Someone who needs a gluten-free snack
Choose a product labelled gluten free, and keep its pack available so the person sharing it can identify the biscuit and read its allergen information.
Who are you buying for?
Colleagues with different dietary requirements
Check more than the gluten-free claim. The chocolate biscuits and macaroons considered here differ in their oat, milk, egg, soya and nut information.
Someone stocking snacks for individual breaks
If people pick up a snack at different times, consider the pack format as well as the recipe. Nairn’s describes its Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuit Breaks as coming in handy pouch packs.
What should you check?
Start with the exact product’s label and ingredients; once those suit the people sharing it, choose the chocolate style and pack format.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for a gluten-free claim on the exact product, not just a chocolate-biscuit name or a free-from range. Coeliac UK and the Food Standards Agency describe the UK gluten-free labelling limit as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. | I need a biscuit labelled gluten free that I can identify clearly when offering it to a colleague. |
| Oats and other ingredients | Check the current ingredient list and allergen statements for oats, milk, egg, soya and nut warnings as relevant. Coeliac UK notes that a small number of people with coeliac disease are sensitive even to gluten-free oats. | If someone avoids oats or has another dietary restriction, a gluten-free claim alone does not answer whether this snack suits them. |
| Break-time format | Compare a shared pack with a pouch-packed option, and keep the original packaging accessible. Nairn’s describes pouch packs for its Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuit Breaks. | For separate tea breaks, I would prefer a format people can pick up while still being able to check what is in it. |
| Chocolate style | Choose between a milk-chocolate-coated biscuit, a chocolate-chip oat biscuit and a chocolate-and-coconut macaroon. Check each product’s ingredients rather than applying one variety’s claims to another. | I may want a coated biscuit with tea, while another colleague may prefer chocolate chips or a coconut macaroon. |
Mistakes to avoid
-
Assuming every biscuit from a familiar brand is gluten free
McVitie’s lists wheat flour in its ordinary Milk Chocolate Digestives, while its specifically named Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs have a different recipe.
Check the gluten-free claim and ingredients on the exact variety you intend to share.
-
Treating gluten free as oat free or free from other allergens
The oat-based options have different ingredient and precautionary statements. Coeliac UK also notes that some people with coeliac disease are sensitive to gluten-free oats.
Ask which ingredients matter to the recipients, then compare the current packs before choosing.
-
Relying only on an online ingredient summary
A listing helps identify a product, but the delivered pack is what colleagues can use to check its current size, ingredients and allergen statements.
Read that pack before offering the biscuits to anyone with a dietary restriction, and keep it available when the snacks are shared.
Relevant brand ranges
These examples refer to particular products, not every chocolate biscuit made by each brand.
McVitie’s
Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs are McVitie’s coated oat-biscuit option.
- McVitie’s lists gluten-free rolled oats and a milk-chocolate coating for this product.
- Its ordinary Milk Chocolate Digestives list wheat flour. The maker also says the gluten-free Hobnobs may contain nuts and egg.
Nairn’s
Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuit Breaks are presented by Nairn’s in pouch packs for individual breaks.
- The maker describes gluten-free oats and a portable pack format for this variety.
- Nairn’s says this biscuit is unsuitable for someone who reacts to avenin, a protein in oats. Check the pack for its other ingredients and allergen information.
Tesco
Tesco Free From lists both Chocolate Digestives 166g and a separate Choc Chip Cookie 145g.
- The digestives are oat biscuits coated with milk chocolate; Tesco describes the separate cookies as gluten free, milk free and egg free.
- Tesco’s digestives carry a may-contain warning for peanuts and nuts. Do not apply the cookies’ additional free-from claims to the digestives.
Mrs Crimble’s
Its 6 Double Choc Macaroons offer a chocolate-and-coconut choice rather than an oat biscuit.
- The maker labels this specific product gluten free and lists coconut in its ingredients.
- The listed ingredients also include egg white and soya lecithin; check the current pack when sharing.
Joybuy product options
These options cover an oat-based biscuit break and a chocolate macaroon for office snacks. Check each exact pack against the dietary requirements of the people who will eat it.
No image available
Nairns Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
An oat-based biscuit break for an office snack. The listed variety is Dark & Coconut; check this exact pack’s oat information and milk precaution before sharing it with anyone who has those restrictions.
No image available
Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons
A pack of six chocolate macaroons for someone seeking a different format from an oat biscuit. Check the exact pack’s ingredients and allergen statements, particularly if colleagues avoid oats, egg, soya, milk or nuts.
Common questions
Does gluten free also mean milk free?
No. McVitie’s Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Hobnobs and Tesco Free From Chocolate Digestives contain milk-chocolate ingredients. Check the exact product’s current pack for every dietary requirement that matters to the people sharing it.
Are gluten-free oat biscuits suitable for everyone with coeliac disease?
Not necessarily. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number are sensitive to avenin in oats. Check that the biscuit is labelled gluten free and ask the recipient about their oat tolerance.
How should opened biscuits be kept at work?
For its Free From Chocolate Digestives 166g and Choc Chip Cookies 145g, Tesco advises a cool, dry place and an airtight container after opening. Keep the original packaging available so colleagues can check which biscuits they are being offered.
What should I check when ordering biscuits for the office again?
Check the exact variety and pack size when ordering, then read the delivered pack’s ingredients and allergen statements before sharing. Tesco cautions that recipes and allergen information can change, so an earlier order or online description should not replace the current pack.