How many times in the working week do you take a proper break? Whether you work formally or not, and whatever your job, we all need downtime. We need to recharge and our brains really need to pause, and to be fed. Stopping work to do something absorbing, such as cookery, has been shown in studies to help us get more done with the rest of the day, and quicker, so you can get on with the rest of your life. You deserve a break. Here are a few simple snacks to look forward to.

The thing about Christmas day, as no one’s stomach needs reminding, is that there is always so much food. It is, however, a truth universally acknowledged that the whole point of cooking a great big bird – not to mention enough vegetables to feed twice as many people as are actually eating them – is to be able to enjoy the leftovers the day after. For all the ceremony, and the focus on the food served at the right time in the right place at the right temperature on Christmas Day, does anything, truly, beat the likes of a soft-bun sandwich filled with all the good bits? Gravy sauce for dipping into (and a sofa for sinking into) optional.