Indulge yourself the healthy way with these treats FREE from ultra-processed food, by top nutritionist ROB HOBSON

Convenience food is at the heart of the ultra-processed foods crisis.  We've become too reliant on 'healthy' shortcuts such as cereal bars for breakfast, supermarket muffins for after school and mid-week sanity savers like shop-bought fish cakes and pasta bakes.

The answer, of course, is to make our own but I can see you eye-rolling at the thought. 'I haven't got time' is something people frequently say to me.

But today, in the final part of this series from my new book Unprocess Your Family Life, I will show you it need not be as time-consuming as you think.

The beauty of making your own convenience food is that you can really up its nutritional value, even when it comes to making 'treats' for the family, such as chocolate spread and popcorn.

Also, remember the power of your freezer. If you're going to the trouble of making my chocolate and banana everyday loaf cake, double the batch and keep one for later.

Defrosting baked goods is far easier than heading to the supermarket when you run out. It's also so much healthier.

Mass-produced shop-bought cakes usually contain a long list of artificial ingredients to improve flavour and extend shelf life.

Using the right storage solutions will also make life easier: such as freezing a meal in a container it can be reheated in.

Do you lack freezer space? Look out for silicone pouches for both storing and warming food.

It's just about getting into new habits. Once those are in place you'll feel happier and healthier – as will your children.

 Chocolate and banana everyday loaf cake

Many shop-bought cakes have a long shelf life and contain ingredients you would never have in your kitchen cupboard, such as the emulsifier sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, and processing aids such as triethyl citrate and microcrystalline cellulose. Keep it simple and homemade for a healthier, tastier treat.

SERVES 8

125g wholemeal flour

125g plain flour

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of fine salt

3 large, very ripe bananas

2 eggs, beaten

100g coconut oil, melted

2 tbsp honey

60g dark chocolate (70–85 per cent cocoa solids), chopped into small chunks

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with non-stick parchment paper. Then combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Peel the bananas and blend them in a food processor until they are mashed. Add the eggs, coconut oil and honey and blend again until smooth.

Pour the banana mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and fold lightly to combine. Then gently fold in the chocolate chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the tin for ten minutes, then transfer it on to a wire rack to cool down completely.

Enjoy the cake on its own or with slices of banana.

Chocolate spread

Why settle for shop-bought chocolate spread with added emulsifiers when you can whip up your own in no time?

This homemade version is less sweet, boasting a true hazelnut flavour and a richer chocolate taste.

MAKES 200g

200g blanched hazelnuts

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2–3 tbsp honey

Pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for ten minutes, being careful not to burn them. Once toasted, remove from the oven and let them cool.

Transfer the hazelnuts to a food processor and blitz for five minutes until they form a smooth paste.

Add the cocoa powder, coconut oil, honey and sea salt, then blitz for another 30 seconds.

Slowly add 100ml of water to the mixture to achieve a spreadable consistency – you may not need all the water. Keep the spread in an airtight container in the fridge and it will last for up to two weeks.

Honey, cinnamon and sea salt popcorn 

This has the sweet and salty vibe of shop-bought popcorn, but it contains less sugar, more flavour and is just a fraction of the cost, which makes it a great family snack. Popping corn is also a good source of fibre and antioxidant polyphenols, which can help to promote long-term good health.

SERVES 4

1 tbsp coconut oil

80g popcorn kernels

1–2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp fine sea salt

Melt the coconut oil in a large pan (with a lid) over a medium-high heat.

Add the popcorn kernels to the pan and cover with the lid. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent the kernels from burning while they pop.

Once the popping has stopped, remove the lid and transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.

Pour the honey into the same pan and add the cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine.

Put the popcorn back into the pan and stir well to coat it with the honey and cinnamon mixture. Allow time to cool down before serving.

Sweet chilli sauce 

Making your own sweet chilli sauce is surprisingly easy. I've reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe and used honey, a natural sweetener – albeit still technically a type of sugar.

MAKES 300ml

150g honey

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1½ tsp cornflour

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

½–1 tsp crushed dried chillies

Good pinch of sea salt

Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add all the ingredients as well as 120ml water, stirring well until the honey dissolves.

Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for six minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool completely before transferring the sauce to a jar or bottle for storage. It will last for up to two weeks in the fridge.

BBQ sauce 

Shop-bought sauces are usually ultra-processed and high in sugar and salt, so I've tried to reduce both in this recipe. By using fresh ingredients such as onions, garlic and tomato passata, this sauce not only tastes better but also offers a superior nutrient profile.

MAKES 500ml

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

500g jar of tomato passata

60ml apple cider vinegar

160g black treacle

½ tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for five minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes.

Stir in the passata, vinegar, treacle, salt and optional spice and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 25–30 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Leave to cool, then use a stick blender to blitz to a smooth sauce. It will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.

ISOTONIC ELECTROLYTE DRINKS

Lemon and lime flavour 

Most of what you are paying for when you buy these drinks pre-made is the packaging; they are very cheap to make yourself and taste just as good.

MAKES 1 LITRE

1 large lemon

2 limes

1 litre water

5 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

Squeeze the juice from the citrus fruits into a large jug, then drop in the squeezed-out fruits. Add the water and stir. Transfer to the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Remove the fruit from the water and stir in the sugar and salt to dissolve. Transfer to a litre water bottle and shake, then leave in the fridge to cool.

• ADAPTED from Unprocess Your Family Life by Rob Hobson (Thorsons, £18.99). © Rob Hobson 2025. To order a copy for £16.14 (offer valid until January 25, 2025; UK P&P free on orders over £25) go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
• For more delicious recipes go to mailplus.co.uk/food