People avoiding gluten
If you want a bourbon-style biscuit, check the gluten-free declaration and allergen information on the particular pack. The word “bourbon” does not establish whether it contains gluten.
Who is this choice for?
People comparing exercise-time snacks
Per-biscuit carbohydrate, fat and protein figures help you compare the portion you have in mind. Those figures do not show that a biscuit will improve your exercise performance.
People managing diabetes
A fixed number of biscuits is not a general answer to a pre-exercise snack decision. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s patient guidance relates that decision to glucose levels and the activity planned.
What should you check?
Start with the exact pack’s gluten-free declaration if you need to avoid gluten, then compare its nutrition information for your intended portion.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Find an explicit gluten-free declaration. Read the current ingredients and allergen statement for the exact product; Asda’s ordinary bourbon lists wheat, unlike its separately listed Free From bourbon. | I want a bourbon-style biscuit without mistaking an ordinary wheat-containing product for a gluten-free one. |
| Portion and activity | Compare carbohydrate, fat and protein per biscuit, then check how many biscuits make up your intended portion. Consider the type and timing of the activity without assuming a performance effect. | Before exercise, I want to know what the portion supplies rather than rely on the words “pre-workout”. |
| Other dietary requirements | Check milk and other allergens separately on the selected pack. If vegan suitability matters, look for its own declaration; neither claim follows automatically from “gluten-free”. | I also need to check other ingredients, so a Free From range name alone is not enough for me. |
| Pack details | Confirm the stated pack weight and the details on the pack you receive. Asda’s Free From listing displays differing pack weights, so check which size you are selecting. | I want the product and pack size I intended to order, with a label I can check before eating. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Assuming every bourbon biscuit is gluten-free
Asda’s ordinary bourbon lists wheat, while its separate Free From bourbon is declared gluten-free. The biscuit name alone does not distinguish them.
Check the exact product name, gluten-free declaration and current allergen label before eating.
-
Treating “gluten-free” as an exercise claim
The Free From bourbon listings give carbohydrate, fat and protein figures, but those figures do not establish an exercise-performance benefit. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s exercise-snack guidance is written for people managing diabetes, not as a universal biscuit recommendation.
Use the nutrition label to assess your intended portion and keep dietary requirements separate from claims about exercise.
Relevant brand references
Tesco
Tesco lists Free From Bourbon Creams as a gluten-free bourbon-style biscuit.
- Tesco lists 9.9 g carbohydrate and 2.6 g fat per biscuit.
- Check the current pack for ingredients and allergens, which Tesco says can change.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists its Free From Bourbon Creams as gluten-free and suitable for coeliacs.
- Sainsbury’s lists 10.0 g carbohydrate and 0.5 g protein per biscuit.
- Check the current pack label for the ingredients and allergens relevant to you.
Asda
Asda lists both a gluten-free Free From bourbon and an ordinary bourbon containing wheat.
- The Free From listing states 10 g carbohydrate per biscuit.
- Identify the exact range and confirm the pack weight: Asda’s Free From listing displays differing weights.
Morrisons
Morrisons lists a 145 g Free From Bourbon Biscuits product declared free from gluten and milk.
- The listing identifies both the biscuit style and its gluten-free declaration.
- Morrisons advises checking the pack because ingredients and allergens can change.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s lists gluten-free Original Hobnobs as a different biscuit option, not a gluten-free bourbon.
- McVitie’s lists gluten-free oats and 9.3 g carbohydrate per Hobnob.
- A Hobnob will not provide the same biscuit style as a bourbon.
Other gluten-free options on Joybuy
These listed products are alternatives to a bourbon-style biscuit: a gluten-free Hobnob and a gluten-free crispbread. Check the current pack for your other dietary requirements.
Image unavailable
McVitie's Gluten Free Hobnobs 150g
A gluten-free biscuit option if you do not need the bourbon style. McVitie’s lists 9.3 g carbohydrate per Hobnob; check the pack for other allergens.
Image unavailable
Schar Gluten Free Crispbread 150g
A gluten-free crispbread rather than a bourbon biscuit. If you add toppings, consider the ingredients and nutrition information for the whole snack.
Frequently asked questions
Does “gluten-free” mean absolutely no gluten?
No. Coeliac UK explains that a gluten-free label does not mean an absolute absence of gluten. Check the declaration on the current pack when choosing a biscuit.
Should someone managing diabetes eat a fixed number of biscuits before exercise?
No fixed biscuit count follows from these product labels. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s guidance for people managing diabetes relates pre-exercise snack decisions to glucose levels and the activity planned.
What if the delivered biscuit pack lists different ingredients?
Read the delivered pack before eating it. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons advise shoppers to check current product information because ingredients or allergens can change; contact the retailer about a question concerning its product.
Do bourbon biscuits need preparing or special storage?
Packaged bourbon biscuits need no preparation. Follow the storage and best-before information on the particular pack; Morrisons directs shoppers to its pack for those details.