Are you a Glider, a Clumper, or a Crust Avoider? A psychologist has revealed what your spreading on toast technique says about your personality.

According to Darren Stanton, a human behavioural expert, ‘Gliders’ who glide the knife over the bread for an even spread – something 50 per cent of the 2,000 adults polled claim to do – tend to be easygoing and calm in nature.

They successfully glide through life, unphased by hurdles or moments of stress.

Meanwhile, research from Flora showed the 19 percent of adults who prefer ‘Total Coverage’ by spreading all the way to, and including, the crusts – are considered to be very methodical.

Their precise nature means they are usually the organised one of their friendship group.

By spreading every part of their bread, it demonstrates control, ensuring nothing is left to chance.

And ‘Clumpers’ – those who don’t spread evenly and often leave clumps on the bread - are sporadic in their nature, thinking outside the box in life.

The six per cent of the population who fit into this category do things their own way, but are generally late for appointments, believing they have more time to spare.

Darren, who worked with Flora to create the types of spreaders, said: “In the seemingly mundane act of putting a spread on toast, layers of our personality are unveiled.

“Some spread with precision, others with spontaneity – how we spread mirrors our resilience, patience, and attention to detail.

“This seemingly simple task becomes a canvas of our subconscious, revealing traits we might not even be aware of.

“The next time you spread your toast, remember, you could be revealing more about your personality than you might think.”

The human behavioural expert also commented on the five per cent of adults who make an effort to avoid the crust, believing these people are very neat and tidy.

‘Crust-Avoiders’ fear making a mess and are procedural – but are typically great at admin and may describe themselves as a perfectionist.

The research also found half of adults (51 per cent) have become frustrated in the past when they couldn’t spread easily, which could come down to where they store their spread.

But it’s not just a tough spread which can wind up Brits, as 64 per cent get annoyed when crumbs are left in the tub, with 22 per cent of these admitting it has resulted in an argument.

And 17 per cent have even resorted to telling someone how to spread properly because they have been making a mess of it.

It also emerged from Flora’s research, conducted via OnePoll, the average person will put spread on 574 slices of bread a year.

Ian Hepburn, from Upfield, said: “It’s no surprise the nation has strong opinions about how best to spread your toast considering how much we do it over a year.”

Different types of spreaders according to Darren Stanton

Glider

Those who glide their knife over the bread for an even spread

Gliders - the most common of all spreading types - are easy going, laid back people who are calm in nature, even when confronted with change.

They follow things routinely and are always on time for a meeting or get-together.

They are happy to go with the status quo and tend to glide through life quite successfully, unphased by hurdles or moments of stress.

They’re always able to focus and remain calm, which others tend to be quite shocked at.

They are also good at listening to others since they never seem to have any problems themselves.

Total Coverage

Those who spread right up to the edges

These are very methodical people. They make sure that every inch of the bread is covered, and that just the right amount of spread is applied equally across the surface.

To leave something bare on the toast is like leaving something half-finished in life for them.

They tend to be very precise people, who follow their own rules. They are “everything in its place”-type people.

If they had friends round for dinner everything would be immaculately organised.

They are likely that person who organises the group holiday or takes the lead on scheduling group Christmas dinner months in advance.

It’s about control, making sure every inch is covered and nothing is left to chance.

Clumper

Those that don’t spread evenly.

Clumpers don’t care about missing parts of the bread or where the lumps and bumps are - or even if the spread is spread thinly or thickly.

These people tend to be quite sporadic in nature, and think outside the box in life.

They tend to do things their own way, and they will generally be the sort of people that are late for appointments and always think they have more time to spare than they have.

In terms of spreading, if the condiment hits the bread, then they’re happy.

Do-you-want-toast-with-your-spread?

Those who go all out with their spread.

This group of people generally have a very happy disposition. They see the best in life, which is reflected in putting lashings of delicious spread in abundance all over their toast.

When it comes to parties or get-togethers, guests are in for a good time, since happiness, along with an open mind, is very much a key character trait of this type of spreader.

Last but not least they love to indulge. They don’t see why they would hold back when it comes to enjoying things they like in life.

Crust-avoider

Those who never touch the crust.

People who don’t spread to the edges are very neat and tidy. What they fear is the spread spilling off the edge of the bread or toast, dripping onto them or on the floor. This makes them very procedural.

Everything needs to be in its place, because crust avoiders are perfectionists who fear making a mess. As they are orderly people, they’re likely great at life admin and are super organised, but don’t necessarily shout out about it.

Double-sider

Those who spread on both sides.

These people tend to be the most unique of all spreaders. They are creative people who use the abstract side of their brain. Very few individuals would spread their bread on both sides.

Double Siders are reasonably extroverted and don’t mind standing out from the crowd. They love to enjoy life to the maximum - whether it’s savouring every moment of a holiday, or creating a totally indulgent slice of toast.

They’re likely flamboyant with their clothes and appearance. In psychology, these people would be ‘internally referenced’, which means they trust their own instincts on decision-making, rather than following what everyone else is doing.

Tear-and-spread

Those who rip the bread and spread individual pieces one at a time.

People with the bread-tearing character trait do not like surprises and do not like to perform in a lesser way than they know they are capable of.

The breaking of the bread is almost preparing which piece of the toast they will eat, rather than diving into the full or half slice.

This person also has good communication skills because they’re used to breaking things down and thinking in different ways, using their ability to build trust and rapport with other people.

They are fun outgoing types, and can be sporadic in nature. Making things up as they go along, they like to do things their own way.

Curler

Those who use a gadget to shape their spread.

The Curlers are perfectionists - a bunch of people who tend to want to do things their own “unique way”. They use a special implement to curl their spread.

This makes it incredibly easy to spread and leaves the typical curler feeling smug, believing their way is clearly the best.

There have even been competitions for curlers with the most original and unique design.

In life, they tend to seek out the more obscure method to solve a problem, they will likely be very good at puzzles or lateral thinking and others will consider themselves to be street smart and have a unique way to approach life.

Bareley there

Those who use minimal spread and leave gaps.

These individuals do not want to silence the taste of the bread by drowning it in spread. Hence they much prefer to savour the taste and texture just like a good wine.

These people tend to very much live in the moment, and are quite “outdoorsy”. They are “go-getter” types, and not ones to rest on their laurels, so some may find it very difficult to keep up with them.

The lack of spread also signifies they want to spend as little time as possible on breakfast. They’d rather get out into the great outdoors and seize the day.

Of course, ‘barely there’ spreaders may also be health conscious and prefer to go light on the spread for this reason.

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