its 44 g extra-dark sandwich biscuits with vanilla cream, alongside 0.4 g sugars per 100 g. Compare both figures and the serving information rather than using the sugar claim for the whole nutrition picture.
No. A sugar-free claim does not describe its total carbohydrate, other nutrients or allergens. Read the complete nutrition and ingredient panels on the biscuit you are considering.
Follow the instructions on your particular pack. Tesco’s classic custard creams say to store them in a cool, dry place and use an airtight container once opened.