For a lunchbox or bag, check both the gluten-free claim and whether the custard creams come in separate inner packs: wrapping alone does not establish dietary suitability. Schär describes its UK Custard Creams as gluten free and portion packed, while Asda specifies five packs of two biscuits in the 125 g box. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda list other gluten-free custard creams, but their cited product descriptions do not establish separate inner portions; check the current pack’s label and wrapping before use.
If a biscuit needs to travel in a lunchbox or bag, look for a gluten-free claim and an inner pack you can take from the box unopened. Schär’s listed format holds two biscuits per inner pack, not one biscuit per wrapper.
If the biscuits will mainly be served at home, separate factory-wrapped portions may matter less. Compare the exact gluten-free product and its current label rather than assuming every free-from box has the same inner packaging.
Check the dietary claim first, then the number and contents of any inner packs. Serving counts and outer wrapping answer a different question from whether portions are packed separately.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Read the claim and ingredients on the exact pack. The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten-free contains no more than 20 mg/kg gluten as sold; individual wrapping does not establish that claim. | I need custard creams labelled gluten free for someone with coeliac disease, regardless of how the biscuits are wrapped. |
| Separate portions | Look for an explicit inner-pack count and biscuits per pack. Asda describes Schär’s 125 g box as five 25 g packs, each containing two biscuits; a serving count alone does not confirm inner packs. | For a lunchbox, I want to take one unopened portion without opening the others. If I need one biscuit per wrapper, a two-biscuit pack will not meet that requirement. |
| Serving without crumbs | Keep the portion enclosed until needed. When serving it beside food containing gluten, use clean surfaces and utensils, as Coeliac UK advises for avoiding cross-contamination. | Biscuits served alongside ordinary biscuits need a separate, clean place once their inner pack is opened. |
A wrapper tells you about the portion format, not the biscuit’s ingredients or gluten-free claim.
Check the gluten-free claim and ingredients on the exact pack independently of its wrapping.
Asda specifies five individual packs for Schär Custard Creams, but a suggested serving count for its own-brand Free From Custard Creams does not establish separate wrapping.
Look for wording that states how many inner packs there are and how many biscuits each contains.
The cited M&S Extra Cream and McVitie’s Custard Creams listings contain wheat ingredients. A retailer also selling free-from food does not change the ingredients of those particular biscuits.
Choose by the claim and ingredients on the current pack, not by the familiar custard-cream format.
Schär describes its UK Custard Creams as gluten free and portion packed.
Tesco lists its 125 g Free From Custard Creams as gluten free and milk free.
Sainsbury’s lists its 125 g Free From Custard Creams as gluten free, milk free and suitable for coeliacs.
Asda lists both its own-brand Free From Custard Creams and Schär Custard Creams; their stated packaging details differ.
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams are a conventional-product comparison, not a gluten-free option on the cited product information.
The cited UK listing for McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams describes a conventional biscuit containing wheat.
The cited Crawford’s Custard Creams listing is not a gluten-free choice for this decision.
For carrying separate portions, this Schär option is a 125 g box of gluten-free custard creams with five two-biscuit inner packs.
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The separate inner packs let you take a portion from the box without opening the remaining portions. Schär describes the biscuits as gluten free and portion packed; Asda specifies five 25 g packs containing two biscuits each. Check the current pack’s gluten-free claim and ingredients before use, particularly if you need a single biscuit per wrapper.
The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten-free contains no more than 20 mg/kg gluten as sold. Check that claim on the current custard-cream pack; separate wrapping is not a substitute for it.
No. The symbol identifies a separate licensed scheme, while the gluten-free claim has its own threshold. Check the exact pack’s claim and ingredients whether or not it displays the symbol.
No. Asda’s UK listing specifies five individual packs of two biscuits in the 125 g box, so one inner pack is a two-biscuit portion.
Keep the gluten-free biscuits away from gluten-containing crumbs and use clean surfaces and utensils when opening a portion. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils to avoid cross-contamination.
Check the current physical pack before use, even if you have bought the same custard creams before. Tesco advises shoppers to read the product label rather than rely solely on its website information.