Split your lunch to avoid office party shame Christmas party season has started for us, so it's probably started for you, too: novelty knits, warm booze and more mini sausages than you could shake a cocktail stick at. A bagel split into two halves: one for lunch, the other for teatime to line the tummy for the big night ahead. Photograph: Hennie Haworth/Guardian Whatever your destination, you'll probably roll there with lunchtime's cheese sarnie a distant memory. While copious booze is a given at any festive event, substantial snacks are less certain. So, a good lunch is going to be crucial if you don't want to end up being that person at the office party. So, why not make your lunch go further? Cook or prepare one thing, but rather than scoffing it all at 1pm, eke it out and have a second, slightly different, helping later in the afternoon. Bagels are the ideal split lunch option and require little more prep than slicing the thing in half and putting toppings in containers. A whole large bagel can be a stodgefest if eaten in one go: eat half at your usual lunchtime with cream cheese, smoked salmon (for that Christmassy feel), a couple of slices of tomato and a few capers. Have a beetroot salad as a side: chop two precooked beets into rough chunks and mix with a tablespoon of creme fraiche and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Save the other bagel half for a 4.30pm cup of tea, and top with peanut butter and jam. The night before, heat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Roast four sausages for 15 minutes then drain the excess fat before adding one sliced red pepper and a punnet of cherry tomatoes. Give everything a good shuffle and season. Cook for 20 further minutes until done. Chop three sausages into rough chunks and mix in 70g of cooked pasta. Season with a sprinkle of dried chilli and fennel seeds. Keep this for first lunch. Put the remaining sausage aside in a container with a third of the tomatoes and peppers for a sneaky pre-party roll (mustard is a good addition). Our ploughman's lunch (October 23) is also perfect for enjoying in two sittings: bring extra cheese, a spare apple, and a couple of types of chutney to mix things up. Caroline Craig and Sophie Missing are authors of The Little Book of Lunch (Square Peg)