Cereal bar

Mix rolled oats with chopped nuts or dried fruit, then bind with honey or date paste and a little melted butter or nut butter. Press firmly into a lined tin and bake at 160°C for about 20 minutes; let the slab cool completely before cutting so the bars hold together.

Use enough sticky binder to coat the dry ingredients, press the mixture very firmly into the tin, and chill it before slicing. If the mixture still crumbles, stir in a little more honey or date paste.

Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, separating homemade bars with baking paper so they do not stick together. Homemade bars with fresh fruit or other moist ingredients are better kept in the fridge.

Check the ingredient list for the cereals, nuts or fruit you want, and notice whether sugar, syrup or chocolate appears near the beginning. A bar made with oats or other wholegrains can be a source of fibre.

One bar is a straightforward snack portion, but bars differ greatly in size and ingredients. If it is a large bar, you can split it and save half for later.

The names overlap: both commonly combine cereals such as oats with fruit, nuts or a sweet binder. Muesli bars often have visible flakes and pieces, while cereal bar can describe a wider range, including bars made from crisped grains.

A high-protein cereal bar contains 29.5 g protein per 100 g, compared with 6.3 g in a cereal bar. Its name signals a different recipe, often with added protein ingredients, rather than simply more wholegrain cereal.

Pair one with plain yoghurt or a piece of fresh fruit for a more substantial snack. A fruit-and-oat bar also goes well with tea or coffee.