For office workers and many others, lunchtime means heading to the local supermarket, coffee shop or cafe for something to eat. There, you can buy savoury products, hot and cold drinks and sweet treats for afters. Sweet products are most commonly bought by people experiencing a bad day. The muffin has become a very popular snack for people to buy with a coffee or as a pudding. They can be eaten with little mess and come in a variety of flavours so everyone can find one they like.
The muffin is now considered to be a gourmet snack by many because of its shape and flavours. The expansion of gourmet coffee shops like Starbucks has led to this in part. it also helps that ingredients are now luxurious like Belgian chocolate and fresh berries, so food snobs can eat them too.
The development of the famous ‘skinny muffin’ which claims to be a healthier version of the sweet treats means that even those on a diet can enjoy the flavours of a blueberry or lemon flavoured muffin. The skinny muffin benefits all because dieters have something tasty and healthy to eat whilst the shops retain customers.
the shape and size of muffins has also changed how we look at them. muffins began quite small and evenly shaped. Then came the dawn of the massive topped muffin which was bigger than the traditional size. This is where the term ‘muffin top’ came from which we use to describe stomachs that are being squeezed over tight trousers.
The flower-pot muffin is the newest shape to hit the shelves. This has been partly triggered by the reluctance of consumers to eat such a big portion all in one sitting, as this new design is a little smaller and more even between top and bottom. The name flower-pot comes from the fine paper that surrounds the bottom of the muffin.
Coffee stores and shops can make a lot of money from having muffins on their shelves as can pubs where customers like the sweet alternative to crisps and pork scratchings.
