Hosts serving a guest with coeliac disease
Choose an identifiable gluten-free biscuit and plan how to serve it away from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises taking care to prevent gluten-containing crumbs from reaching gluten-free food.
Who is this for?
Hosts managing several dietary requirements
Check whether the guest eats gluten-free oats, then read the particular pack for milk, soya, nuts and any other relevant allergen advice. A gluten-free label does not answer those separate questions.
Hosts planning chocolate treats
A chocolate digestive may fit the hunt, but check it separately from a plain biscuit. Asda’s listed gluten-free chocolate digestives contain milk and soya.
What should you check?
Start with the gluten-free label and the guest’s other dietary requirements; then plan quantities and a separate serving space for the biscuits you choose.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free identification | Look for an explicit gluten-free label and read the current pack. The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. | I’m serving someone who needs a gluten-free biscuit, so a familiar brand name or the word “digestive” alone is not enough. |
| Oats and other allergens | Check whether the recipe uses gluten-free oats and read its milk, soya, nut and precautionary allergen information. Check plain and chocolate variants separately. | If my guest avoids oats, I need an oat-free recipe. If I’m choosing chocolate biscuits, I also need to check whether that particular version contains milk or soya. |
| Serving separately | Keep gluten-free biscuits apart from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water to help avoid gluten cross-contamination. | When both kinds of biscuit are offered, I want guests to be able to identify the suitable ones without ordinary biscuit crumbs reaching them. |
| Quantity and availability | Use the stated pack weight and check the pack for biscuit count or portions. Check local availability before planning the hunt around a particular product. | I need enough suitable biscuits for the guests, with another labelled option in mind if my first choice cannot be bought. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Putting an ordinary digestive beside gluten-free treats
pladis says McVitie’s Original Digestives use wheat. Crumbs from ordinary biscuits can also reach food set aside as gluten-free.
Identify the gluten-free pack before serving and give those biscuits a separate, clean serving space.
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Assuming gluten-free covers every dietary requirement
Some listed gluten-free digestives contain oats, and Asda’s listed chocolate version contains milk and soya. The allergen profile of one variant does not establish that of another.
Check each guest’s requirements against the ingredients and precautionary advice on the current pack.
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Planning around a listing without checking availability
A product listing does not establish that the biscuits will be available when you shop for the hunt.
Check availability before settling the menu and identify another suitable, labelled biscuit if needed.
Changing plans may mean another shopping trip or choosing a different biscuit that meets the same requirements.
Brand and product-line references
These distinctions concern particular biscuits or ranges, not every product made by each brand.
Schär
Schär UK lists a gluten-free digestive recipe made with maize, soya and buckwheat rather than oats.
- Its listed digestive offers an oat-free route for guests who need one.
- The listed recipe contains soya and carries precautionary advice for lupin and eggs; check the current pack.
Asda
Asda lists plain and chocolate gluten-free digestives with different allergen information.
- Its listed plain digestives are made with gluten-free oats and described as milk-free.
- The listed chocolate version contains milk and soya. Check each pack’s nut precautionary advice as well.
Tesco
Tesco lists plain Free From Digestive Biscuits made with gluten-free oat flour.
- The listed 160 g biscuits are described as gluten-, wheat- and milk-free.
- The listing carries a peanuts-and-nuts precautionary warning; check the current pack and local availability.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has listed oat-based Free From Digestives for shoppers comparing plain biscuits.
- The listed product provides another oat-based digestive to compare by its pack details.
- Check the current ingredients, nut advice and availability before choosing it for a guest.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Original Digestives are a contrast to the gluten-free digestive options: manufacturer pladis says they use wheat.
- Do not substitute Original Digestives for a biscuit required to be gluten-free. Check other McVitie’s products by their own labels.
M&S
M&S describes gluten-free biscuits in its Free From range.
- The Free From range offers biscuits to assess by their individual labels.
- Do not assume an ordinary M&S digestive is gluten-free; check the exact product before choosing it.
Joybuy product options
These options include a gluten-free digestive, a gluten-free Hobnob and a gluten-free crispbread. If the hunt calls specifically for digestive biscuits, check the product type before considering the alternatives.
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Schar Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
An oat-free digestive option for a guest who avoids oats. Schär’s listed recipe contains soya and carries precautionary allergen advice, so check the current pack against the guest’s requirements.
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McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs 150g
A gluten-free biscuit alternative if a Hobnob, rather than a digestive, suits the hunt. Check the current pack’s oat and other allergen information for the guests you are serving.
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Schar Gluten Free Crispbread 150g
A gluten-free crispbread rather than a digestive biscuit. Consider it only if crispbread fits what you plan to serve, and check its current pack for any additional dietary requirements.
Common questions
Does gluten-free mean oat-free?
No. Tesco’s and Asda’s listed plain gluten-free digestives use gluten-free oats. Coeliac UK notes that some people with coeliac disease are sensitive to gluten-free oats, so check whether the particular guest needs an oat-free biscuit.
How can I serve gluten-free biscuits beside ordinary hunt treats?
Keep the gluten-free biscuits separate and use a clean surface and utensils. Coeliac UK advises washing surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water to help prevent gluten cross-contamination.
Is a retailer’s listing enough to check another food allergy?
Read the current pack before serving the biscuits. Ingredients and allergen information can change, and Asda’s listed chocolate gluten-free digestives contain milk and soya, so do not rely on the details of its plain version.
What does a UK gluten-free label tell me?
The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten in the food as sold. The label does not tell you that a biscuit is oat-free or free from other allergens; read the full pack for those details.
How should I keep an opened pack before the hunt?
Follow the instructions on that pack. Tesco’s and Asda’s listed plain digestives specify a cool, dry place and an airtight container after opening.