Hosts giving one treat to each child
Separate bags avoid dividing a shared pack during the hunt. Walker's Shortbread describes its Wee Shorties pack as six individual bags, each containing five mini fingers.
Who is each format for?
Hosts serving biscuits indoors
A shared pack can work when biscuits will be served after the search rather than hidden as separate prizes. Waitrose lists 10 servings for its 200g Shortbread Fingers pack; Sainsbury's lists eight for its 160g Taste the Difference fingers.
Hosts checking food allergies
Keep the exact pack available so ingredients and precautionary allergen statements can be checked before serving. Sainsbury's lists wheat and butter (milk) for Walker's Wee Shorties and says the product may contain nuts; other shortbread packs carry their own warnings.
What matters when choosing?
Individual mini bags
Choose when: each child needs a separate, ready-to-hand-out shortbread portion.
Bear in mind: separate bags do not remove the need to check ingredients and allergen warnings.
Shared packs of fingers
Choose when: biscuits can be served indoors after the hunt, with the original pack nearby.
Bear in mind: a stated number of servings does not mean the biscuits come individually wrapped.
Millionaire's-shortbread slices
Choose when: the shortbread will be served at a table rather than hidden.
Bear in mind: Waitrose instructs buyers to keep its slices flat and consume them within two days of opening.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Separate portions | Check whether the pack contains separate bags or one shared tray. Walker's Shortbread specifies six 25g bags of Wee Shorties, with five mini fingers per bag. | I want to give each child a portion without dividing loose biscuits during the hunt. |
| Allergen information | Read the ingredients and precautionary statements on the exact pack. Sainsbury's lists wheat, butter (milk) and a may-contain-nuts warning for Walker's Wee Shorties. | If a child has a food allergy, I need to check the particular treat before including it in their prize. |
| Serving plan | Distinguish listed servings from separately packed prizes. Waitrose lists 10 servings for its 200g fingers, while Sainsbury's lists eight for its 160g Taste the Difference fingers. | Serving biscuits after the search could work for us; each hiding place does not need an edible prize. |
| Handling | Follow the chosen pack's storage directions. Waitrose says to keep its millionaire's-shortbread slices flat and consume them within two days once opened. | I need treats that can be placed and collected as planned, or I can keep less portable slices on a table. |
Common shortbread hunt mistakes
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Assuming a shared pack contains individual prizes
A serving count tells you how the pack describes portions, not whether each portion has its own bag. Loose biscuits also become harder to identify once separated from their original packaging.
For separate prizes, check for an explicitly individual-bag format. If serving from a shared pack, keep its packaging available with the biscuits.
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Treating all shortbread as suitable for someone with a nut allergy
Nut statements differ by product: Sainsbury's lists a may-contain-nuts warning for Walker's Wee Shorties, while M&S says its Scottish All Butter Shortbread Fingers are not suitable for people with a nut allergy.
Check the exact pack and follow the parent or carer's instructions rather than relying on the biscuit category or brand name.
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Hiding layered slices like dry biscuits
Waitrose instructs buyers to keep its millionaire's-shortbread slices flat and consume them within two days once opened. That handling requirement matters when treats will be moved between hiding places.
Serve those slices at a table; for hidden or handed-out food prizes, check for a pack format that suits the planned handling.
Shortbread brands to consider
Walker's
Walker's Wee Shorties are a specific option for separate hunt portions.
- Walker's Shortbread describes six individual bags containing five mini fingers each.
- Sainsbury's lists wheat and butter (milk) and says the product may contain nuts.
Dean's
Dean's offers a 150g pack of All Butter Shortbread Fingers for serving from a shared pack.
- Dean's lists flour and salted butter in this product's ingredients.
- Check the pack format if separate prizes are needed; the 150g product description does not establish individual bags.
M&S
M&S lists Scottish All Butter Shortbread Fingers in a 210g pack and also shows Mini Shortbread Fingers in its shortbread range.
- The two product descriptions give hosts formats to check against their serving plan.
- M&S says the 210g fingers are not suitable for people with a nut allergy; do not assume the mini product has the same packaging or ingredients.
Waitrose
Waitrose lists both standard shortbread fingers and millionaire's-shortbread slices, which call for different handling.
- Its 200g fingers pack lists 10 servings.
- The fingers may contain nuts, and Waitrose instructs buyers to keep its layered slices flat.
Tesco
Tesco's shortbread range includes Finest Scottish Shortbread Fingers and Tesco Shorties biscuits.
- The listed packs include 165g fingers and 300g Shorties.
- Check the exact item's wrapping, ingredients and allergen statements before using it as an individual prize.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Scottish Shortbread Fingers are a 160g shared-pack option.
- Sainsbury's lists eight servings for this pack.
- Sainsbury's says it is unsuitable for customers with a nut or oat allergy due to manufacturing methods.
Joybuy treats for an Easter egg hunt
These options include one 25g shortbread product and a six-snack-pack jam-filled biscuit alternative. Check the wrapping and current pack label against the way you plan to hand out treats.
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Island Bakery Organic Shortbread 25g
The 25g size offers a single shortbread treat. Check the pack for individual wrapping and current allergen information before using it as a child's prize.
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Jammie Dodgers Minis 6 Snack Packs 120g
Six snack packs provide a way to allocate separate treats, but these are jam-filled biscuits, not shortbread. Check the pack's ingredients and allergen statements before serving.
Questions about hunt treats
Is all-butter shortbread suitable for a child with a wheat or milk allergy?
Do not assume it is. Sainsbury's lists wheat and butter (milk) for Walker's Wee Shorties, and Dean's lists flour and salted butter for its All Butter Shortbread Fingers. Check the exact pack and follow the child's parent or carer's instructions.
Can I choose a hunt treat using a retailer's allergen listing?
Use the listing to identify products to consider, then read the current physical pack before handing out food. Check both the ingredients and any precautionary allergen statement for the exact variant purchased.
Should I hide millionaire's-shortbread slices?
Waitrose's slices are more practical as a served treat: its instructions say to keep them flat and consume them within two days once opened. If treats will be moved around or hidden, choose a format whose packaging and handling directions suit that plan.
How should I keep shortbread ready for the hunt?
Follow the storage directions on the chosen pack and keep food prizes clean and identifiable. If a hiding place could leave the food damp or dirty, hand out the treats after the search instead.