Their trademark wicker hampers may be a bit much to carry on board but the Fortnum and Mason Hamperling from the Queen’s Grocer in Piccadilly, are just the job.

Fortnum & Mason Hamperling: Quality

They’ve joined a few outlets in Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 and have started to offer picnics.  Don’t forget British Airways aren’t serving food on their short haul flights and this could be the right answer.  Theirs are insulated bags in their signature eau de nil blue with a variety of choices on offer for all palates and budgets. There’s no cooking, wrapping or packing necessary when you buy a Hamperling. Fortnum & Mason has taken care of everything for you. No bread rolls waiting to burst their bag, rubber cheese or foil-topped meals here.

I’m a little biased because I know the marvellous Irish butcher who’s responsible for the fabulous beef that features in one of them. Yeah. You Peter Hannan.

Fortnum & Mason Hamperling: Beef

The Glenarm Beef Plate (£25) takes its name from the fabulous Irish beef that’s the star of this Hamper. Served rare with horseradish cream and cornichons. As if you want any other flavours, there’s a cheese board which includes Innes Log made by Stella and her son Jo who’ve been making unpasteurised Goat’s milk cheese in Staffordshire for almost thirty years. There’s Comte. English Poacher Rye Bread, Butter and a Panache Salad. Full? No way. There’s lemon posset and Napolitain squares to follow.

Fortnum & Mason Hamperling: Vegetarian

The Vegetarian Plate has a roast butternut squash, red onion, seeds and rocket starter. The cheese selection is pretty impressive and includes Ragstone a lactic goat’s cheese made by Charlie Westhead and his team at Neal’s Yard Creamery in Dorstone, Herefordshire.

There are variations including The Ploughman’s Plate (£20.00) Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese, York Ham, Game Terrine and Apple Chutney, Cornichons and silverskin onions. Rye bread and butter and a panache salad. Bakewell tart and clotted cream and chocolates to finish.

Smoked salmon with capers and onions, rye bread and butter, salad, lemon posset and chocolate make up The Salmon Plate (£15.00).

The Foie Gras, Caviar and Smoked Fish Plate (£50) is for sharing, and it’s quite a feast. Oscietra Caviar, and a smoked fish selection with pickled cucumber, Foie Gras Torchon with Quince, Fig and Almond Wheel. There’s a cheeseboard of three (Innes Log, Comte, Lincolnshire Poacher) with apple chutney, rye bread and butter and a Panache Salad. Lemon posset and chocolate end the meal.

Pick up the Hamperlings at the T5 Fortnum store or the central bar.