How to approach the holiday breakfast buffet: Start at 8.17am and eat two plates of food

It’s often the highlight of the holiday, but knowing where to begin when it comes to your hotel’s breakfast buffet can be overwhelming.

Now help is at hand, as an Oxford University mathematician has cooked up a formula for the perfect way to start the day when you are taking a break.

Dr Tom Crawford’s scientific recipe scores a breakfast buffet out of ten and, to get top marks, he worked out exactly what to eat and when over a 45-minute sitting.

Contrary to popular belief, he revealed that, for the best results, holidaymakers should always start with hot food, not cold.

And it’s bad news if you enjoy a lie-in, as Dr Crawford found the ideal breakfast should start at precisely 8.17 am.

He said: “There are six key ingredients to the buffet experience, including the obvious elements, such as the type and amount of food, but also the time of arrival and the amount of time spent digesting your meal.”

“Each of the variables is represented in the formula, with the optimal solution based on the habits of the average British holiday-makers.

“To achieve the best buffet experience and a maximum score of ten, holidaygoers must arrive at 8.17am and consume two plates of food. The first being a hot plate with one piece of toast, a portion of eggs, a helping of beans, two pieces of bacon and two sausages (veggie or otherwise).

“The second plate, which is to be eaten 16 minutes after the first to aid digestion, should include two slices of smoked salmon, two servings of fruit, one pastry, one yoghurt and a bowl of cereal.”

Dr Crawford came up with the equation after researchers found a quarter of Britons had delayed their plans for the day after stuffing themselves at the buffet.

The poll for Asda Travel found three in five Britons choose a holiday destination based on the quality of the all-inclusive buffet, with Mallorca voted as the top place to get a fry-up.