People counting calories
If you plan an occasional biscuit treat, a per-biscuit kcal figure helps you account for the number you actually eat. The size of the packet alone does not tell you that amount.
Who is this choice for?
Shoppers who prefer a defined packet
A separately sold mini pack gives you a physical packet boundary. Check how many biscuits it contains: the Crawford’s pack listed by WahooGifts contains three.
Shoppers avoiding gluten or milk
Check dietary suitability on the current pack before comparing calories. Tesco Groceries lists its Free From Custard Creams as free from cereals containing gluten and milk, but its per-biscuit kcal figure is higher than that of its standard version.
What should you check?
Start with the number of biscuits you intend to eat, then use the label to compare that portion and the product’s per-100g values. A smaller packet is not necessarily a single-biscuit portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories per portion | Find the kcal per biscuit or stated portion, then check how many biscuits you will eat. Tesco Groceries lists 59 kcal per standard custard cream and 64 kcal per Free From biscuit. | I want to count the biscuits I eat, rather than assume the label’s stated portion matches my own. |
| Packet size | Check both the number of biscuits in a small pack and its current nutrition label. WahooGifts describes its separately sold Crawford’s packet as containing three biscuits. | A packet boundary would help me stop at the amount I planned; I would count the whole three-biscuit packet if I ate it all. |
| Sugars and saturates | Compare sugars and saturated fat on the same per-100g basis, alongside values for the portion you intend to eat. NHS food-label guidance classifies more than 22.5g sugars or more than 5g saturated fat per 100g as high. | I want to understand what the traffic-light information describes, without judging a biscuit by its kcal figure alone. |
| Dietary suitability | Read the current ingredients and allergen information for the exact product. Tesco Groceries lists wheat and milk in its standard custard creams; its Free From version is listed as free from cereals containing gluten and milk. | If I need to avoid an ingredient, that check comes before choosing between packet formats or comparing calories. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming a small pack contains one biscuit
The Crawford’s packet described by WahooGifts contains three biscuits. Its wrapper gives you a boundary, but it does not make one packet equivalent to one biscuit.
Check the biscuit count and the current pack label, then decide whether the whole packet matches the portion you intended.
-
Assuming free-from means fewer calories
Tesco Groceries lists 64 kcal per Free From custard cream and 59 kcal per standard custard cream.
Choose for the dietary attributes you need, and compare calories using the number of biscuits you expect to eat.
-
Looking only at a per-biscuit figure
A per-biscuit kcal value describes that serving, while the per-100g label gives you a consistent basis for comparing sugars and saturated fat across products.
Read both sets of figures. NHS guidance classifies more than 22.5g sugars and more than 5g saturated fat per 100g as high.
-
Relying on an earlier online listing
Ingredients and nutrition information can change, so a listing may not describe the particular pack you receive.
Use the current packaging for your final check, particularly when allergens or dietary restrictions matter.
Relevant brand references
These examples illustrate different pack formats and label comparisons; a brand name alone does not establish a portion size or nutritional profile.
Crawford’s
Crawford’s appears in both a 300g custard-cream listing and a separately sold three-biscuit packet listing.
- Tesco Groceries lists 59 kcal, 3.6g sugars and 1.6g saturates per 11.9g biscuit for the 300g product.
- WahooGifts identifies three biscuits in its separate packet; check that packet’s own label rather than transferring figures from the 300g listing.
Tesco
Tesco’s standard and Free From custard creams offer a direct comparison of stated per-biscuit energy and dietary attributes.
- Tesco Groceries lists 59 kcal per standard biscuit and identifies its Free From version as free from cereals containing gluten and milk.
- Tesco Groceries lists 64 kcal per Free From biscuit. Neither product’s pack size should be mistaken for the amount you will eat.
McVitie’s
The McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams example is a 300g packet, not a single-biscuit format.
- The Joybuy product information lists 492 kcal and 30.6g sugars per 100g.
- For a planned serving, check the current pack for the values and biscuit count that correspond to the amount you will eat.
M&S
M&S describes its Extra Cream Custard Creams as having an extra cream filling.
- Marks & Spencer lists 502 kcal, 40.2g sugars and 13.5g saturates per 100g for this product.
- Use its current label and your intended portion for a buying decision; the extra-cream description is not a portion or calorie claim.
Joybuy product options
These options cover a gluten-free custard cream and an individually packaged sandwich-cookie alternative. The Oreo cookies are not custard creams, so compare them as a different type of treat.
No image available
Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
A gluten-free custard-cream option in a 125g pack. Decide how many biscuits you intend to eat and check the current label for the corresponding kcal, sugars, saturates and allergen information.
No image available
Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies 97g
These individually packaged sandwich cookies offer a wrapper boundary but are not custard creams. Check how many cookies are in a wrapper and read the current nutrition label for the amount you intend to eat; the Zero Sugar name does not tell you its calorie content.
Frequently asked questions
How should I count custard creams as part of a planned portion?
Count the number you actually eat and use the current label’s kcal figure for that amount. Tesco Groceries lists 59 kcal per standard custard cream; the figure for one biscuit does not describe a larger serving.
Is a three-biscuit mini pack a single-biscuit serving?
No. WahooGifts describes its separately sold Crawford’s packet as containing three biscuits. If you eat the whole packet, account for all three and check that packet’s current nutrition label.
Do free-from custard creams contain fewer calories?
Not in the Tesco examples: Tesco Groceries lists 64 kcal per Free From biscuit and 59 kcal per standard biscuit. Check the dietary attributes you need first, then compare the current labels for your intended portion.
What matters on the label besides kcal?
Check the portion size, sugars, saturated fat, ingredients and allergen information, using per-100g figures when comparing products. NHS food-label guidance classifies more than 22.5g sugars or more than 5g saturated fat per 100g as high.
Should I check allergens when buying a familiar product again?
Yes. Read the current pack for the exact product: Tesco Groceries lists wheat and milk in its standard custard creams, while its Free From version is listed as free from cereals containing gluten and milk. Do not assume two variants of a brand have the same ingredients.