Choose custard creams explicitly labelled gluten-free, then check the pack against each guest’s other dietary requirements. Tesco Free From Custard Creams are listed as milk-free and vegan as well as gluten-free; Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams come in portion packs that may suit a self-serve buffet. Keep the packaging available, and do not substitute conventional custard creams containing wheat.
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim rather than judging a biscuit by its appearance or where it sits on a shelf. The Food Standards Agency states that a food labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the final consumer. Marks & Spencer lists wheat flour in its conventional Extra Cream Custard Creams.
Check each requirement separately. Tesco lists its Free From Custard Creams as gluten-free, milk-free and vegan. The Sainsbury’s listing for Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams describes them as gluten-free, wheat-free, lactose-free and vegan; lactose-free is not the same claim as milk-free.
Portion packs can make biscuits easier to set out separately, but guests still need access to the ingredient and allergen information. GOV.UK and Food Standards Agency guidance for community and charity events recommends keeping the packaging for prepacked food so people can check it.
Start with the gluten-free claim, then check other dietary requirements and how guests will identify the biscuits at the party.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Find an explicit gluten-free claim on the current pack. The Food Standards Agency sets the claim threshold at no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold; do not rely on a biscuit looking like a free-from product. | I need a custard cream that is labelled gluten-free, not a conventional biscuit placed beside one. |
| Other dietary requirements | Read the current ingredients and allergen statement for each guest’s requirements. Tesco lists its Free From product as milk-free; the Sainsbury’s listing describes Schär as lactose-free, which is a different claim. | Gluten-free alone does not answer whether a biscuit meets a guest’s milk-free, vegan or other requirement. |
| Buffet serving | Check the pack format and keep ingredient information available. Sainsbury’s describes five portion packs for Schär; GOV.UK and Food Standards Agency event guidance recommends retaining prepacked-food packaging for guests to inspect. | If guests will serve themselves, I want them to be able to distinguish the gluten-free biscuits and check what is in them. |
Marks & Spencer lists wheat flour in its Extra Cream Custard Creams, so that conventional product cannot take the place of biscuits needed by a gluten-free guest.
Keep conventional biscuits separately identified, and leave the gluten-free product’s packaging available for guests to check.
A gluten-free claim does not establish that a biscuit is milk-free or meets another guest’s allergen requirements.
Ask which requirements matter, then compare them with the ingredients and allergen statement on the pack being served. Do not treat a lactose-free claim as a milk-free claim.
Guests may need the original ingredient and allergen information after biscuits have been set out. GOV.UK and Food Standards Agency event guidance recommends keeping packaging for prepacked food so people can check it.
Keep the pack accessible beside the buffet, even if you transfer the biscuits to a serving dish.
Tesco warns that recipes, dietary information and allergens can change, so an earlier product listing should not stand in for the pack you serve.
Inspect the current pack before the party and choose another biscuit if its label does not meet the guest’s requirements.
Tesco lists a 125 g Free From Custard Creams pack for shoppers looking for gluten-free custard creams with additional stated dietary attributes.
Sainsbury’s lists Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g in five portion packs, a format to consider for a self-serve table.
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams provide a conventional-product comparison, not a gluten-free custard cream option.
This Schär option is a gluten-free custard cream in portioned servings to consider for a christening buffet. Check its pack against each guest’s requirements before serving.
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Five portioned servings offer a way to set out custard creams at a self-serve party. The Joybuy listing identifies this 125g product as gluten-free and lactose-free; check the physical pack for ingredients and allergens, particularly if a guest needs a milk-free option.
No. The Food Standards Agency states that a gluten-free claim means no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold; it does not establish suitability for milk or other allergies. Check the current pack against the individual guest’s requirements.
Tesco lists its Free From Custard Creams 125G as gluten-free, milk-free and suitable for vegans. Check the pack being served, as Tesco advises that product and allergen information can change.
The Sainsbury’s listing describes Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g as five portion packs, which may make them easier to set out separately. Keep the packaging available so guests can check the ingredients and allergens.