Choose a biscuit explicitly labelled gluten-free, then check whether the person eating it can have gluten-free oats. Schär Gluten-Free Digestive is an oat-free option, while the Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From digestives described here contain oats; their other ingredient and allergen declarations also need to fit everyone you are serving. Check the pack you receive before putting the biscuits out.
Look for an explicit gluten-free claim rather than relying on a wheat-free or vegan description. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number are sensitive to them. Ask whether oats suit the person before choosing an oat-based digestive.
Gluten-free, milk-free, vegan and suitable for a particular food allergy are separate questions. Check the ingredients and precautionary allergen wording for every guest, including anyone who needs to avoid soya or lupin.
Decide whether the biscuit must be a digestive. McVitie’s Gluten Free Original Hobnobs and Nairn’s Gluten Free Oaties are oat-based tea-biscuit alternatives, but neither is the same type of biscuit as a digestive.
Settle the gluten-free and oat requirements first, then narrow the choice by other allergens and the way you plan to serve the biscuits.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Find an explicit gluten-free claim on the biscuit pack. Do not treat wheat-free or vegan wording as a substitute. | I need a biscuit labelled gluten-free, not one chosen only because it sits in a Free From range. |
| Oats | Read the ingredients for oats. Coeliac UK says a small number of people with coeliac disease remain sensitive even to gluten-free oats. | If oats are a problem for the person I’m serving, an oat-based digestive will not fit the tea table. |
| Other allergens | Check both the ingredient list and any “may contain” statement against each guest’s requirements. Asda’s Schär listing, for example, says it contains soya and may contain lupin. | A gluten-free biscuit still has to work for the guests who need to avoid other ingredients. |
| Biscuit type | Check whether the product is a digestive or another gluten-free oat biscuit, such as a Hobnob or an Oatie. | For this tea break, I may want a digestive specifically; otherwise, a different biscuit could be an option. |
| Serving format | Compare the stated pack sizes and any portioning shown on the pack. Keep packaging and allergen information available when serving guests. | If I’m taking biscuits to work or setting out several choices, I want guests to be able to identify what they are eating. |
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From digestives are oat-based. Coeliac UK says a small number of people with coeliac disease are sensitive to gluten-free oats.
If the person avoids oats, check the current ingredients and choose an oat-free biscuit rather than relying on the gluten-free claim alone.
Other allergen requirements can rule out an otherwise suitable gluten-free digestive. Asda’s Schär listing, for instance, declares soya and a possible presence of lupin.
Ask guests what they must avoid, then read the ingredients and precautionary wording on the pack you will serve.
McVitie’s Gluten Free Original Hobnobs are oat biscuits, not digestives. A familiar name does not establish that a particular biscuit has the format or ingredients you need.
Check the exact product name and label. If you serve an alternative tea biscuit, keep its pack available so guests can check it for themselves.
Ingredients and allergen statements can change, making an earlier description a poor basis for serving someone with a dietary restriction.
Inspect the physical pack received before eating or serving the biscuits, particularly if a product has been substituted.
These ranges illustrate different biscuit types and label checks; a brand name alone does not establish whether an individual product suits a guest.
Schär Gluten-Free Digestive is an oat-free digestive option.
Tesco lists a 188g Free From digestive with gluten-free, milk-free and vegan descriptions.
Sainsbury’s describes its 188g Free From digestives as milk- and gluten-free biscuits made with oats.
Asda lists its 188g Free From Digestive Biscuits as gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
McVitie’s describes its Gluten Free Original Hobnobs as oat biscuits without gluten.
M&S presents a range of Free From biscuits, including ginger-flavoured options.
These options include an oat-free gluten-free digestive and two gluten-free oat biscuits to consider when a digestive is not essential. Check each product’s current pack against the needs of the people you are serving.
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An oat-free digestive option for a gluten-free afternoon tea. Asda’s listing for this biscuit says it contains soya and may contain lupin; check the pack against every guest’s requirements.
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A gluten-free oat biscuit for tea when a digestive is not essential. McVitie’s describes Gluten Free Original Hobnobs as made with oats; check that oats and the pack’s other allergen information suit the person eating them.
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A gluten-free oat biscuit with dark chocolate and coconut for a tea break where a plain digestive is not required. It contains oats, so check their suitability and read the current pack for other ingredients and allergens.
Most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, according to Coeliac UK, but a small number are sensitive to them. Choose a biscuit explicitly labelled gluten-free and check whether oats suit the person who will eat it.
No. A gluten-free claim does not establish either of those requirements. Tesco lists milk-free and vegan descriptions for its Free From Digestives, while Sainsbury’s describes its Free From Digestive Biscuits as milk-free; check the declarations on the particular pack you choose.
Schär Gluten-Free Digestive is the oat-free option among the digestives discussed here. It is not suitable for every other allergen requirement: Asda’s listing says it contains soya and may contain lupin, so check the pack before serving it.
No. Check the physical pack you receive, including its ingredients and precautionary allergen wording, before serving it. This matters particularly if the product has been substituted or its recipe has changed.