Despite their fall from grace from the heady heights of 1920s cool, if they are made properly, a good flapjack recipe has many positive aspects. A crunchy, rather than gooey centre, creates a much more satisfying taste. And with all the oats rolled into the mixture it is little surprise that they keep you going for hours and help combat those midday sugar low moments.

However, like pretty much everything else that tastes good, there are downsides to the oat slice - the high fat content that permeates through traditional recipes. The large dollops of butter and syrup promise a calorie cocktail that will sit uncomfortably in the stomachs of the health conscious.

But fear not, for there are a number of steps which can be taken to help reduce the fat content of your next batch. First off, always use brown sugar - simple. Second, replace the syrup with honey - again, not too taxing. 

Once these factors have been taken care of, the fudge chunks, chocolate drops and white chocolate pieces can be abandoned in favour of fruit both dry and fresh -mangoes, cranberries, cherries and coconut are all tasty replacements in a healthy flapjack recipe.

Chopped nuts add vital nutrients, while seeds are another great source of nutrition. Try adding pumpkin seeds which are rich in omega 3 to help with a healthy heart and brain.

For help and advice with the perfect flapjack recipe, take a look at Waitrose's online collection of healthy eating recipe gems.