Christmas, food and angst seem inseparable in our Western world, but where there’s a problem there’s usually some bright spark who spots an opportunity – providers of instant culinary delights. It seems to be less necessary to cook these days, which I think is a great pity. But, for those of us who love food yet find ourselves pushed for time, what a boon some of their products are.

So let me pass on some of the best instant foods that I’ve unearthed this year, many of which would either make Christmas presents or stocking-fillers, or would be a boon to those tasked with providing the Christmas meals.

First, a fantastic salami that I discovered while doing a book-signing at Daylesford Organic, near Kingham in Gloucestershire. The chef took pity on me and brought me a plate of three amazing things, one of which was thinly sliced salami. It wasn’t very fatty and was infused with the most divine truffle flavour. This would be perfect to serve instead of nuts or savoury biscuits with your chosen tipple. You could serve it very thinly sliced, or simply put it on a bread board with a knife and possibly some gherkins and olives, and let people slice their own. It costs £35 a kilo – but half a kilo is a surprisingly large chunk, so for £17.50 you could have a real treat.

Then came some Castelmagno d’alpeggio cheese – the favourite cheese of Carlo Petrini, who started the slow food movement – and Daylesford’s fig and quince jelly. All can be bought from one of Daylesford’s outlets – in Gloucestershire; in Pimlico Road, London SW1; from Selfridges or online from daylesfordorganic.com. Ring 01608 731700.

If you’ve ever eaten at either Tom Aikens or Tom’s Kitchen, you already know that his food is something special: fresh, English and beautifully done. Now he has launched Tom Aikens takeaway at Selfridges, a range of seasonally changing dishes that mostly just need reheating.

I have tried many and they are in a different league from even the best supermarket takeaways. His coq au vin (£6.95 for 425g); duck confit (£4.95 a portion); and braised lamb shoulder with balsamic onions (£7.95 for 450g) could all be served up at any dinner party. We loved the wild mushroom risotto with marjoram (£4.75 for 480g); the butternut squash risotto (£4.25 for 480g); his fish pie (£8.95 for two or £14.95 for four) – I could go on.

Look out, too, for the special oils and vinegars available only in Selfridges (though they can be delivered within the M25 – ring 0800 123400).

Next, supermarket smoked salmon, most of which is, in my view, too pink and too oily. The best I’ve come across is from the Hebridean Smokehouse and you can buy it online – either the wild smoked salmon, all hand-trimmed and peat-smoked, at £8.25 for 125g, or sustainably farmed salmon (from huge ocean pens) at £44.45 a kilo.

I love the company’s pea-roasted sea trout, too, which comes with a horseradish and dill crust at £13 for 340g. Buy them all online at hebrideansmokehouse.com – but order by December 19. From Fortnum & Mason (fortnumandmason.com), you can get tails from North Uist lobsters, peat-smoked in Hebridean Smokehouse style. They’re not cheap but they’re a serious treat for Christmas, costing £12.60 to £18 a tail.

Finally, some festive treats from Harvey Nichols in London. First is a truffle-infused Waterloo cheese made by the Wigmore family in Riseley, Berkshire, which costs £60 but is very special. Then there’s a truffle tree – yes, really. It’s a small hazelnut tree “infected” with the Burgundy truffle virus. You follow instructions and they tell me it really works (£33).

Lastly, reindeer meat may not sound inviting but I first tried it at Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle and assure you that it can be fabulous. Harvey Nichols is selling loins of reindeer: slice it very finely for reindeer carpaccio. Heaven.

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