I’m always on the lookout for toddler friendly sweet treats, and with a couple of bananas looking a little worse for wear I came across this sugar-free banana and date flapjack recipe from those helpful ladies at mumsnet. Not only is it sugar free, it’s also dairy-free as you use vegetable oil instead of butter.

With very few ingredients and oil being used instead of butter, it’s the perfect recipe for the toddler to get involved with. Usually he’s a dab hand at mixing, but on this particular occasion he was too busy watching Planes 2 with the husband, so I baked alone.

With the oven fired up to gas mark 5 I popped the dates into the food-processor. Having chopped dates by hand before I’ve decided it’s too much like hard work and rather sticky. So, if you’ve got a food-processor to hand, use it!

The flapjacks take no time at all to throw together and the dates add just enough sweetness that you don’t miss the sugar and golden syrup that flapjacks are usually packed full of.

A little over half an hour later the flapjacks are cooling ready for the toddler taste test.

The verdict from the toddler: ‘Yay, banana flapjacks, banana flapjacks’ sung while he does a little flapjack dance.