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National Toast Day

A crispy slice of goodness, lightly toasted to perfection. Topped with a delicious spread, it's a perfect start to the day!

BreadFood & Drink45
Marketing angleinferred

Celebrate National Toast Day by promoting bread, spreads, and toaster products through home-focused, feel-good content that emphasizes comfort and breakfast nostalgia.

Relevance 45medium intent
  • Share your favorite toast topping combinations and tag us for a chance to win
  • Behind-the-scenes: How our artisan bread is crafted for the perfect toast
  • Toast through the ages: From ancient Egypt to your kitchen—a delicious history
  • Host a virtual toast party: Gather friends to celebrate breakfast's most beloved staple

History

Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food established National Toast Day in 2014; the humble slice of toast is a national treasure and deserving of a dedicated day of celebration. National Toast Day has become an international phenomenon.

Sadly, National Toast Day isn’t celebrated in the same way as other food-related days, such as Pancake Day, for instance, which gets a huge celebration.

In the run-up to Pancake Day, the whole world becomes pancake obsessed; new products are sold, adverts are customized, new toppers are launched.

However, National Toast Day is celebrated in a more ‘relaxed’ manner, with most people choosing to celebrate at home with their favorite bread, some delicious toppings, and their toaster!

Some toast lovers choose to celebrate by hosting their own private toast making parties, where guests are invited to select their favorite bread – whether it’s white bread, brown bread, granary bread, or sourdough bread it doesn’t matter – and bring along their toasters, ready to spend the evening making lots and lots of toast.

Many toast lovers also choose to share their National Toast Day creations via social media, tagging World Bread Award and using the hashtag #ToastDay. According to the World Bread Award, the weirder and more unique the toast toppings, the better!

Featuring on BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Good Morning America, the Sun, the Metro and more.

It’s been the number one Twitter trend in the UK; with social media engagement from a whole range of institutions including the NHS, Iron Maiden, MasterChef, Paddington Bear, Great British Bake Off, Aston Villa, Paul Young, You Gov, Coronation Street, British Heart Foundation, Hell’s Kitchen USA, BBC Three, Love Food Hate Waste, This Morning and many more.

Enjoy toast as your choice of breakfast (or lunch or dinner) on National Toast Day. Maybe experiment with toppings and share your favorites with the world. Or even host a toast and tea party!

National Toast Day brings the fun to food by calling for toast lovers to turn their toast into art to celebrate their favorite crunchy fare.

Toast art is a sensation; it is huge in Japan and has been explored by a number of artists, such as Nathan Wyburn who has famously toastified many members of society’s upper crust including Jimmy Carr, Simon Cowell, and Boris Johnson.

How could you craft your next Toast Art project? Painting with peanut butter, cutting out characters, maneuvering your baked beans? Whatever you choose, at least you’ll have a tasty treat to enjoy at the end of your arty endeavor!


How to celebrate

Egyptians Toast Bread to Preserve It

Archaeological and historical studies suggest that ancient Egyptians heated bread over fire to dry it out, helping it last longer in a hot climate and laying the groundwork for the idea of toast as preserved bread. [1]

Romans Popularize Toasted Bread and the Word “Tostum”

Writers of the early Roman Empire describe bread browned over a flame, and Latin sources use the verb “tostum,” meaning “to burn or scorch,” giving rise to the English word “toast” for crisped bread. [1]

From Toasted Bread to “Drinking a Toast”

In Britain, pieces of spiced or toasted bread were sometimes placed in wine or ale to improve the flavor; by the 1700s, the term “toast” had shifted to mean the honored person for whom a drink was raised. [1]

Alan MacMasters Builds an Early Electric Toaster

Scottish inventor Alan MacMasters designs what is often cited as the first electric bread toaster, using electric heating elements to brown slices of bread, although safety issues and unreliable wiring limited its spread. [1]

Chromel Alloy Enables Practical Electric Toasters

Metallurgist William Hoskins patented nichrome-like chromium–nickel resistance wire around 1905, and by 190,9 the American Electric Heater Company used it in the D-12 toaster, creating a durable, commercially viable countertop toaster.

Pop-up Toaster Patented in the United States

In 1921, Charles Strite received a U.S. patent for an automatic pop-up toaster that times the toasting process and ejects the bread, making evenly browned, unattended toast a standard feature in home kitchens. [1]

Sliced Bread Supercharges Toast at Home

American inventor Otto Frederick Rohwedder perfects a machine that automatically slices and wraps loaves, and the first pre-sliced bread is sold in Missouri in 1928, making quick, uniform toast a daily convenience. [1]


FAQ
Did ancient civilizations enjoy toast?
Yes, ancient Egyptians toasted bread over open fires to extend its shelf life. This practice dates back to around 3,000 years ago.
How did the term “toast” originate?
The word “toast” comes from the Latin “tostum,” meaning “to burn or scorch.” This reflects the process of browning bread.
What’s the story behind the first electric toaster?
In 1893, Scottish scientist Alan MacMasters invented the first electric toaster. However, it had safety issues and wasn’t widely adopted.
Are there unique toast toppings around the world?
Yes, in Australia, Vegemite is a popular spread. In Sweden, people enjoy toast with caviar paste.
Is there a Guinness World Record related to toast?
Yes, the record for the most people making sandwiches simultaneously is 607, set in 2016 in the UK.
How do different cultures incorporate toast into their cuisine?
In France, “tartines” are open-faced sandwiches. In Italy, “bruschetta” features toasted bread with toppings like tomatoes and basil.
Are there any myths about toast?
One myth suggests that dropping toast always lands butter-side down. Studies show it’s due to the height of the fall and the toast’s rotation.
How do people celebrate National Toast Day creatively?
Some host “toast parties,” where guests bring unique toppings. Others experiment with gourmet toast recipes, like avocado and poached eggs.
What’s the significance of toast in literature?
In “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde, characters discuss the proper way to eat muffins and toast, highlighting societal norms.
Are there health benefits to eating toast?
Toast can be easier to digest than fresh bread. It also has a lower glycemic index, which may help regulate blood sugar levels.