For an older guest who needs gluten-free food, choose an exact custard-cream product labelled gluten-free rather than relying on a familiar brand or the biscuit’s appearance. Schär Custard Creams come in portion packs, while Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda each list a 125 g Free From custard cream; check the purchased pack for the guest’s other dietary requirements and keep their biscuits away from crumbs from ordinary biscuits.
Choose a biscuit with a gluten-free claim on the exact pack, then serve it without crumbs from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises keeping preparation surfaces and utensils clean to avoid cross-contamination.
Check the purchased pack’s full ingredients and allergen information. A gluten-free claim does not answer questions about every other ingredient.
Ask about that guest’s individual requirements before offering a crisp biscuit. Age alone does not establish a swallowing difficulty; NHS guidance describes assessment and, where needed, changes to food texture.
Start with the exact biscuit’s gluten-free label, then consider how it will be served and whether its other ingredients and format suit the guest.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Exact product | Look for a gluten-free claim on the purchased custard-cream pack. Check its full ingredients and allergen statement rather than relying on the brand name. | I’m serving someone who must avoid gluten, so I need to identify the right product—not just a familiar type of biscuit. |
| Serving separately | Keep gluten-free biscuits away from ordinary-biscuit crumbs. Use a clean plate, surface and utensils; portion packs can stay wrapped until serving. | There will be ordinary biscuits on the tea table, and I want to serve my guest’s biscuits separately. |
| Other ingredients | Read the current pack for any additional allergens or dietary requirements. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda describe their checked Free From custard creams as milk-free, but each is a distinct product. | Gluten is not the only ingredient I need to ask about. |
| Portions and nutrition | Check the pack format and nutrition panel. Sainsbury’s describes the 125 g Schär pack as five portions of two biscuits; compare nutrition on a consistent per-biscuit or per-100 g basis. | I’d like to plan how many biscuits to set out and check the figures relevant to my guest. |
| Biscuit texture | Ask about any known chewing or swallowing difficulty rather than assuming a crisp biscuit suits every guest. Follow the individual advice the guest has received. | One guest may need a different food texture; being older does not, by itself, tell me that. |
The checked Crawford’s and M&S custard creams contain wheat flour, while separately identified Free From custard creams are labelled gluten-free.
Check the exact product name and the purchased pack’s current gluten-free and allergen information.
Crumbs from ordinary biscuits can get onto biscuits intended for a gluten-free guest. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils to avoid cross-contamination.
Serve the gluten-free biscuits separately using a clean plate and utensils.
A gluten-free label does not establish whether a biscuit meets another allergy requirement or whether its crisp texture suits someone with swallowing difficulties.
Ask the guest about their requirements and read the complete label on the purchased pack.
A specialist gluten-free brand with a custard-cream product in portion packs.
An own-label Free From custard cream in a 125 g pack.
An own-label Free From custard cream alongside a separate ordinary custard-cream product.
An own-label Free From custard cream in a 125 g pack.
A conventional custard cream for comparison, not a gluten-free option.
Its Made Without range and conventional custard creams are separate product lines.
An alternative biscuit brand if the guest does not specifically want custard creams.
This option is a portion-packed gluten-free custard cream for serving at an afternoon tea.
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The portion-packed format allows biscuits to stay wrapped until they are served. Sainsbury’s describes this 125 g product as five packs of two biscuits. Check the purchased pack’s ingredients and allergens, and keep the biscuits away from crumbs from ordinary biscuits.
No. A gluten-free claim concerns gluten, not every other ingredient or allergy. Check the purchased pack’s full ingredients and allergen information against the guest’s requirements.
Use separate, clean serving arrangements for a guest who needs gluten-free food. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils and avoiding transfer of gluten-containing crumbs.
Age alone does not rule them out, but ask about any individual chewing or swallowing difficulty before serving them. NHS guidance describes assessment and possible food-texture changes for people with swallowing problems.
The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten-free may contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the final consumer. The label does not mean an absolute zero-gluten claim.
Follow the purchased pack’s storage instructions. Keep gluten-free biscuits protected from crumbs from ordinary biscuits during storage and serving.