Britain’s Feel Good Food

Published: 09 September 2010

It’s official! Toast has been scientifically proven to be the UK’s feel good food and Britain’s most loved food smell. Professor Tim Jacob, School of Biosciences at Cardiff University has found that the smell of toast triggers memories of happiness.

With over two million students heading off to university this autumn on tight budgets and armed with minimum culinary skills, toast will become a food staple for many, but will also evoke feelings of great comfort with over 42% of students being reminded of home when they smell toast. A recent survey by the Flour Advisory Bureau (www.fabflour.co.uk) found that we are a nation of toast lovers with over 99% of us claiming we simply love toast. Known as the ‘Proust Effect' where odour unlocks memories, the smell of toast is linked firmly with a number of pleasant memories that include family life, comforting weekends and time spent with family.

Professor Jacob explains, "Most families eat toast for breakfast and the distinctive smell of toast delivers a feel-good factor by evoking comforting childhood memories. It is entirely conceivable that students can sniff their way back to happy childhoods with the aroma of toast - delivering a warm, feel- good factor across countless breakfast tables and student hall of residences throughout the nation."

BREAD FOR STUDENTS

Nutritionist Fiona Hunter explains, "Students on a budget will be pleased to hear that many of the foods that nutritionist's recommend as part of a healthy balanced diet, like bread are nutritious and are excellent value for money. As well as being a source of comfort, toast/bread is also one of the nation's main sources of fibre: four medium slices of wholemeal bread provides 42% of the daily recommended amount of fibre. Also, white bread is fortified with vitamins and minerals and only four medium slices of white bread (140g) provides 248mg of calcium, which is 31% of the EU Recommended Daily Amount (800g), as well as calcium white bread also provides good amounts of other key nutrients including B vitamins and protein Adding a little spice and being creative means students can create a menu of quick, easy, nutritious meals with one loaf of bread!"

TOASTY TOPPINGS

Baked beans with curry paste; bacon and peanut butter; cheese and banana; jam and egg: these are just some of the nation's favourite, and bizarre, toast toppings according to those questioned by the Flour Advisory Bureau.

If you're more partial to a slice of delicious piping hot toast with just butter or margarine, you're in good company though as nearly two thirds of us enjoy our toast this way (64%). And a slice of thick, white bread is still the benchmark for toast lovers, although surprisingly it seems that more men prefer brown bread to women (21% vs 18%).

Is your favourite toastie in the nation's top ten toast toppings?

1. Just butter/margarine 64%
2. Cheese 58.9%
3. Egg 41.4%
4. Jam (any flavour) 41.1%
5. Marmalade 38.5%
6. Baked beans 37.8%
7. Marmite 30.5%
8. Bacon 26.1%
9. Peanut butter 21.4%
10. Honey 20.5%

Professor Jacobs concludes, "It is clear that toast reminds us of family. Breakfast, the meal where most toast is consumed, is a family meal and this association stays with us. Toast is used as a treat and to cheer us up, so when we leave home toast recalls family breakfasts and is therefore comforting. Psychologically, a process of conditioned association occurs to link toast and the smell and flavour of toast with key moments in our lives - family moments.

For further information or to see the executive research report contact mars@marswebbpr.co.uk or call 077 177 18 063.