Choose digestives explicitly labelled gluten-free, then check the current pack against each guest’s other dietary requirements. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda list oat-based, milk-free options with nut-related warnings; Schär’s listed digestive has no oats in its ingredients but contains soya and may contain lupin. For a guest with coeliac disease, keep the gluten-free biscuits away from ordinary biscuits and use clean utensils when serving.
Choose a biscuit explicitly labelled gluten-free and plan how to keep it apart from crumbs and shared utensils. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but the guest’s own oat requirements still matter.
Check milk, nuts, oats, soya and lupin separately from gluten-free status. The listed digestives have different ingredients and precautionary allergen statements, so one packet will not necessarily suit every guest.
Once a biscuit meets guests’ dietary requirements, compare pack weights with the number of people you expect to serve. The listed own-label packs are 188 g, while the Schär pack is 150 g.
Settle the dietary and serving requirements before deciding how many packs to buy.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim. Check the current pack rather than relying on the absence of wheat in an ingredient list. | I’m serving someone who needs a biscuit specifically labelled gluten-free, not simply one that appears to have no wheat ingredients. |
| Other allergens | Read the ingredients and precautionary statements for milk, nuts, soya and lupin. Do not treat lactose-free as another way of saying milk-free. | My guests’ requirements go beyond avoiding gluten, so I need to check each relevant allergen separately. |
| Oats | Check whether the biscuit contains gluten-free oats. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat them, but a small number are sensitive to avenin. | Before putting out an oat-based digestive, I’ll ask whether gluten-free oats suit the guest who needs it. |
| Buffet handling | Keep gluten-free biscuits apart from ordinary biscuits and cakes. Use a clean plate, hands and utensils, including for shared spreads. | If guests serve themselves, I want to avoid transferring crumbs onto the gluten-free biscuits. |
| Pack quantity | Check net weight and pack format after the dietary checks. The listed Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda packs are 188 g; the listed Schär pack is 150 g. | For several guests, I need enough of a suitable biscuit rather than assuming that one pack of either size will cover the table. |
The listed oat-based digestives carry nut-related warnings, while Schär’s listed digestive contains soya and may contain lupin.
Ask guests which ingredients they avoid, then check the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary statements.
Gluten-containing crumbs can reach biscuits during serving. Coeliac UK advises taking care with surfaces, utensils and shared foods.
Keep the gluten-free biscuits sealed until needed or serve them on a separate plate with clean utensils.
A biscuit containing gluten-free oats can carry a gluten-free label, although oats remain relevant to the individual guest. Coeliac UK says a small number of people with coeliac disease are sensitive to avenin.
Check for the explicit gluten-free label and ask the guest whether gluten-free oats suit them.
The listed Schär pack is 150 g, compared with 188 g for each of the listed Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda digestives.
Once you have a biscuit that meets guests’ requirements, use its net weight and your guest numbers to decide how many packs to get.
These are references to particular listed biscuits, not assurances that every product from a brand meets the same dietary requirements.
Tesco lists a 188 g Free From Digestives pack.
Sainsbury’s lists a 188 g gluten- and milk-free digestive made with oats.
Asda lists a 188 g Free From digestive containing gluten-free oat ingredients.
An Asda listing describes a 150 g Schär gluten-free digestive with no oats in its listed ingredients.
Sainsbury’s lists McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs Original Biscuits in its gluten-free biscuit category.
This gluten-free digestive option is worth checking if a guest avoids oat-based biscuits; its other declared allergens still need attention.
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This gluten-free digestive has no oats in its listed ingredients, offering an option to check when an oat-based biscuit will not suit a guest.
The pack is 150 g and the biscuit is listed as lactose-free. It contains soya and may contain lupin; check the current pack and the guest’s requirements before serving.
The Food Standards Agency states that food labelled gluten-free contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the final consumer. The claim does not tell you whether the biscuit contains other allergens, so check those separately.
No single oat choice suits everyone. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but a small number are sensitive to avenin; ask the guest before choosing an oat-based biscuit.
Keep them apart and use clean hands, plates and utensils. Coeliac UK also advises using clean cutlery with shared foods such as spreads to avoid transferring crumbs.
Check the current physical pack before serving, especially when buying for a guest with an allergy. Read both its ingredients and any precautionary allergen statement rather than relying only on a product listing.