What does your toast say about your personality? Body language expert claims the way you spread your bread can reveal a lot about your character

Forget reading tea leaves; start looking more closely at your board for answers.

Bread and butter with a cup of tea is a common British breakfast item – whether you enjoy the meal before boarding the school bus or eating it before rushing to work.

And a body language expert says small details — like how dark your toast is, or where you start spreading your seasoning — can serve as surprising traits of your personality.

London-based communications coach Judi James told Bertinet Bakery what it means when you enjoy the taste of burnt, charred toast – and which method of butter application is the ‘sexiest’.

The sourdough maker also surveyed 2,000 Brits to see what the most popular combination is, revealing that 30% like ‘medium well done (mid brown)’ bread.

Here, FEMAIL rounded up the pro’s verdict on who ‘stays calm under pressure’ – and who will ‘leave a trail of heartbroken exes in their wake’.

THE BREAD

Burned (black): THE DARK DESTROYER

“You are part of the 1% who likes it when it is black, who shows the desire to control things in life, to fearlessly speak your mind and jump into situations that others avoid,” says Judi .

“You’re spontaneously sexy, but tend to burn bright before you burn out, which means you may leave a trail of heartbroken exes in your wake.”

Well done (dark brown): THE IMMERSIVE EATER

Judi says those who like dark brown toast are “decisive and take the time to enjoy every decision you make, from food to relationships.”

“If you do something, you either do it well or you don’t do it at all,” she advised. ‘Open and honest, you pride yourself on remaining calm under pressure.’

Medium well done (medium brown): THE PERFECTIONIST

The body language expert explained that people who leave their bread until it becomes ‘medium brown’ are perfectionists. “You set standards and expect others to adhere to them,” she says.

‘You belong to the majority, which means that you are sociable and enjoy that your decisions are seen as sensible and ‘normal’. However, you can quietly lose it when confronted with alternatives, and you are likely to complain if toast is served in a café that has only been ‘shown to the flame’.”

Medium (golden brown): THE SENSUALIST

“You tend to think of food as a full-fledged sensory experience,” Judi reveals. ‘Increase your eating pleasure by enjoying both the golden color and the delicious aroma.’

Very light (white but crispy): THE FOOD-FLIRT

Anyone who wants their toast ‘white but crispy’ falls into the category of ‘food flirts’, says the pro. “You’re picky and like to think you’re a little bit special,” she added.

‘Moreover, you enjoy getting the most out of your treats: the full bread experience, but with a crispy layer, which gives an extra dimension.’

Extremely light (hot bread): THE SELF-COMFORTER

Judi says: ‘You like to use food as a mood enhancer because the smell, look and texture of warm bread almost defines the phrase ‘comfort food’.

‘Warm and empathetic, you value relationships and work hard to stay calm under pressure.’

THE BUTTER

Always butter toast: THE SOCIAL NETWORKER

Judi says these are people who think toast isn’t toast “until you introduce butter to it.”

“Combined eating is important for you because one increases the pleasure of the other,” she revealed.

“You also enjoy other lifelong relationships, like marriage, because you know that teamwork is usually best.”

Never butter toast: THE HAWK

No butter? No fear, says Judi. The body language expert says these people “like to focus on one pleasure at a time, with the dry toast allowing the pleasure of crunch and crumbs without anything else diluting the experience.”

She added: ‘You’re the same in relationships, but also in the workplace: intense, focused and avoiding distractions until you’re ready.’

Don’t let toast cool before buttering it: THE SEXY BEAST SATURATIONIST

Judi says this option is both the ‘messiest’ and the ‘sexist’ – ‘because you love the way butter soaks into the bread and enjoy the way it runs over your fingers and drips down your chin’.

“Fun is a priority for you,” she said.

“And you probably love licking your buttery, crumbly fingers once the toast is eaten.”

Allow toast to cool before buttering it: THE PRACTICAL PLANNER

“You are sensible and mature about all things in life and always remember to do things like take the butter out of the fridge first so it is soft enough to spread,” Judi revealed.

‘You are happy most of the time, but not greedy or spontaneous. Always remember to put a few slices in the toaster for your partner.’

Butter bread when making a sandwich: THE TRADITIONALIST

Judi emphasized how important it is for many people to use butter, not only for old-fashioned toast, but also for larger purposes such as sandwiches.

“You know a sarnie isn’t a sarnie without a good dollop of butter as part of the filling,” she said.

“This is a huge percentage, which means we are a nation of good-hearted, loyal and cheerful types who know what we like and would rather stick with it, for no other reason than that it’s really fun.”

Like a puddle of butter in the middle of a toast: THE SELF-INDULGENT

The body language expert explained: ‘You just see something tempting, then eat it or enjoy it without worrying about guilt or the consequences.

‘That puddle of butter has your name on it. You know you deserve the treat, even if you’re not sure why.”

Always roast with butter right up to the edges: THE ARTIST

“You’re like a builder cementing a brick,” Judi noted.

‘It’s important that it’s perfect. You are confident and have good self-esteem, which is why you spend extra time perfecting food.

“This approach to relationships can put pressure on you at times, but you know that the extra work is always worth it.”

Never roast with butter up to the edges: THE CHAOTIC RISK TAKER

The body language expert said this experimental habit shows a “successful approach.”

‘[It] means throwing dry toast into the mix with a buttery, enjoyable option,” she revealed.

‘Nibbling on dry crusts to reach the buttery toast in the center signals that you love treats but take risks to get them.

“In a relationship, this means risking an argument just to enjoy intense make-up sex.”