Do you know which side your bread is buttered on in this online debate?
On June 19, TikToker @marfmaay, a Scottish woman living in Australia, went viral for a unique, no-utensil method for buttering toast. In response, people are either infuriated or delighted by it — and in some cases, both.
@marfmaayThoughts on this method??? I keep my butter in the fridge so it’s always rock solid, this feels like the best method for my toast 🤗♬ original sound – Marf 💛
“I’m just wondering what everyone’s opinion is on my toast butter,” she says while rubbing a large stick of churned goodness directly onto a slice of toast. “I’ve got one stick of butter for like, other things, and then I’ve got one stick of butter that I use for toast.”
The TikToker says this technique “feels easier” and notes that when her toast is warm, the butter “just melts in,” leaving a “little bit” of crumb residue in the butter.
“Does that offend people? Or what’s our thoughts? I don’t know how to do this. I just think it’s like the easiest way of spreading butter on the toast.”
The video went viral, garnering over 2 million views. In the comments, people were divided on the technique that would probably make an etiquette expert take to a fainting couch, perhaps.
“It’s genius and I hate it at the same time,” wrote one TikTok user.
“Technically not illegal but this feels illegal,” wrote another.
Others called it “diabolical,” “scary” and “genius,” and one joked, “It’s not roll on deodorant.”
“I don’t know how I feel. Its practical but the crumbs in the butter make me feel uneasy. It’s a good idea though,” wrote one user, to which the original TikToker responded, “I think I’d feel funny about someone else’s crumbs 😂 but idk feels ok when it’s just me.”
“I was so surprised that it was such a controversial topic,” @marfmaay tells TODAY.com through TikTok direct message, adding that “so many people” responded to her hack.
There has been plenty of conversation online around leaving particles of toast in your butter, but in many places, it’s described as more of an annoyance than a danger — unless you live in a household with someone who has celiac disease or a gluten allergy.
Butter has a high fat content and that fat acts like a protective barrier from bacteria, but bread crumbs from your slice of sourdough could potentially lead to bacterial contamination and spoilage. That said, if you’re someone who goes through sticks of butter quickly, you probably have nothing to worry about if you want to try out this direct-to-toast technique.
(Today)
