Nut bar

Warm honey or golden syrup in a pan, stir in chopped nuts, then press the mixture firmly into a lined tin. Bake at 160°C until golden, then leave it to cool completely before cutting so the bars set rather than crumble.

Keep shop-bought bars sealed in a cool, dry cupboard. Store homemade bars in an airtight container; refrigerate them if they’re soft or made with ingredients that need chilling.

Bars with whole nuts can be a choking risk for children under five. The NHS advises against giving whole nuts to this age group; choose a smooth alternative or one without whole nuts.

Check the ingredients for the nuts you want, and look at the allergen information: bars may contain several nuts or be made where other allergens are handled. If you’re after a less sweet bar, compare the sugars per 100 g on the pack.

Per 100 g, a cereal bar has 70.9 g carbohydrate and 8.53 g fat, compared with 31 g carbohydrate and 35 g fat in a nut bar. Nut bars are generally more nut-led, while cereal bars tend to contain more grains or dried fruit.

Yes. Break it into small pieces and scatter them over plain yoghurt or porridge just before eating, so they add crunch rather than going soft.