Hosts serving a guest who needs gluten-free food
Choose an explicitly labelled biscuit, check the current pack against the guest’s other dietary requirements and plan how to serve it separately from standard biscuits.
Who is this for?
Families putting together a mixed Easter egg hunt
Make gluten-free treats easy to distinguish from standard chocolate biscuits, so guests are not left to identify a suitable option by its appearance.
Shoppers arranging treats close to the event
Check the exact item at your chosen shop or delivery slot and identify an alternative in case your first choice is unavailable.
What should you check?
Choose a biscuit with the required gluten-free claim first, then check the whole pack and make a serving and stock plan.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Look for an explicit claim on the exact biscuit. The Food Standards Agency defines “gluten-free” as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold; a familiar brand name is not a substitute. | I need a clearly labelled option for a guest who must avoid gluten, rather than a guess based on the biscuit’s name. |
| Other ingredients | Read the current ingredients, allergen declaration and any precautionary wording. Coeliac UK explains that cereals containing gluten must be emphasised in the ingredients list of prepacked food. | Gluten is not the only consideration for my guests; I need to check whether ingredients such as oats, milk or soya matter to anyone attending. |
| Serving separately | Keep gluten-free and standard biscuits identifiable, and check which guests can have each product before setting out the treats. | If both types are going into the hunt, I want guests to be able to tell their suitable treats apart. |
| Availability | Check the exact product at your chosen store or delivery slot. Have another labelled option in mind; a range listing does not establish stock for every item. | I need enough suitable treats for the event even if one particular biscuit cannot be bought. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming a familiar chocolate biscuit is gluten-free
Suitability is product-specific. Fox’s allergen advice for its Half-Coated Milk Chocolate Cookies identifies cereals containing gluten; that does not establish the status of every Fox’s biscuit.
For a guest who needs gluten-free food, look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the chosen pack and read its ingredients and allergen advice.
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Treating “gluten-free” as an all-allergen claim
A gluten-free claim does not address every other ingredient. Nairn’s product information for its Gluten Free Oaties Chocolate Chip identifies oats and notes that the biscuit is unsuitable for people who react to avenin.
Check the exact pack against each guest’s requirements, including any milk, soya or oat restrictions.
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Planning around a listing without checking stock
A retailer can list a gluten-free range while a particular biscuit is unavailable. Tesco has marked its Free From Belgian Chocolate Wafers out of stock, and Sainsbury’s has marked its chocolate-coated orange cookies out of stock.
Confirm the item for your chosen store or delivery slot and identify another clearly labelled biscuit that would work for the hunt.
If your first choice is unavailable, changing the treats or visiting another shop takes extra planning.
Brand and range references
Nairn’s
Nairn’s lists a Gluten Free Oaties Chocolate Chip biscuit made with oats and chocolate chips.
- An explicitly named oat-and-chocolate option.
- Check the exact pack for other ingredients and avenin advice before serving.
McVitie’s
Tesco lists McVitie’s Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs Biscuits 150g among its gluten-free chocolate-biscuit results.
- A specifically named gluten-free product from a familiar biscuit brand.
- Check that product’s current pack for ingredients and other allergens; its name says nothing about other McVitie’s biscuits.
Tesco
Tesco’s Free From listings include chocolate-biscuit styles such as wafers.
- A range to check when buying the rest of the Easter-hunt food.
- Check stock item by item; Tesco has marked its Free From Belgian Chocolate Wafers out of stock.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s gluten-free selection lists chocolate-chip cookies and chocolate digestives.
- Different biscuit styles to consider for the hunt.
- Its gluten-free chocolate-coated orange cookies have been marked out of stock; check the exact item before relying on it.
Fox’s
Fox’s Half-Coated Milk Chocolate Cookies illustrate why a standard chocolate biscuit needs its own label check.
- The brand’s information identifies cereals containing gluten in the allergen advice for this exact product.
- Do not treat this product as a gluten-free choice or extend its allergen information to the whole Fox’s range.
Chocolate-biscuit options on Joybuy
These Joybuy options are labelled gluten-free and offer different biscuit styles for an Easter egg hunt. Check each current pack against your guests’ requirements before serving.
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Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons
A six-macaroon option for the hunt with an explicit gluten-free claim. Check the pack’s egg and soya information, as well as its precautionary wording for milk and nuts, against your guests’ requirements.
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Nairns Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
An explicitly gluten-free oat-biscuit option in a 160g pack. Confirm the chocolate ingredients on the current pack if that matters for your hunt, and check its avenin advice and precautionary milk wording against your guests’ requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What does “gluten-free” mean on a UK biscuit pack?
The Food Standards Agency defines “gluten-free” as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold to the final consumer. That claim does not mean the biscuit is free from other allergens, so read the rest of the pack too.
Can I judge a chocolate biscuit by its name alone?
No. Read the exact product’s current ingredients and allergen advice. Coeliac UK explains that cereals containing gluten must be emphasised in the ingredients list of prepacked food; Fox’s identifies them in the allergen advice for its Half-Coated Milk Chocolate Cookies.
Does a gluten-free chocolate biscuit also suit someone avoiding oats, milk or soya?
Not automatically. A gluten-free claim addresses gluten, not every other ingredient. Check the exact pack against the guest’s requirements; Nairn’s identifies an avenin limitation for its Gluten Free Oaties Chocolate Chip biscuit.
How can I plan around a particular biscuit for the hunt?
Check availability for the exact item at your chosen store or delivery slot, and identify another suitable, clearly labelled option. Retailer range pages can include individual products marked out of stock.