Families looking for a sugars-free biscuit
The decisive check is the sugars figure per 100 g. A custard cream described as milk-free or gluten-free may still contain sugars.
Who is this choice for?
Families checking allergens
Ordinary and Free From custard creams can have different ingredients. Check the exact pack’s ingredient list and precautionary allergen information against the child’s requirements.
What should you check?
Start with the requirement that matters most: a sugars-free claim, an alternative snack, or the ingredients of a biscuit you plan to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars-free status | Read sugars per 100 g on the current pack. The UK sugars-free threshold published on legislation.gov.uk is no more than 0.5 g per 100 g; check what any Free From label actually refers to. | I need a biscuit that meets a sugars-free requirement, not one that is simply labelled milk-free or gluten-free. |
| Snack choice | If a custard cream is not essential, consider the fruit, vegetables, plain rice cakes or toast suggested by the NHS. If serving biscuits, compare the sugars per biscuit and decide how many to offer. | For an after-school snack, I’m open to a different food rather than assuming a custard cream must meet this need. |
| Allergens | Check the exact variant’s ingredients and precautionary allergen information. Ordinary Tesco custard creams list whey powder (milk), while Tesco labels its specified Free From version milk-free. | A child needs to avoid a particular ingredient, so I cannot rely on the words ‘custard cream’ or ‘vegan’ to establish whether this pack is suitable. |
| Individual biscuit | Compare per-biscuit figures on the products you are considering, as well as their ingredients. Tesco lists 3.4 g sugars per ordinary biscuit and 2.8 g per specified milk-free Free From biscuit. | If custard creams are an occasional choice, I want to know what is in the particular biscuit and decide on a portion before serving it. |
Common mistakes to avoid
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Reading ‘Free From’ as ‘sugars-free’
The documented milk-free custard creams still list sugars, so that label alone cannot answer a sugars-free buying question.
Check the sugars declaration per 100 g against the UK threshold of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g, as published on legislation.gov.uk.
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Assuming every custard cream has the same allergens
Some documented ordinary versions list milk ingredients, while specified Free From versions are labelled milk-free. The Food Standards Agency also cautions against treating a vegan label alone as assurance for a food allergy.
Read the ingredients and precautionary allergen information on the exact current pack.
Brand and retailer examples
These are examples of particular labelled biscuits, not claims about every product made or sold under each name.
Tesco
Tesco lists both an ordinary custard cream and a specified milk-free Free From version.
- The Free From version is labelled milk-free.
- Tesco lists 2.8 g sugars per Free From biscuit and 3.4 g per ordinary biscuit; the ordinary version lists whey powder (milk).
Asda
Asda’s documented ordinary and milk-free Free From custard creams address different ingredient requirements.
- The specified Free From biscuit is labelled milk-free.
- Asda lists 3.4 g sugars per ordinary biscuit and 3.5 g per specified Free From biscuit; the ordinary biscuit lists milk as an allergen.
Sainsbury’s
The specified Free From custard cream is labelled milk-free and gluten-free.
- Its labels identify the particular ingredients it is intended to exclude.
- Sainsbury’s lists 24.9 g sugars per 100 g for this biscuit, so it does not meet the UK sugars-free threshold.
Crawford’s
The documented 300 g pack contains ordinary custard creams.
- Tesco’s listing gives 3.6 g sugars per biscuit and lists whey solids (milk).
M&S
M&S describes its Extra Cream Custard Creams as having a larger filling.
- The listed product contains 40.2 g sugars per 100 g and includes dried whey and skimmed milk.
McVitie’s
A Joybuy listing describes a particular McVitie’s Tasties custard cream, rather than the whole McVitie’s range.
- That listing gives 30.6 g sugars per 100 g, so the listed biscuit does not meet the UK sugars-free threshold.
A sandwich-biscuit alternative on Joybuy
This Oreo sandwich biscuit is an alternative format, not a custard cream. If a sugars-free biscuit is essential, compare the current pack’s sugars declaration with the UK threshold before choosing it.
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Oreo Zero Sugar Sandwich Cookies, 97 g
A sandwich cookie rather than a custard cream, in a 97 g pack. For an after-school snack, check the current pack’s sugars declaration and allergen information against the child’s requirements.
Questions about after-school custard creams
Does ‘Free From Custard Creams’ mean sugars-free?
No. Check what the biscuit is free from, then read its sugars figure. Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s documented milk-free versions both list sugars; for a sugars-free claim, compare the current pack’s per-100 g figure with the UK limit of no more than 0.5 g per 100 g published on legislation.gov.uk.
What should I check before serving a custard cream to a child with a milk allergy?
Check the exact current pack’s ingredients and precautionary allergen information against the child’s requirements. Some ordinary custard creams list milk ingredients, and the Food Standards Agency cautions that a vegan label alone does not establish allergen safety.
How should I keep an opened pack?
Follow the instructions on the particular pack. For its ordinary custard creams, Tesco says to store them in a cool, dry place and use an airtight container once opened.
Do school food standards apply to an after-school biscuit eaten at home?
England’s Department for Education guidance concerns food and drink provided to pupils at school, not a family snack eaten at home. If a school will provide the biscuit, check the rules applicable to that setting rather than treating the home snack decision as the same question.