# Is it OK to butter bread first... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 25, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763 "2011-10-25T19:11:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/21 "2011-10-26T15:41:09Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > I know from first-hand experience when I was a kid that if you put gobs of butter on bread (as any 10 year old is wont to do), then toast it, you’d better grab either some marshmallows or a fire extinguisher. > > Whatever you do, don’t try to throw flour on it to put it out, like my brother did - this will only make a fireball that will singe your eyebrows off. Cool! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/22 "2011-10-26T15:49:01Z")
I did this all the time when I was a kid. Not a lot of margarine, because then you’d get a soggy mess, a light coating making sure to not leave a spot unbuttered. Toasty toast on one side, perfectly melted butter on the other side very ready for a teaspoon full of grape jelly, Well, I did until my grandmother found out. Then I didn’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/23 "2011-10-26T18:30:50Z")
Well, as **Annie Xmas** says, you could lay the toaster down on it’s side, nobody said the toaster has to be right side up! Or, you could buy some of [these…](http://www.amazon.com/Toastabags-Reusable-Non-Stick-Sandwich-Grilling/dp/B001UHNMM0/ref=pd_sim_k_1). though I think it would be a mess on the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/24 "2011-10-27T02:06:05Z")
Pan-frying pre-buttered bread is heavenly, and easy. I prefer it that way so much I didn’t replace the pop-up toaster after it broke. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/25 "2011-10-27T02:22:22Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Pan-frying pre-buttered bread is heavenly, and easy. I prefer it that way so much I didn’t replace the pop-up toaster after it broke. But pan fried bread in bacon grease is divine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/26 "2011-10-27T03:03:51Z")
I admit, it never occurred to me to not butter the bread before toasting it. So far I’ve seen no problems as a result of it; perhaps I just don’t butter the bread all that much? ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/27 "2011-10-27T05:34:24Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > DO NOT DO IT!!! You’re likely to start an arms race with the folks on the other side of the wall. Win. 🙂 I was always told as a child by my mother that one should never butter the bread first. A while a go my son got a hankering for pre-buttered toast at Grandma’s. I told him no, we shouldn’t do that. Imagine my surprise when my mother acted like she had never heard this prohibition before.:rolleyes: Grandchildren make parents quite forgetful. I ignore my mom’s current position on pre-buttering and go with what she said back before the grandchildren melted her brain. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/28 "2011-10-27T05:57:45Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > Only if you want two buttery bread missiles shooting out off the counter and on to the floor. And of course as we all know, toast always lands butter side down. Some troll posted a pic on Reddit of a “lifehack” to make grilled cheese by turning a toaster on its side, and it got to the top of the front page. Of course, this does not work for a variety of reasons, and best case you end up with toast rockets and worst case you totally melt your toaster. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/29 "2011-10-27T11:29:11Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > Some troll posted a pic on Reddit of a “lifehack” to make grilled cheese by turning a toaster on its side, and it got to the top of the front page. Of course, this does not work for a variety of reasons, and best case you end up with toast rockets and worst case you totally melt your toaster. A brain cancer patient I was supposed to be caring for toasted a toaster pre buttering the bread. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/30 "2011-10-27T17:17:58Z")
You can do it. You just need a [toaster bag](http://www.amazon.com/Set-NoStick-Toast-Toaster-Bags/dp/B0012XGM92). I’m sure every college bookstore has them. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Righteous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Dr.Righteous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Righteous)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/31 "2011-10-27T18:09:11Z")
As a kid I’d toast the bread very very light, butter it, then put it back in for a second short go. I could never butter bread pre toasting because the bread would tear, so I though this was a good compromise. Now I own a toaster oven and there is no issue. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/32 "2011-10-27T18:52:26Z")
Thanks, all, for the responses! I think I’ll keep buttering the bread first… ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/33 "2011-10-27T20:07:05Z")
> [@Jake](#): > > Thanks, all, for the responses! I think I’ll keep buttering the bread first… I must admit, my mind is a bit boggled by this - the vast majority of responders say it’s a bad idea, including several with experience of it causing fires, while a much smaller number say they do it with light amounts of butter successfully…and you plan to keep doing it? Out of curiousity, why did you ask in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/34 "2011-10-27T20:12:42Z")
> [@Woeg](#): > > …and you plan to keep doing it? Of course he does. He knows which side is bread is buttered on. ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/35 "2011-10-27T20:18:36Z")
^^ _snorts soda_ Thanks, **carnivorousplant** … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763/36 "2011-10-27T20:22:11Z")
> [@Woeg](#): > > Thanks, **carnivorousplant** … sorry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-butter-bread-first/600763.md?page=1)