This Controversial Way To Butter Toast Is Actually The Easiest

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If ever there was a dish that seems like it can't have possibly changed its recipe over the years, it's buttered toast. After all, it's just toast you spread butter on, right? Well, yes and no. When it comes to "knowing where your bread is buttered," the internet is choosing sides over the controversial "hack" of spreading a stick of butter directly onto the toast, without bothering with a knife. Some call it genius while others are simply appalled.

While many may be startled to see a stick of butter used as a blunt instrument, it actually is the easiest way to ensure that your toast is evenly buttered, and means you won't have a knife to wash when you're done. On the other hand, holding onto a wrapped stick of butter can feel odd, and buttering toast directly with it risks leaving crumbs in your butter. It's also important to note that this trick only works with a traditional stick of butter; those who get their butter or margarine from a tub should continue using a knife.

While you may not be fully convinced of the merits highlighted by the straight-from-the-stick buttering method, you might be curious to know that the best way to butter toast — or any other foodstuff — isn't a straightforward subject. From spreading it to storing it, butter is a longstanding source of slippery controversy.

First, there's the obvious spreading dilemma: use a knife, or go straight from the stick? Or, perhaps, you'd like to explore the middle ground with a tool like the Norpro Butter Spreader. This device is essentially a plastic holder that you can insert a stick of butter into, for a less messy variation on the "grab a stick and spread" buttering theme.

Even once you've got your buttering technique down pat (pun intended), you'll also have to weigh the question of how to store it. While many people keep butter in the refrigerator (or even in the freezer, until they intend to use it), others swear by a butter dish stored on the kitchen counter, keeping it spreadable at room temperature — which can be one of the essential tips when cooking with butter.

However you choose to spread it, a slice of buttered toast makes a lovely breakfast on its own, or alongside the fluffiest scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, yogurt, and even breakfast leftover-topped pizza. But toast with butter isn't just a classic breakfast staple — it's also a way to enhance everything from a midday meal to a midnight snack.

Starting with the (maybe) obvious: if you haven't been making sandwiches on buttered toast, you must start immediately. This simple trick makes your sandwiches richer, more flavorful, and satisfyingly textural, as the creamy butter, crisp toast, and sandwich fillings collide. It's also the secret to making a perfect BLT sandwich that tastes as good as you could get in a diner, or a breakfast sandwich that satisfies.

But even if you're not in the mood for a sandwich, buttered toast can be the perfect quick-fix snack, with plenty of carbs and fats to give you energy and stave off any hunger pains. Try different kinds of bread, like sourdough or cinnamon raisin, and be sure you're spreading your favorite variety of butter on quickly for an ideal amount of melt.