Parents who have been struggling to know what healthy snacks to give their children during the summer holidays have probably used up all their ideas by now. But have you considered making them pressed dried fruit and nut bars?

Not only are these delicious, but they are packed with nutrients, with the British Heart Foundation saying: “They are also high in fibre and the fats are usually from nuts, which contain healthier unsaturated fats, unlike the saturated fats found in chocolate, cakes and biscuits.”

It added: “They are quite filling so can be good if you are hungry and it’s a long time until your next meal, or if you’re doing something active.”

So how do you make these bars yourself?

The great thing about these bars is you can adapt the recipe depending on which nuts and dried fruit you have available.

Panning The Globe recommends using two and a half cups of dried fruit, the same quantity of nuts, four to five tablespoons of seeds, four ounces of almond flour, one teaspoon of cardamon or cinnamon, a sprinkle of salt and half a cup of raw honey.

All you have to do is put the ingredients in the food processer and mix everything together until it becomes sticky. Then simply press it into a baking pan for around an hour until it is golden brown on top. This will make 24 bars comprising 199 calories, 6g of protein, 13.8g fat, 13.7g carbohydrates, 8g sugar, 3.6g of dietary fibre and 101.3mg sodium.

For a simpler recipe, The Kitchn recommends blending one cup of nuts, one cup of dried fruit and one cup of dates. Then press into an 8”x8” square and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

Fill up on ingredients by looking at our nuts and dried fruit suppliers.