As people are gearing up to send care packages to their loved ones who are abroad at Christmas, there are a few things that can't be left off the list.

A new poll carried out for Checkout Magazine by Behaviour and Attitudes has revealed that the Tayto crisp brand (42%) which was recently sold to German manufacturer InterSnack, along with Kerrygold butter (46%), were the items that people miss most when they leave Ireland. 

Tayto edged it slightly when asked what they missed "a lot", with 18% saying the crisps were the most important thing, and 17% saying it was butter.

Cadbury's chocolate got a mention in the top three items that ex-pats long for, while both Barry's and Lyons tea were tied at 40%, as those surveyed said they miss the taste of an Irish brew. 

The poll also asked those abroad what products they though were of a higher quality in Ireland than anywhere else, and stout (66%) came out on top of the list, with rashers (65%), sausages (61%) and milk (58%) all getting a mention.

Speaking about the results of the survey, Checkout editor Stephen Wynne-Jones said that "the old adage that Guinness doesn't travel well still lingers with some people", adding that the report highlights that Ireland has a "lot to be proud of in terms of our food quality".

The survey looked at 546 people, who were split into two different groups; those who had been abroad for at least six months, and those who had returned home after spending a period living overseas.