Choose custard creams whose current pack explicitly says gluten-free, then check its ingredients and allergy advice against the needs of the children attending. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list Free From custard creams with both gluten-free and milk-free claims; Schär's gluten-free custard creams come in portion packs, but a lactose-free description is not confirmation of suitability for a child with a milk allergy. Keep the packaging available and serve the suitable biscuits separately from other bakes.
Look for a clear gluten-free claim on the biscuit pack. At the stall, keep its ingredient information available and give the suitable biscuits a separate serving area and utensils, as Anaphylaxis UK advises for allergy-friendly bakes.
Check both requirements against the exact pack. The listed Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda Free From custard creams state that they are gluten-free and milk-free, while the conventional Crawford's and M&S examples list wheat and milk ingredients.
Consider how biscuits will be handed out without losing access to their ingredient information. Asda lists Schär gluten-free custard creams as five 25 g portion packs, with two biscuits per pack; check other allergens before offering them to a child.
Start with the dietary claims on the current pack, then plan how the biscuits will remain identifiable and separate at the sale.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Check that the exact pack says gluten-free, rather than judging by the filling or brand. The Food Standards Agency defines the claim as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. | I need to identify biscuits intended for a gluten-free selection, even when other custard creams are on the stall. |
| Milk and other allergens | Read the current ingredients and allergy advice for each child's requirements. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list gluten- and milk-free Free From custard creams; Schär's listed lactose-free wording does not establish milk-allergy suitability. | If a child must avoid milk as well as gluten, I need confirmation for both on the biscuits being served. |
| Portions and serving | Compare the pack format with the portions you plan to offer. Asda lists five 25 g packs for the 125 g Schär product. Retain packaging and use a separate area and utensils for suitable biscuits, following Anaphylaxis UK's bake-sale advice. | I want helpers to be able to identify the biscuits and check their ingredients without mixing them with other bakes. |
Both assumptions can lead to the wrong choice: Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list milk-free Free From custard creams, while the identified conventional Crawford's and M&S products contain milk ingredients.
Match each child's requirements to the ingredients and allergy advice on the exact pack you will serve.
Asda's Schär listing describes the biscuits as lactose-free but does not give an explicit milk-free claim in the cited product details.
For a child with a milk allergy, check the supplied pack's allergen information and the child's requirements rather than relying on that description.
Without the packaging, helpers may struggle to check ingredients. Shared presentation and utensils also create opportunities for allergen cross-contact.
Keep the original pack available and follow Anaphylaxis UK's advice to set allergy-friendly items apart and use different serving utensils.
These distinctions concern the named products, not every biscuit made or sold under each brand.
A gluten-free custard-cream option to consider when portion packs would help at the stall.
Its 125 g Free From custard creams are an option when both gluten and milk avoidance need checking.
Its 125 g Free From custard creams are listed with gluten-free and milk-free claims.
Its Free From and conventional custard creams need to be distinguished by the exact product name and pack.
The identified 300 g custard creams are a conventional comparison, not a gluten-free selection.
The identified Extra Cream Custard Creams are a conventional comparison rather than an identified gluten-free option.
This Schär option represents gluten-free custard creams in portion packs for the bake-sale scenario. Check the supplied pack's allergen information before deciding whom to serve it to.
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The listed five 25 g portion packs offer a way to plan servings of gluten-free custard creams for the stall. A lactose-free description should not be used as confirmation for a milk allergy: check the supplied pack's ingredients and allergy advice. The product description also warns that these biscuits are not suitable for young children because of a choking risk.
No. Check milk separately on the current pack. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda list Free From custard creams with both claims, but the lactose-free description on the identified Schär listing is not confirmation for a child with a milk allergy.
Keep their original packaging available so helpers can check ingredients. Anaphylaxis UK advises putting allergy-friendly bakes in a separate area and using different serving utensils; check each child's requirements before handing out a biscuit.
They give helpers a defined serving format: Asda lists the 125 g Schär custard creams as five 25 g packs containing two biscuits each. Compare that format with how you intend to distribute biscuits, while keeping the pack information available for allergen checks.