Office snack buyers serving a gluten-free colleague
Choose a clearly labelled packet and keep it identifiable when setting biscuits out alongside other snacks.
Who is buying the biscuits?
Meeting organisers handing out portions
Separate packs let colleagues take a portion without serving from an open communal packet. The checked Schär 125g listing describes five individual packs.
Buyers catering for several dietary requirements
The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA Free From custard creams are also labelled milk free and suitable for vegans. Check the physical pack against each recipient’s requirements.
What should you check?
Start with the gluten-free claim on the particular biscuit, then choose a serving format that works where colleagues will eat it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the specific product. Keep its original packet available so colleagues can identify it. | I need the gluten-free biscuits to remain distinguishable from ordinary custard creams in a shared snack area. |
| Serving format | The checked Schär 125g listing describes five individual packs containing two biscuits each. For a shared packet, use clean surfaces and separate serving equipment; Coeliac UK advises these steps to prevent crumbs getting into gluten-free food. | For desks or a meeting, I may want portions to hand out. If we open a shared packet, I need a way to keep other biscuit crumbs away. |
| Other requirements | Read the current ingredient and allergen information on the physical pack. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA Free From listings state milk free and suitable for vegans. | Gluten is not the only requirement I may be catering for, so I need to check the packet for each colleague. |
| Meeting quantity | Check the pack size and any stated portion count. Schär’s checked pack contains five separate portions; do not assume a shared 125g packet provides individually wrapped servings. | I want enough suitable biscuits for the people attending, in a format I can serve as planned. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Putting ordinary custard creams in the gluten-free supply
The checked Crawford’s and conventional Tesco custard creams list wheat flour. The familiar biscuit style does not establish that a particular packet is gluten free.
Keep ordinary and explicitly gluten-free packets separate, with their labels available.
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Assuming gluten free covers every allergy
A gluten-free claim does not answer whether a biscuit meets someone’s other allergen requirements. Ingredients and allergen information can also change.
Check the physical packet against the recipient’s requirements rather than relying on a range name or an older listing.
Relevant brand and retailer ranges
These references concern the particular products or ranges described, not every biscuit bearing the same brand name.
Schär
A gluten-free custard cream offered in separate portions.
- ASDA’s listing for the 125g pack describes five individual packs with two biscuits in each and states that the product is suitable for vegans.
- Check the current physical pack for any additional allergen requirements.
Tesco
A Free From custard cream packet for a shared office supply.
- The checked 125g product is labelled gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans.
- Tesco advises reading the physical label because ingredients and allergens may change.
Sainsbury’s
A Free From custard cream packet to consider when checking several dietary requirements.
- The checked 125g product is labelled gluten free and milk free, and suitable for vegans and coeliacs.
- The listing describes a packet, not individually wrapped portions.
ASDA
A Free From custard cream packet for a shared office supply.
- The checked 125g product is labelled gluten free and milk free, and suitable for vegans.
- ASDA advises checking the physical pack because product information can change.
Crawford’s
A conventional custard cream that illustrates why the specific packet matters.
- The checked 300g Crawford’s custard creams list wheat flour and wheat starch, so this product does not meet the gluten-free requirement.
M&S
Its Made Without range covers different ingredient exclusions; the range name alone does not identify a gluten-free custard cream.
- Check the gluten-free claim on an individual biscuit product rather than assuming every Made Without item has the same exclusions.
A portion-pack option on Joybuy
This 125g Schär custard cream is an option for handing out separate gluten-free portions at desks or meetings.
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Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
For desks or meetings, this pack provides five separate portions rather than one open packet of biscuits. Keep the packaging available for colleagues to check the current ingredient and allergen information.
Questions about office biscuits
Does gluten free mean there is no gluten at all?
No. Coeliac UK explains that food labelled gluten free can contain up to 20 parts per million of gluten. Look for the claim on the particular custard cream packet rather than assuming the biscuit style qualifies.
How can I serve gluten-free biscuits beside ordinary ones?
Keep the gluten-free product identifiable and prevent crumbs from other snacks getting into it. Coeliac UK advises clean surfaces and separate equipment; individual portion packs are another way to avoid serving from an open communal packet.
Are gluten-free custard creams also milk free?
Not automatically. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA Free From custard creams are labelled milk free, but check the physical pack against each colleague’s requirements before serving.
How many portion packs should I plan for a meeting?
Use the stated portion count rather than the pack weight alone. ASDA’s listing describes five individual packs in the Schär 125g product, with two biscuits in each; a shared packet needs a separate serving plan.
Do school-food rules prohibit custard creams as office snacks?
No office prohibition follows from the Department for Education’s school-food guidance, which concerns food provided in state-funded schools in England. That guidance does not classify these particular biscuits for separate advertising or retailer-promotion rules.