Couples arranging a gluten-free buffet section
Label the biscuits clearly and plan how to keep them away from gluten-containing food, crumbs and shared utensils. Coeliac UK advises keeping gluten-free and gluten-containing foods separate.
Who needs a separate biscuit plan?
Hosts catering for several dietary requirements
Check the exact pack for oats, milk, nuts, soya and lupin where these matter to your guests. A gluten-free label does not answer every allergen or vegan question.
Shoppers ordering ahead of the wedding
Work out how many suitable packs you need and check stock before relying on one retailer. Respondents to Coeliac UK’s 2022 Shopping Habits survey reported both availability problems and using more than one retailer.
What should you check before buying?
Start with the gluten-free claim and each guest’s allergen needs, then plan quantities and separate serving. The survey figures below describe Coeliac UK respondents, not wedding guests.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs and survey responses |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for a gluten-free claim on the pack and read its current ingredient and allergen information. The Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free for food sold to consumers as no more than 20 mg/kg gluten. | I want guests to identify the intended biscuits confidently. In Coeliac UK’s 2025 Shopping Habits survey, 74.7% of 3,785 responding members trusted its Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; that measures trust, not whether a particular biscuit suits every guest. |
| Pack quantity and stock | Check net weight, any inner packs and current stock; allow for a suitable alternative if your chosen product is unavailable. | I need enough suitable biscuits on the day without depending on one listing. In Coeliac UK’s 2022 Shopping Habits survey of more than 6,500 respondents, 90% reported products being unavailable when wanted, and 84% visited more than one retailer to complete their gluten-free shopping. |
| Separate serving | Set out a labelled gluten-free area with dedicated or thoroughly cleaned trays and utensils. Keep gluten-containing food and crumbs away from it, in line with Coeliac UK’s catering advice. | Guests who need gluten-free food should be able to take a biscuit without using tongs shared with ordinary biscuits. |
| Other dietary needs | Read the exact pack for oats, milk, nuts, soya and lupin where relevant. Check vegan or milk-free claims separately from the gluten-free claim. | If guests have other allergies or dietary requirements, I need to choose a biscuit that meets those requirements too, rather than treating all gluten-free packs as interchangeable. |
What can go wrong at the buffet?
-
Assuming gluten-free means free from other allergens
The listed digestives differ in their ingredients and warnings: the own-label options include oat-based products and nut-related cautions, while ASDA lists soya and a possible lupin warning for Schär.
Ask guests about relevant requirements and read the current physical pack before buying and serving.
-
Sharing tongs with ordinary biscuits
Gluten-containing crumbs can reach a correctly labelled biscuit after its pack is opened.
Follow Coeliac UK’s advice to keep gluten-free and gluten-containing foods separate, with dedicated or thoroughly cleaned serving equipment.
-
Leaving the purchase until the last minute
Stock and pack information can change before the wedding. Coeliac UK’s 2022 Shopping Habits survey also recorded availability problems among respondents shopping for gluten-free food.
Check stock in advance, read the packs you receive and identify another suitable product in case your first choice is unavailable.
-
Calling gluten-free Hobnobs digestives
McVitie’s Gluten Free Original Hobnobs are an oat biscuit, not a digestive, so they may not meet a request specifically for digestives.
Offer them as a separate biscuit option if appropriate, while retaining a gluten-free digestive for guests expecting one.
Which brands have relevant biscuits?
These product-line examples help distinguish digestive options from other gluten-free biscuits; check the pack you buy for current details.
Tesco Free From
Tesco lists a 188g gluten-free digestive that is milk free and suitable for vegans.
- An option to check when guests need a plain digestive with those listed dietary claims.
- Tesco says it may contain peanuts and nuts; read the pack before serving.
Sainsbury’s Free From
Sainsbury’s lists a 188g milk- and gluten-free digestive made with oats.
- The retailer lists it as suitable for vegans and coeliacs.
- Sainsbury’s says it is not suitable for customers with a nut allergy because of manufacturing methods and notes that some people may be sensitive to avenin in oats.
Free From by Asda
Asda lists a 188g gluten- and milk-free digestive suitable for vegans.
- Another plain digestive option for comparing pack labels against guests’ needs.
- It contains oats and may contain nuts; check the current pack.
Schär
ASDA lists Schär gluten-free digestives as a 150g pack containing three 50g inner packs.
- Separate packs allow you to hold some biscuits back until the gluten-free serving area needs replenishing.
- ASDA lists soya and a possible lupin warning; inner packs do not replace separate utensils and careful serving.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s Gluten Free Original Hobnobs are a gluten-free oat biscuit alternative, not a digestive.
- They can add a different type of biscuit if that suits the buffet plan.
- Do not use them as a like-for-like digestive substitute without telling guests what they are.
Joybuy digestive biscuits for the buffet
This option is a gluten-free digestive in a pack format that can be opened in stages at a separate buffet station.
No image available
Schar Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
For a separate gluten-free buffet station, ASDA lists this 150g product as three 50g inner packs, so unopened packs can be held back for later service. ASDA lists soya and a possible lupin warning; check the pack against guests’ requirements and use separate serving utensils.
Questions about gluten-free buffet biscuits
What does gluten-free mean on a biscuit sold in the UK?
For food sold to the final consumer, the Food Standards Agency defines gluten-free as no more than 20 mg/kg gluten. It does not mean the biscuit is free from other allergens, so read the exact pack as well.
Can gluten-free digestives sit beside ordinary biscuits?
Keep them separate when serving guests who need gluten-free food. Coeliac UK advises separating gluten-free and gluten-containing foods; use a clearly labelled area and dedicated or thoroughly cleaned utensils to keep shared crumbs away.
Do oat-based gluten-free digestives suit every guest?
No. A gluten-free claim does not settle every guest’s dietary needs: Sainsbury’s notes that some people may be sensitive to avenin in oats. Ask about relevant requirements and check the current ingredient and allergen declaration.
Which pack can I open in stages?
ASDA lists Schär Gluten-Free Digestive as a 150g pack containing three 50g inner packs. You can keep unopened packs back for later service, but still need to keep the serving area and utensils separate from gluten-containing food.
Should I leave the biscuit order until the last minute?
Check stock and a suitable alternative ahead of the wedding rather than depending on one listing. In Coeliac UK’s 2022 Shopping Habits survey of more than 6,500 respondents, 90% reported products being unavailable when wanted and 84% visited more than one retailer for their gluten-free shopping requirements; those figures do not predict stock for a particular biscuit.