Meeting refreshment organisers
If you are putting out biscuits with drinks, consider whether a shared packet suits the group and how much you will need. Ordinary and chocolate-coated custard creams are different serving choices.
Who is choosing?
Organisers accommodating dietary needs
Check the exact pack rather than assuming every custard cream has the same ingredients. Specifically labelled alternatives and portion packs offer different ways to serve attendees with stated requirements.
Hosts choosing a meeting thank-you
A boxed chocolate assortment offers a different presentation from an open biscuit packet. Its ingredient and allergen information still needs checking before it is shared.
What should you check?
Decide what you are serving first, then check the exact pack for dietary suitability, quantity and storage instructions.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Format and occasion | Tesco describes ordinary custard creams as vanilla-flavour sandwich biscuits and its coated version as biscuits covered in milk chocolate. Asda lists Cadbury Milk Tray as an assortment of chocolates, not biscuits. | For biscuits alongside drinks, I would choose a biscuit packet. If I am presenting a thank-you or want a choice of chocolates, a boxed assortment fits that purpose instead. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the label of the exact variant. Asda lists wheat and milk in its ordinary custard creams but describes its separate Free From version as milk- and gluten-free; a dietary claim does not cover every allergen. | Someone attending has a dietary requirement, so I need to confirm what they require and make the relevant pack information available. |
| Quantity | Compare the pack quantity with the number of people you plan to serve. Tesco lists 400 g ordinary and 162 g chocolate-coated custard creams; Asda lists a 312 g Milk Tray assortment. Weight alone does not give a chocolate piece count. | I need enough to put out for the group, whether I am opening a shared biscuit packet or presenting a box of chocolates. |
| Storage and serving | Follow the chosen pack’s instructions. Tesco says to store its ordinary custard creams somewhere cool and dry and use an airtight container after opening; Asda’s Milk Tray listing says to store it somewhere dry and protect it from heat. | If refreshments will wait before the meeting or be kept afterwards, I want to store them as directed and retain the packaging so people can identify what was served. |
Common buying mistakes
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Confusing coated biscuits with assorted chocolates
Tesco’s chocolate-coated custard creams are filled biscuits; the Cadbury Milk Tray product listed by Asda is a chocolate assortment. They do not offer the same format or have interchangeable ingredient information.
Choose the serving format you want, then check the precise product label.
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Assuming every custard cream meets the same dietary needs
Asda lists wheat and milk in its ordinary custard creams, while its separate Free From custard creams are described as milk- and gluten-free.
Specify the variant and check its current packaging against the attendee’s requirements before serving.
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Choosing a pack without planning the quantity
The cited ordinary biscuits, coated biscuits and boxed chocolates have different pack weights and serving formats. A pack’s weight does not by itself establish how many people it will serve.
Decide how you will put the refreshments out and check the amount needed for the group.
If one pack is insufficient, you will need additional packs for the meeting.
Relevant brand examples
These examples illustrate distinct products and variants; a brand name alone cannot establish what is in a particular pack.
Tesco
Tesco lists both ordinary 400 g custard creams and a separate 162 g milk-chocolate-coated version.
- The two listings show the difference between a plain biscuit packet and a coated biscuit.
- Their ingredients differ; use the information for the variant being served.
Asda
Asda lists ordinary custard creams and a separate Free From custard-cream product.
- Asda describes its 125 g Free From product as milk- and gluten-free and suitable for vegans.
- Its ordinary 400 g custard creams contain wheat and milk; the Free From description does not apply across the range.
Schär
Asda lists Schär custard creams in five individual 25 g portion packs.
- The listing describes this product as gluten-free, lactose-free and suitable for vegans.
- Check the exact pack against the attendee’s requirements; those descriptions do not address every allergen.
Cadbury
The 312 g Milk Tray listed by Asda is a boxed chocolate assortment rather than a custard-cream biscuit.
- Asda describes this box as an assortment for gifting or sharing.
- The listing declares milk, hazelnuts and soya and warns that it may contain other nuts.
M&S
M&S lists a 165 g Extra Cream Custard Creams biscuit made with custard powder.
- Its product description identifies a filling-focused variant for readers comparing custard-cream styles.
- The listed ingredients include wheat, milk and soya; check the exact pack when serving.
Crawford's
Iceland Foods describes a 300 g Crawford's vanilla-filled custard-cream biscuit.
- It is a named example of the ordinary custard-cream format.
- Iceland’s ingredient listing declares wheat and milk.
Joybuy product options
These options cover a dietary-specific custard cream and chocolates for serving or presenting at a work meeting; they are not a like-for-like list of ordinary custard creams.
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Schar Gluten Free Custard Creams 125g
A custard-cream option to assess when an attendee needs a specifically labelled biscuit.
The 125 g product is listed in five individual portion packs; Asda describes this Schär variant as gluten-free, lactose-free and suitable for vegans. Check the actual pack against the attendee’s requirements.
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Lindt Lindor Assorted Cornet 200g
An assorted chocolate option if you want to offer a choice rather than a biscuit packet.
The pack is labelled 200 g. Check its contents and allergen information against what attendees need.
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Cadbury Milk Tray 312g
A boxed chocolate assortment to consider when presentation or a choice of chocolates matters more than serving biscuits with drinks.
Asda’s listing for the 312 g Milk Tray declares milk, hazelnuts and soya and warns that it may contain other nuts. Check the pack you receive before serving.
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Ferrero Rocher T24 300g
A chocolate option for a meeting where you want to present a named product rather than put out custard creams.
The variant is T24, 300 g. Check its pack for the number of pieces, ingredients and suitability for attendees before deciding how much to order.
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Lindt Lindor Cornet Strawberries & Cream 200g
Consider this named Strawberries & Cream chocolate variant if that flavour suits the meeting, rather than assuming it is a mixed-flavour assortment.
The pack is labelled 200 g. Check its ingredients and the amount needed for the group.
Questions about serving
Do custard creams actually contain custard?
Check the particular biscuit rather than relying on its name. Tesco describes its ordinary custard creams as vanilla-flavour sandwich biscuits, while M&S says its Extra Cream version is made with custard powder.
Does a vegan or gluten-free label address every food allergy?
No. Those descriptions refer to particular attributes of a product, not every potential allergen or an individual attendee’s requirements. Check the current pack’s ingredients and precautionary information against what the attendee needs.
How should biscuits and chocolates be stored for the meeting?
Follow each product’s instructions. Tesco says to keep its ordinary custard creams cool and dry and put them in an airtight container after opening; Asda’s Milk Tray listing says to store the chocolates somewhere dry and protect them from heat.
Should I keep the packaging when putting refreshments out?
Yes, keep the original packaging available so attendees can identify the product and check its ingredient and allergen information. This is particularly useful if biscuits or chocolates have been taken out of their packs for serving.