A very special national day is being celebrated for the first time ever today.
Today is the launch of National Cheese Toastie day, as the mighty comfort food takes the crown as the UK’s tastiest lunch option with over a third of Brits picking it as their top spot.
It seems that the UK is a cheese toastie-loving nation as almost half of the country (47%) have admitted to eating toasties weekly, and 20% eating them more than once a week. In total, it’s been revealed – thanks to newly-conducted research by The Yorkshire Creamery – that the British public eat an average of 4.3 billion cheese toasties per year, with 3.3 million people eating a toastie every day, and 31.3 million eating at least one toastie a week.
That’s a lot of cheese.
When it comes to the cheese of choice for the toastie, the undeniable champion was found to be the mighty Cheddar – with two thirds of people choosing it over all other options – and Red Leicester was next on the list, with 13.7% of the vote.
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Cheese and ham is the most popular flavour combination, with 30% of the vote, a classic cheese toastie on its own comes second (23%), and cheese and tomato takes third place (22%).
All in all, 37% of Brits say that a cheese toastie is the tastiest lunch option, and while the jacket potato (21%) and beans on toast (14%) took second and third place respectively, one in five people agreed that there is no better comfort food quite like a cheese toastie.
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What about us Mancunians though?
43% of Mancunians eat a cheese toastie at least once a week.
62% agree that cheddar is the best cheese for a cheese toastie.
40% say the cheese toastie is tastiest lunch option around with – jacket potato 19%, and beans on toast 14% taking second and third spot.
The favourite flavour combos are Ham and cheese 30%, Cheese and Tomato 22%, and Cheese and Onion 20%.
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Each year on 27th October, the nation is invited to celebrate its love for the mighty cheese toastie on its own national day, so today you’re encouraged dust off your toastie machine, dig out your grill pan, or whip out your toastie bags and get ready to cook up the ultimate British comfort food.
Although, from looking at these new statistics, it seems like every day is cheese toastie day according to some three million Brits.
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What’s the best way to make a cheese toastie though?
Top tips include 39% of people saying you should always use a toastie maker for the perfect cheese toastie, but 18% preferring the grill pan for their cheese toastie fix, and a third of people stating that buttering the outside of the bread is crucial.
One in five people also championed the need to toast the bread first.
Sandra Bell at The Yorkshire Creamery – who founded National Cheese Toastie Day – commented: “Since we launched our range of award-winning cheeses made with milk from local farms and using traditional techniques, we’ve been inviting the nation to toastie together with us and have been overwhelmed by the nation’s love for the mighty cheese toastie.
“The research just backs up what we already thought – that we’re a nation of cheese toastie lovers.
“On the back of this, we’ve decided to etch toasties into our history with a dedicated day to recognise this delicious cheesy delicacy every year. We want to celebrate one of the nation’s favourite comfort foods and bring people together to share recipes, inspiration and new insight on toastie trends.”
Well, we know what we’re having for lunch.
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Coronation Street and Emmerdale cancel filming after news of cutbacks and reduced schedule
Danny Jones
Coronation Street and Emmerdale production crews are said to have cancelled at least one day of filming this week following news of more cutbacks and a reduced schedule of programming.
The beloved British soaps have been up against it for some time now, with viewing figures and costs struggling at both ends of the spectrum, and the latest development doesn’t spell great news for the cast and crew, not to mention audiences.
According to Digital Spy, regularly scheduled filming was due to take place in Manchester and Leeds on Tuesday, 5 February, with each show shooting roughly six to eight weeks in advance of storylines.
However, following reports of more hits to the industry and the latest steps ITV, specifically, which will see fewer episodes of both Corrie and Emmerdale air each week, film crews are said to have been stood down as they await further updates.
Part of the Coronation Street set over in Salford Quays. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Announcing steps at the start of February, ITV confirmed that Coronation Street and Emmerdale are to see their content cut by an hour a week between them from next year.
While Corrie currently broadcasts three hour-long episodes per week and Emmerdale four half-hour episodes plus one full-hour instalment, the new slate will see both soaps dial back to only air 30-minute episodes, with a so-called ‘soaps power hour’ every both shows at 8pm and 8:30pm.
Put in simplest terms, viewers will have half an hour less of their regular soaps to watch overall each week but with episodes airing at more regular intervals, which the network claims is “viewer-led” and will allow fans to enjoy the shows “in the most digestible way.”
Metro writer Duncan Lindsay has labelled the decision as a tough one to make but something that could ultimately “save” the two long-standing soap operas in the long run.
On the other hand, this obviously means a big chunk of work being lost for those working on sets across the board, with ITV having already taken steps to cut costs ever since the pandemic, and the UK’s viewing public has given mixed reactions, to say the least.
The hour of scripted content saved from the overdue cut to Corrie and Emmerdale should be pumped into a new continuing drama. It’s the only way to justify the loss to the industry.
With an increased focus on streaming and making both shows more accessible, episodes will continue to be released from 7am on ITVX before airing on live telly later that evening.
Responding to the changes, the performing arts union Equity admitted that the steps do cause “further cause for concern”, especially following the cancellation of other soaps like Doctors and Hollyoaks also having recently seen its schedule adjusted.
It remains unclear when the respective cast and crews will return to filming.
What do you make of the cutbacks: will you miss the sum total of 60 minutes being shaved off your Corrie and Emmerdale catch-ups, or do you think it’s a bittersweet step that could help freshen up the format and sustain it for years to come?
New survey reveals one in three shoppers admits to stealing at self-checkouts
Emily Sergeant
Almost 40% of UK shoppers have failed to scan at least one item when using self-checkouts, new research has revealed.
Self-checkouts started to become popular in the UK in the 1990s, and since then have evolved to meet consumer demands and solve the problem of queueing, especially taking on a life of their own in supermarkets from the 2010s onwards… but now, some exclusive new research for The Grocer has revealed that could be causing more hassle than they’re worth.
A national survey of more than 1,000 shoppers found that only 63% said they ‘never’ failed to scan an item when using self-checkouts, which leaves almost two in five who do so at least occasionally.
A third (32%) also admitted to having weighed loose items incorrectly, while 38% said they had put through an incorrect loose item.
Experts say these statistics show that “a new breed of shoplifter” has been created.
A new survey has revealed that one in three shoppers admits to stealing at self-checkouts / Credit: Aldi
“You’re creating opportunities for people who otherwise wouldn’t even think about shoplifting,” commented Matt Hopkins, who is an associate professor in criminology at the University of Leicester,
When it comes to the biggest culprits of failing to scan items at self-checkouts, the survey revealed that the under 35 age group, and men overall, came out as the most common, but it’s unclear whether this could be blamed on system error, missing barcodes, or rushing shoppers, instead of being intentional.
Surprisingly though, despite public perception and a recent headline-grabbing move by supermarket chain Booths to remove self-service checkouts from all but a select few of its busiest stores, this new research also shows that shoppers actually prefer to use self-checkouts (54.2%), over staffed checkouts (29.8%).
“In a short space of time, the self-checkout option has gone from zero to an accepted norm – and now to an active preference for many,” commented Lucia Juliano, the UK head of research and client success at Harris Interactive.
The speed and relative freedom provided by self-checkouts were the main advantages of using them, according to shoppers, with 56% choosing to use them because they’re faster.
52% cited the fact that self-checkouts allow them to ‘go at [their] own pace’.
Juliano did, however, comment that shoppers’ preference for self-checkouts may only be a reality “when there are no tech issues during the transaction”, which is said to be the “biggest bugbear by far” according to the survey.