Choose a clearly labelled gluten-free digestive if you want a familiar biscuit for the party; plain versions avoid the milk in Tesco's chocolate-coated version. An oat-biscuit alternative offers a different format, but check whether the guest can eat gluten-free oats, then read the current packet for ingredients and other allergen information before serving.
The right party biscuit depends on the guests' ingredient requirements as well as whether you want a digestive or another biscuit format.
Look for an explicit gluten-free label and keep the packet available to check ingredients and allergen statements. Coeliac UK notes that most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but an oat-based biscuit will not suit a guest who avoids oats.
Check each guest's requirements separately. Tesco lists its plain gluten-free digestives as milk free but warns that they may contain peanuts and nuts; Sainsbury's says its plain version is unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy.
A plain digestive keeps to the familiar format. A chocolate-coated digestive or a flavoured oat biscuit changes what you serve, so compare the current packets for ingredients as well as flavour.
Start with the gluten-free label and the guest's other ingredient requirements; then choose the biscuit format you want to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free labelling | Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the current packet. The Food Standards Agency states that foods labelled gluten-free must contain no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten as sold to the consumer; also read the ingredients and allergen information. | I want a packet I can check before guests arrive, rather than relying on the biscuit's name. In a survey of 3,785 Coeliac UK members reported by Coeliac UK Commercial in January 2026, 74% trusted its Crossed Grain Trademark more than a gluten-free statement; that measures trust among those respondents, not biscuit suitability. |
| Oats | Check whether the biscuit contains oats and whether it is explicitly labelled gluten-free. Coeliac UK warns that standard oats can be contaminated when produced alongside wheat, barley or rye. | If my guest avoids oats, I need to check the ingredients even when a biscuit is labelled gluten-free. |
| Other allergens | Read the current ingredients and any precautionary statements for every biscuit you plan to serve. Tesco lists a peanuts-and-nuts warning for its plain gluten-free digestives; Sainsbury's advises against its plain version for customers with a nut allergy. | A gluten-free choice still has to fit the other guests' requirements, so I would check milk, soya and nut information separately. |
| Biscuit format | Choose between a plain digestive, a chocolate-coated digestive and a different oat-biscuit format. Tesco lists 5.3g sugars and 1.7g saturates per biscuit for its chocolate-coated gluten-free digestives; use the same measurement basis when comparing packets. | For a familiar sharing biscuit, I would choose a digestive. If I want chocolate or another flavour, I would check the changed ingredients before serving it to the same guests. |
A biscuit can be gluten-free and still contain another ingredient a guest avoids. Tesco's plain digestives may contain peanuts and nuts, while Sainsbury's says its plain digestives are unsuitable for customers with a nut allergy.
Ask guests about their requirements, then check the physical packet for each biscuit you intend to serve.
“Pure oats” or “100% oats” does not establish a gluten-free claim. Coeliac UK notes that standard oats may be contaminated when produced alongside cereals containing gluten.
Choose an explicitly labelled gluten-free oat biscuit only if the guest can eat gluten-free oats.
Tesco's chocolate-coated gluten-free digestives contain milk, unlike its plain digestives, which Tesco lists as milk free.
Read the chocolate version's current allergen information and check availability before making it the only biscuit planned for the party.
These ranges illustrate different biscuit formats and label checks; a brand name alone does not establish that a particular packet suits a guest.
Tesco lists both plain 188g gluten-free oat digestives and chocolate-coated 200g gluten-free oat digestives.
Sainsbury's lists a 188g milk- and gluten-free digestive made with oats.
Nairn's lists gluten-free Oaties and Biscuit Break varieties for hosts who do not specifically need a digestive.
These options include one plain gluten-free digestive, two sweet biscuit alternatives and a savoury oatcake. The alternatives are not substitutes for a digestive when that particular format matters.
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A plain digestive format for the sharing table. The named pack is 150g and labelled gluten-free; check its current ingredients for oats and any other allergens relevant to your guests.
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A 150g gluten-free Hobnobs option if you want a sweet biscuit rather than a digestive. Read the current ingredients and allergen statements before serving.
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A flavoured 160g oat-biscuit option rather than a traditional digestive. Check that the intended guests can eat oats, and read the packet for other allergen information.
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A savoury 180g oatcake option for a different part of the party table, not a sweet digestive. Check the current packet for oat, milk and other allergen information.
No. Coeliac UK says most people with coeliac disease can eat gluten-free oats, but an oat-based biscuit will not suit someone who avoids oats. Choose an explicitly labelled gluten-free product and check its ingredients with the guest's requirements in mind.
No. Look for an explicit gluten-free claim rather than treating “wheat free” as equivalent, and read the full ingredients and allergen information. Other cereals can contain gluten, and oats still need attention even in a gluten-free product.
Check the current packet before serving and keep it available for guests to read. Use a separate clean plate and serving utensils, and avoid mixing the biscuits with foods containing gluten.