Conference organisers serving gluten-free guests
You need an option guests can identify, with the delivered pack's ingredient information available and a service plan that keeps it apart from standard biscuits.
Who is this for?
Teams running shared refreshment stations
You need to consider how biscuits will be handled once set out. Coeliac UK advises separating gluten-free and gluten-containing foods and using dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils.
Buyers planning a familiar biscuit break
You may prefer a chocolate-coated digestive or an oat-biscuit format. Check the exact pack for oats, milk, soya and relevant precautionary allergen statements before choosing for attendees.
What should you check before ordering?
Start with the gluten-free label and attendees' other dietary requirements, then plan how the biscuits will be served and how many packs the break needs.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check for an explicit gluten-free claim on the delivered pack, rather than judging by the absence of wheat in a product name. The Food Standards Agency defines the UK claim as no more than 20 mg/kg gluten in the food as sold. | I need a clearly labelled option for guests who require gluten-free food, not an ordinary oat biscuit chosen by assumption. |
| Service separation | Decide whether portions will remain protected or be put out in a container. Coeliac UK advises separating gluten-free food from gluten-containing food and using dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils. | At a shared tea station, I want guests to identify the gluten-free biscuits without relying on shared tongs or an unlabelled bowl. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and precautionary statements on the exact pack for oats, milk, soya, nuts and egg as relevant. Keep that information available when serving. | Some attendees may have requirements beyond avoiding gluten, so I need to know whether a separate biscuit option is necessary. |
| Pack yield | Use the stated biscuit or serving count for the exact product. Sainsbury's lists 10 servings for its 166 g Free From Digestive Chocolate; Tesco lists a typical eight biscuits for the 150 g McVitie's Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs pack. | I need enough portions for the expected break without assuming that equal-sized packs contain equal numbers of biscuits. |
| Biscuit format | Check whether guests will receive a chocolate-coated digestive, a chocolate-topped oat biscuit, a chocolate-chip oat biscuit or a macaroon. Confirm any pouch or portion arrangement for the exact variant ordered. | A familiar digestive may suit the planned refreshments, while a protected portion may be easier to manage at an unattended station. |
What can go wrong during service?
-
Assuming gluten-free means free from other allergens
Gluten-free chocolate biscuits can still contain ingredients such as oats, milk or soya, or carry precautionary statements for nuts or egg.
Collect dietary requirements before ordering, check each delivered pack and arrange a separately checked option where an attendee's requirements call for one.
-
Putting gluten-free biscuits beside standard biscuits without separation
Shared containers or utensils can bring gluten-free food into contact with gluten-containing refreshments. Coeliac UK recommends keeping the foods separate.
Label the gluten-free option and keep it protected; if biscuits are served from a container, use dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils.
-
Substituting an ordinary oat biscuit
Coeliac UK says oats intended for people with coeliac disease should themselves be labelled gluten-free because oats can be contaminated during processing.
Choose a product explicitly labelled gluten-free and make its oat ingredients clear to guests who need that information.
-
Relying on a web listing at the event
Recipes and product information can change; Tesco advises customers to read the product label.
Check the delivered packaging for ingredients, allergens, precautionary statements, the best-before date and the quantity supplied. Use that pack to prepare the event's allergen information.
Relevant brand and retailer options
These examples describe particular gluten-free products and formats, not every biscuit sold under each name.
Nairn's
Sainsbury's describes Nairn's Gluten Free Oaties Choc Chip as a chocolate-chip oat biscuit packed in pouches and baked in a dedicated gluten-free bakery.
- The listing displays the Crossed Grain Symbol approved by Coeliac UK.
- It is not a chocolate-coated digestive. Check the exact pack for oats, milk, soya and nut-related information; do not assume another Nairn's variant has the same ingredients or packaging.
Sainsbury's Free From
Its 166 g Digestive Chocolate is listed as a gluten-free oat digestive half-coated in milk chocolate, with 10 servings per pack.
- Sainsbury's states that the oats for this product were sourced to be free from gluten and gluten cross-contamination.
- The product information identifies milk and soya and says it is unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy due to manufacturing methods.
Tesco Free From
Tesco lists its 166 g Chocolate Digestives as gluten-free oat-flour biscuits half-coated in Belgian milk chocolate.
- The listing identifies a chocolate-digestive format for buyers who prefer it to a chocolate-chip oat biscuit.
- The product information identifies milk and soya and warns that it may contain peanuts and nuts. Tesco advises checking the label because products can be reformulated.
McVitie's
Tesco describes McVitie's Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs as oat biscuits topped with milk chocolate.
- The 150 g listing gives a typical count of eight biscuits, which helps with portion planning.
- This is an oat biscuit rather than a digestive. The listing warns that it may also contain nuts and egg; check the delivered pack for the full allergen statement.
Joybuy product options
These Joybuy options are a Nairn's oat-biscuit variant and Mrs Crimble's choc macaroons for a conference break. They are different products from the retailer examples above, so check each exact variant and its serving format.
No image available
Nairn's Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
For a gluten-free option at a conference break, confirm how this 160 g variant is packed and how many portions it provides before planning guest quantities. Check its oat and soya ingredients and any precautionary milk statement on the delivered pack against attendees' requirements.
No image available
Mrs Crimble's Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons
The stated count of six macaroons helps with planning portions for a conference break, although a macaroon is a different format from a digestive or oat biscuit. Check the delivered pack for egg and soya, possible milk or nut statements, and a way to serve the macaroons separately from gluten-containing food.
Conference catering questions
Can an oat biscuit be labelled gluten-free?
Yes, if it meets the conditions for that claim. The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg gluten in the food as sold and says oats must still be identified as an allergen. Coeliac UK advises choosing oats labelled gluten-free for people with coeliac disease, rather than substituting ordinary oat biscuits.
Does gluten-free mean a biscuit is suitable for other food allergies?
No. The gluten-free products discussed here can contain other ingredients, including milk, soya, oats or egg, or carry precautionary nut statements. Check the exact delivered pack and arrange another checked option when an attendee's requirements call for one.
Should gluten-free biscuits go in a shared open bowl?
Avoid shared handling where gluten-containing refreshments are present. Coeliac UK advises keeping the foods separate and using dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils. Retaining protected portions or using a clearly labelled, separate container also helps guests identify the option.
How many packs should I order for a conference break?
Calculate from the stated count for the exact product and the number of portions you plan to serve. Sainsbury's lists 10 servings for its Free From Digestive Chocolate, while Tesco lists a typical eight biscuits for McVitie's Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs. Confirm the count and pack arrangement of any different variant before using those figures for an order.