Hosts serving a guest with coeliac disease
Choose a biscuit labelled gluten free and serve it without contact with crumbs from ordinary biscuits. Coeliac UK advises using clean surfaces and utensils to avoid cross-contamination at home.
Who is this for?
Hosts accommodating several food needs
A gluten-free label does not answer every allergen question. Schär’s rich tea ingredients include egg and milk, and its label says the biscuits may also contain soya and lupin.
Hosts offering two biscuit plates
Ordinary rich tea can be a separate option for guests who do not need gluten-free food. Keep the plates and serving utensils distinct so crumbs do not reach the gluten-free biscuits.
What should you check?
Choose the biscuit for the guest’s requirements first, then plan how you will set it out alongside any ordinary biscuits.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free claim | Look for a gluten-free claim on the exact biscuit. Check the current ingredients and allergen statement rather than treating “rich tea” or “vegan” as a gluten-free claim. The Food Standards Agency gives a limit of no more than 20 mg/kg gluten for food labelled gluten-free, as sold to the final consumer. | I need a rich tea biscuit I can identify as gluten free. The checked ordinary Tesco and Asda rich tea biscuits list wheat and barley ingredients, despite their vegan designations. |
| Other allergens | Read the current pack for every allergen relevant to your guests. Schär lists egg and milk in its rich tea biscuits and warns that they may also contain soya and lupin. | Gluten free alone will not settle the choice if someone coming to the coffee morning also needs to avoid another ingredient. |
| Separate serving | Keep gluten-free biscuits apart from ordinary-biscuit crumbs. Use clean surfaces and utensils; Coeliac UK advises washing them with hot soapy water to avoid cross-contamination at home. | I want to put out both kinds of biscuit without passing ordinary-biscuit crumbs onto the gluten-free plate. |
| Portions and planning | Schär’s 125 g rich tea box is listed with three portion packs. Check the pack quantity against the number of guests, and confirm the exact product when arranging collection or delivery. | There need to be enough suitable biscuits to keep a separate plate available throughout the coffee morning. |
Serving mistakes to avoid
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Assuming every rich tea recipe is gluten free
The checked conventional Tesco, Asda, M&S and McVitie’s products list wheat or barley, while Schär’s separately labelled rich tea product is gluten free.
Identify the exact biscuit and check its current pack. Neither the style of biscuit nor a vegan designation establishes gluten-free suitability.
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Using one free-from choice for every allergen need
Schär’s gluten-free rich tea biscuits contain egg and milk and may also contain soya and lupin.
Ask guests which ingredients they need to avoid, then check the current pack against those requirements before serving.
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Putting both kinds of biscuit on one plate
Crumbs from ordinary biscuits can reach the gluten-free biscuits during serving.
Set out separate portions on clean surfaces and use separate, clean serving utensils, in line with Coeliac UK’s cross-contamination advice.
Relevant brand references
These references concern the named products and listings, not every biscuit made or sold by each brand.
Schär
Its 125 g rich tea biscuits are identified as gluten free by Schär and in UK grocery listings.
- Schär describes the biscuits as wheat free and portion packed; Tesco lists three portion packs.
- The recipe contains egg and milk and may also contain soya and lupin.
McVitie’s
The checked Rich Tea The Classic One twin pack is a conventional option for guests who do not need gluten-free biscuits.
- Asda Groceries lists wheat and barley for this product; do not use it as the gluten-free option.
Tesco
Its checked own-label rich tea and its separate Schär listing refer to different products.
- The Schär listing identifies a gluten-free rich tea option and gives allergen details.
- Tesco Rich Tea Biscuits 300 g list wheat flour and barley malt extract; their vegan designation does not make them gluten free.
Asda
Its checked own-label rich tea and separate Schär listing need different places in a mixed biscuit spread.
- Asda’s Schär listing identifies a gluten-free product and lists milk and egg.
- Asda Rich Tea Biscuits 300 g list wheat and barley.
M&S
The checked Rich Tea Biscuits are a conventional option, not the gluten-free plate.
- The M&S listing includes wheatflour and barley malt extract and advises checking the current food information.
Waitrose
Its checked own-label rich tea fingers and separate Schär listing have different gluten information.
- The Schär rich tea listing is marked gluten free.
- Waitrose Rich Tea Finger Biscuits list wheat flour and barley malt extract.
Joybuy biscuit alternatives
These are gluten-free biscuit styles for a coffee morning, not rich tea biscuits. Check each current pack against your guests’ other ingredient requirements and use the separate-serving precautions described above.
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Nairns Gluten Free Biscuit Breaks Chunky Oats, Dark & Coconut 160g
A gluten-free oat biscuit with dark chocolate and coconut for guests who want an alternative to plain rich tea. Check the current pack for other relevant ingredients, including whether oats suit the guest, and serve it away from ordinary-biscuit crumbs.
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Schär Gluten Free Digestive Biscuits 150g
A gluten-free digestive if the coffee morning does not call for rich tea specifically. Check the current allergen information for each guest, and put the biscuits on a clean, separate plate when serving ordinary biscuits too.
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Schär Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers 125g
Gluten-free vanilla wafers offer a different biscuit style from rich tea. Read the current pack for other relevant allergens before offering them to guests, and keep them apart from ordinary-biscuit crumbs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a vegan rich tea biscuit suit a gluten-free guest?
Not on the strength of its vegan label. The checked Tesco and Asda ordinary rich tea biscuits are designated vegan but list wheat and barley ingredients; look for a gluten-free claim on the specific product instead.
How should I serve gluten-free biscuits beside ordinary ones?
Keep the biscuits and serving utensils separate so ordinary-biscuit crumbs do not reach the gluten-free food. Coeliac UK advises washing surfaces and utensils with hot soapy water to avoid cross-contamination at home.
Are Schär gluten-free rich tea biscuits milk- and egg-free?
No. Schär lists egg and milk in its rich tea biscuits, so check the current pack against each guest’s relevant allergens before serving.
Do “very-low gluten” and “gluten-free” mean the same thing?
No. The Food Standards Agency identifies separate limits for food as sold to the final consumer: no more than 20 mg/kg gluten for “gluten-free” and no more than 100 mg/kg for “very-low gluten”. If the guest needs a gluten-free product, check for that specific claim.