Nearly half of Brits say cheese toasties are the ultimate comfort food
How do you like your cheese toasties? From the way the bread is cut, to the appliance used to toast the sandwich, Brits have shared their opinions on how to serve up the perfect cheesy snack.
Nearly half of Brits (47%) consider the humble cheese toastie to be the ultimate comfort food – and four in 10 “purists” say it is perfect as it is, without adding or topping it with any extra ingredients.
When it comes to preparing the dish, white, medium-sliced bread is preferred, filled with a melted, five centimetre “cheese stretch”.
And the poll of 2,000 adults found that 44% will use a toastie maker to get it nice and crispy, with 62% saying the griddle marks – or stripes – add to the flavour. Meanwhile, almost a third (31%) reckon the snack should only ever be made under a grill.
Brits are also divided on how best to cut their toasties – with 42% opting for two diagonally-sliced triangles, while a close 39% say two rectangular portions is best.
Dr Michael Mosley shares exercise that can cut cholesterol and blood pressureAnd classic mature cheddar is the top filling choice, for 72% – while those who like to embellish their toastie tend to do so with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, or onion marmalade and caramelized onions.
The research was commissioned by plant-based alternative cheese company, Violife, which is delivering free “cheese” toasties this weekend (on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 January), specially created by TikTok sensation, the Lagomchef.
It comes after the study also found 36% of adults reckon they’ll have strayed from their good food intentions – such as spending less money on food (23%), and eating a more plant-based diet (11%) – by the end of this week.
More than half (54%) blame their temptations on working from home, with 44% of home workers putting it down to having easy access to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, 31% claim it's due to boredom, while 18% cite a lack of inspiration – and 21% said they’re just too busy at work to make a proper lunch for themselves.
The study, carried out via OnePoll, also revealed 29% feel January is the longest, toughest month to get through, as a quarter lack energy in the first month of the year. Despite this, 18% intend to experiment with new recipes and meals this year.
Martyn Odell, the Lagomchef, said: “January shouldn’t be about self-punishment and having a truly miserable time. The month is tough enough as it is, so why deprive yourself of delicious things like cheese toasties?”
Jess Millner, from Violife, said: “It’s clear from our research that January is a month where many struggle to stick to their goals, such as trying out a more plant-based diet – and that this week, in particular, is a real challenge for many.
“By giving out 1,000 free lunches with Deliveroo, we want to make it easier for people to stay on track with their good intentions, even when the fridge is tempting them to stray.”