What food should you bring on a flight?

Nothing too fussy, wet, smelly or requiring elaborate preparation on the very limited real estate that an economy class tray table affords.

However, given the appetite for MKR, MasterChef and the inescapable Nigella Lawson, this is an opportunity to showcase your culinary skills.

Food fashionistas under the spell of the current fascination for the Levantine kitchen might go for a fragrantly spiced chicken salad with roasted pumpkin sauced with pomegranate molasses and cumin seeds, on a bed of quinoa or tabouleh.

Followed by a creamy dessert of Thai-style sticky rice with coconut blossom sugar and sliced mango, all in Tupperware-style containers.

Continental types might prefer a crusty baguette with prosciutto and provolone, and while it may be tempting to add some punch by way of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, blot the tomatoes with kitchen paper or the oil will bleed into the bread, or worse still dribble calamitously onto your shirtfront.

Leafy green salads are best avoided since any dressing will leave you with a soggy mess by the time you get around to ingesting.

Fruit is good but stick to harder items. A crunchy apple is ideal but a banana will almost certainly squish. Dried fruit and nuts are perfect and keep yourself well hydrated.

Finally, a couple of wet wipes and large paper napkins, and just because you deserve it, a bar of dark chocolate, 70 per cent cocoa of course.