Runners looking for a lower-sugar biscuit
If a custard cream is your preferred pre-run snack, compare the sugars on the exact pack rather than relying on the biscuit style or a free-from label.
Who is this for?
Runners eating shortly before training
For a snack 60–90 minutes before exercise, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat. Consider the timing, portion and whether you have tolerated that food before running.
Shoppers avoiding gluten or milk
Dietary suitability needs its own label check. Sainsbury's describes its Free From custard creams as gluten free and milk free, but lists 24.9g sugars per 100g.
What should you check?
Compare sugar and portion information first, then consider how the biscuit's fat content fits the time you plan to eat before running.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | Compare sugars per 100g on the exact packs, then check sugars per biscuit and its stated size. Sainsbury's lists 26.5g per 100g for its standard custard creams and 24.9g for its Free From version; Tesco lists 28.3g, the Crawford's listing at Tesco 30.7g, and M&S 40.2g for Extra Cream. | I want a biscuit that meets my lower-sugar requirement, not one that merely sounds like it might. A free-from label answers a different question. |
| Pre-run timing | Check the portion and fat information as well as carbohydrate. The British Dietetic Association advises a low-fat, high-carbohydrate snack or light meal two to three hours before exercise; University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate, protein and minimal fat for a snack 60–90 minutes beforehand. | If I am eating close to a 5K training run, I need a portion and food I have tolerated before, rather than assuming any sweet biscuit will suit that window. |
| Dietary suitability | Read the current ingredients and allergen declaration on the exact pack. Sainsbury's labels its Free From custard creams gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans; check their sugar information separately. | Avoiding gluten or milk matters to me, but I still want to judge sugar on its own terms. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming ‘free from’ means reduced sugar
Sainsbury's labels its Free From custard creams gluten free and milk free, but also lists 24.9g sugars per 100g.
Check the dietary statement and sugars line separately on the pack you intend to buy.
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Comparing biscuits without checking their size
A per-biscuit figure depends on the stated portion. The per-100g sugar figures also differ between products: Sainsbury's lists 26.5g for its standard custard creams, while M&S lists 40.2g for Extra Cream.
Use per-100g figures to compare packs, then check the per-biscuit information for the portion you might eat.
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Assuming a sweet biscuit suits every pre-run window
The British Dietetic Association advises a low-fat, high-carbohydrate snack or light meal two to three hours before exercise. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises minimal fat for a snack 60–90 minutes before training.
Consider the biscuit's fat information, your timing and whether you have tolerated it during ordinary training.
Relevant brand references
These label details refer to the named products, not every biscuit made by each brand.
Sainsbury's
Its standard custard creams and Free From custard creams have different dietary labels and sugar figures.
- The Free From version is labelled gluten free, milk free and suitable for vegans.
- Sainsbury's lists 26.5g sugars per 100g for the standard version and 24.9g for Free From; the dietary label does not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
Tesco
Tesco lists its own-label custard cream biscuits in a 400g pack.
- The listing gives both per-100g and per-biscuit sugar information.
- Tesco lists 28.3g sugars and 20.5g fat per 100g; it marks the sugars in one biscuit as high.
Crawford's
The Crawford's custard creams listed by Tesco come in a 300g pack.
- The Tesco listing provides sugar and fat figures per 100g and a sugar figure per biscuit.
- It lists 30.7g sugars and 21.6g fat per 100g; those figures alone do not establish a reduced-sugar claim.
M&S
M&S Extra Cream Custard Creams are a distinct extra-cream variant.
- The product listing gives carbohydrate, sugar and fat figures per 100g.
- M&S lists 40.2g sugars and 23.4g fat per 100g for this variant.
Joybuy snack options
These are alternatives to custard creams: a savoury lentil cake and a cookies-and-cream biscuit. Check each pack against your sugar preference and pre-run timing rather than treating either as a reduced-sugar custard cream.
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Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes 100g
A savoury lentil cake is an alternative if you are open to a snack other than a custard cream. Check its nutrition and allergen information on the pack before choosing it for a pre-run snack.
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Gullon Zero No Added Sugar Cookies and Cream 210g
This cookies-and-cream biscuit keeps a sweet biscuit format, but it is not a custard cream. ‘No Added Sugar’ does not tell you its total sugars or fat content; check both on the pack when choosing a pre-run portion.
Frequently asked questions
Are standard custard creams reduced in sugar?
Do not treat them as reduced-sugar products without checking a claim on the exact pack. Sainsbury's lists 26.5g sugars per 100g for its standard custard creams, Tesco 28.3g, the Crawford's listing at Tesco 30.7g, and M&S 40.2g for Extra Cream. Sainsbury's Free From version lists 24.9g, but its dietary label is not a reduced-sugar claim.
Should I eat custard creams just before a 5K?
Do not assume a custard cream is the right snack for that timing. For food 60–90 minutes before training, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust advises carbohydrate and protein with minimal fat; consider the biscuit's fat content, portion and whether you have tolerated it before running.
How can I compare sugar between biscuit packs?
Compare sugars per 100g, then check the stated amount per biscuit or serving for the portion you might eat. GOV.UK explains that traffic-light labels show whether sugars, fat, saturates and salt are high, medium or low.
Are custard creams suitable if I avoid gluten or milk?
Check the exact product rather than relying on the biscuit category. Sainsbury's labels its Free From custard creams gluten free and milk free; read the current pack's ingredients and allergen declaration before buying, and assess its sugar content separately.