Shoppers managing biscuit portions
If you want a gluten-free custard cream while managing your weight, compare the nutrition per 100g with the amount you expect to eat. A free-from label does not tell you the calories in your serving.
Who is this for?
Shoppers with coeliac disease
If the biscuit must be gluten free, look for a current gluten-free claim and read the ingredients and allergen information on the pack. Coeliac UK advises checking food labels for cereals containing gluten.
Shoppers with other dietary requirements
If you also need to avoid milk or choose vegan food, check those requirements separately. Gluten-free status alone does not establish either one.
What should you compare?
Start with the label requirements the biscuit must meet, then compare products per 100g and work out the portion you intend to eat.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and portions | Compare kcal per 100g, then check kcal per biscuit or sealed portion. Tesco lists 458kcal per 100g and 64kcal per biscuit; Schär lists 481kcal per 100g and packs its biscuits in two-biscuit portions. | I want to decide how many biscuits to have before opening the packet. If I choose a Schär portion pack, I need to count both biscuits. |
| Sugars and saturates | Compare sugars on the same per-100g basis. Tesco lists 19.9g; Schär lists 23g. Sainsbury's and Asda each label 1.8g saturates per biscuit as high. | A gluten-free label does not answer my nutrition question. I want to check the figures for the serving I plan to eat. |
| Gluten-free labelling | Check the current pack for a gluten-free claim, ingredients and allergen information. A trademark can be an additional signpost, but it does not replace reading the label. | If I am buying for someone with coeliac disease, the current pack matters. In a 2025 survey of 3,785 Coeliac UK members reported by Coeliac UK Commercial, 74% trusted the Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; that measures trust, not the suitability of any particular biscuit. |
| Other dietary requirements | Check milk-free, lactose-free or vegan wording separately, as applicable, alongside the full ingredient and allergen information. | I may need a biscuit that meets more than one dietary requirement. Gluten free on its own is not enough to establish that it is milk free or vegan. |
Common buying mistakes
-
Treating gluten free as a calorie claim
The checked products list different energy values per 100g. Gluten-free labelling does not tell you whether a biscuit fits the portion you have planned.
Compare the per-100g figures first, then check the nutrition for the number of biscuits you intend to eat. The NHS advises smaller, less frequent servings of biscuits when trying to lose weight.
-
Counting a portion pack as one biscuit
Schär's individual portions contain two biscuits, so a sealed pack is not a single-biscuit serving.
If you plan to eat one pack, use the nutrition information for both biscuits when working out your portion.
-
Assuming gluten free covers every dietary need
Gluten-free, milk-free, lactose-free and vegan claims describe different requirements. One claim does not establish the others.
Check the exact pack's claims, ingredients and allergen information for everyone who will eat the biscuits.
Relevant product lines
Tesco Free From
Tesco Free From Custard Creams provide a labelled gluten-free option with per-biscuit and per-100g nutrition figures.
- Tesco lists 458kcal and 19.9g sugars per 100g, or 64kcal and 2.8g sugars per biscuit.
- Check the current pack before eating, particularly if you need to avoid another ingredient.
Schär
Schär's gluten-free custard creams are portion packed, with two biscuits in each individual portion.
- The separate packs make it straightforward to set aside a two-biscuit serving.
- Schär lists 481kcal per 100g; the packaging does not make the biscuits lower in calories per 100g.
Sainsbury's Free From
Sainsbury's lists its Free From Custard Creams as gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans.
- The product page gives a per-biscuit figure of 65kcal.
- Its label classifies 1.8g saturates per biscuit as high; check the figures for the number you plan to eat.
Asda Free From
Asda lists a gluten-free, milk-free custard cream suitable for vegans, with nutrition information per biscuit.
- Asda lists 65kcal and 3.5g sugars per biscuit.
- Its label classifies 1.8g saturates per biscuit as high; use the pack figures for your intended portion.
Joybuy product options
This Schär option is relevant if you want gluten-free custard creams divided into individual portions. Compare a whole two-biscuit portion with the serving you plan to eat.
No image available
Schär Gluten-Free Custard Creams 125g
Individual two-biscuit portions may suit a plan to stop after one sealed pack. The 125g pack contains five portions; Schär lists 481kcal and 23g sugars per 100g.
Questions about choosing
Are gluten-free custard creams automatically lower in calories?
No. Gluten-free describes gluten content, not calories. The four products compared here list between 458kcal and 481kcal per 100g; check the nutrition for the portion you intend to eat. The NHS advises eating biscuits less often and in smaller amounts when trying to lose weight.
Which of these custard creams lists the fewest calories per 100g?
Tesco Free From Custard Creams lists 458kcal per 100g, the lowest figure among the four products compared here. Tesco also lists 64kcal per biscuit; the number you eat still determines your serving.
How should I count a Schär portion pack?
Count it as two biscuits, not one. Schär's individual packs separate two-biscuit portions, so check the pack's nutrition information for the full serving you plan to eat.
Does gluten free also mean milk free or vegan?
No. Check milk-free or vegan claims separately on the exact product. The Asda and Sainsbury's products described here are listed as gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans; read the current pack's ingredients and allergen information for your requirements.