Whether you enjoy it light, dark or a little burnt, toast is making a comeback.
A recent report found that many of us chose to start our mornings with a simple buttered slice of rose last year.
You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on what you put on top – and from jam and marmalade to cheese and tomatoes, the choice of toppings is endless.
But whatever you add to the bread, it should be perfectly crispy and golden brown on the outside, but still fluffy in the center.
Next Thursday is National Toast Day, an event that always takes place on the last Thursday of February and has been celebrated in Great Britain since 2014.
To highlight this, Lynsey Hope shares her verdict on the supermarket’s own brand ‘toastie’ bread, giving each a score out of five so you know which bread has the best crispiness.
WAITROSE SOFT WHITE TOASTIE EXTRA THICK SLICED, (800g), £1
★★★☆☆
THIS is a delicious slice of toast, nice and crispy on the outside, but fluffy in the middle.
It was the most expensive of the supermarkets’ own brands in the test, costing an extra 25 cents per loaf and around 3 cents more than the others per 100 grams.
It was also the highest for salt and calories.
THE BAKERY AT ASDA SOFT WHITE TOASTIE THICK SLICED, (800g), 75pcs
★★★★☆
I loved this bread, which was very soft and doughy.
Not only did it toast well, but it also made for a good sandwich, eliminating the need to buy separate bread.
It turned out beautifully golden brown and the butter melted perfectly.
WARBURTONS TOASTIE, (800g), £1.40
★★☆☆☆
VERY expensive compared to the others – almost double the price of most and taste wise it wasn’t worth the extra.
It took on a nice color when roasted, but I found the slices a bit thin, the texture a bit chewy and not as light and spongy as you might expect.
It claims to be “low in sugar” but it was comparable to the rest.
In fact, it had more than most of them.
TESCO WHITE TOASTIE BREAD THICK, (800g), 75pcs
★★★★★
LIGHT, thick and crispy, this tasty offering from Tesco met all my toasting needs.
It had the perfect bite and absorbed the butter very well.
It had a little more sugar than most other breads, which was a problem.
But in terms of taste, definitely my choice.
MORRISONS TOASTIE WHITE BREAD, (800g), 75pcs
★★★☆☆
THE slices here were thinner and smaller than most, but therefore healthier – with fewer calories, less fat, sugar and salt than all the other breads.
It was soft and well buttered, with a nice crunch when you took a bite.
It was a bit crumbly and made a bit of a mess, but otherwise a good option.
LIDL ROWAN HILL BAKERY THICK WHITE, (800g), 75pcs
★☆☆☆☆
LIGHT and with a good bite, but this one wasn’t as fluffy as some others.
I also felt that this bread lacked flavor and was a bit dry.
I wouldn’t go back for this and it wasn’t cheaper than other brands, as you would expect from Lidl.
My least favorite of the bunch.
SAINSBURY’S EXTRA THICK SOFT WHITE TOASTIE, (800g), 75pcs
★★★☆☆
I do NOT agree that it is “extra thick” – as the packaging claims – but the bread was soft and tasty.
It seemed to take a little longer to get crispy than others.
I had to put it back in the toaster, but it got a good color when it was in there long enough.
The butter was absorbed well.
ALDI VILLAGE BAKERY TOASTIE BREAD, (800g), 75pcs
★★★★☆
ALDI’s offering had a tasty aroma and turned a beautiful golden color when roasted.
The slices were thicker than most, which made it delicious for toasting, and this bread also absorbed the butter well.
In short, a good all-rounder.